Hints From Heloise

Dear Heloise: I know you have a remedy for a scratch on an oak table. It is blond oak and we put a box on it that had nailheads and it left some not deep, but quite visible, scratches. Marion Salinger, Delray Beach, Fla.

Don’t you hate it when things like this happen? The scratches probably can be hidden with a little help.

There are many good commercial scratch covers on the market that you should be able to find at any home-improvement store. There are wax-colored pencils that come in many different shades, or wood-finish stain markers or putty. Follow the directions on the package exactly.

Or, as a quick fix, you can use a crayon that best matches the wood stain. Simply rub just a little with the grain of the wood. Then buff with a clean, soft cotton cloth. That should do it. - Heloise