The Secret to Fixing Scratched Wooden Cabinets Costs Less than $10 at Trader Joe’s

Kitchen cabinet trends come and go. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, golden-toned oak cabinets reigned. In the early aughts, those wood tones became a bit darker, more cherry than orange-y. The popularity of farmhouse-style kitchens in the mid-2000s and early 2010s brought an onslaught of cabinets painted white. Recently things have gotten a bit darker and moodier, with navy blues, greens, and burgundies. But suddenly there seems to be a desire to return to the days of oak and natural wood. (For inspiration, check out these five kitchen redos with natural wood cabinets.)

If you have oaky wood-toned cabinets (whether that’s a new choice, or your home or rental has had them since the ‘80s or even before), you’ll want to know about this trusty hack for keeping them spotless. It’s so simple it’s nuts.

Here, TikToker Vicki Lynn repairs major scratch damage done by her cat with a walnut, but this’ll work for stray fork or fingernail scratches, too. That’s right! Walnut-toned (or any wood) cabinets can be repaired with a literal walnut. “I just wanted to see if this’ll work. Look at this. It’s coming right off!” Vicki says. “This is crazy — I mean my cat totally destroyed these cabinets.”

So fear not, cat owners (or wood cabinet owners), the solution to “totally destroyed” cabinets might actually cost you less than $10 at Trader Joe’s — or any grocery store. Best yet, this trick works on other wood surfaces, too.

Here, TikToker Kait uses the same technique on a beautiful wood buffet. “It’s the oil from the walnut making the magic happen!” Kait says.

And here, TikToker Amanda Williams uses a walnut to fill in scratches on her hardwood floors. (Note: This trick works best on true hardwood floors, not laminate floors.)

Don’t you just love when the solution to your biggest home pain points is easier than you thought it would be? Share your best home repair hacks below.