How Walnuts Could Help Remove Scratches From Wood

Walnuts are pretty popular in the United States. In fact, according to World Atlas, the U.S. produces 42 percent of all walnuts, with America being the second biggest eater worldwide of these delicious nuts. They are enjoyed in salads, smoothies, cereals, and baked goods — especially in banana bread. Walnuts add that perfect crunchy texture to complement certain foods. But it might surprise you to learn that walnuts have another use, beyond snacking on while you stream your favorite movie. 

The meaty and misshapen walnut can be used when cleaning, or rather, helping maintain your home. This nut is rumored to help minimize and remove the appearance of those unsightly scratches that have popped up on your hardwood floors and furniture. Perhaps you are just hearing about this household hack, as these are the types of things that might be discussed at the water cooler or on the sidelines at soccer games. You may find yourself wondering whether this trick is a vicious rumor, or if it's just the fix we need. 

The floors have to be made of finished wood

As with any hack worth discussing, we did find a TikTok that offers all the deets. The video, with over 330k likes, details a TikToker revealing that she has accidentally scratched her hardwood floor and wants to see if walnuts, pecans, or pistachios will help mend her mistake. The woman vigorously rubs the three different nuts across the scratches and much to the amazement of her followers, the walnut and the pecan actually make the scratches disappear, with the walnut being the clear winner if there is to be a nut of choice. Why does it work?

According to Food52, walnuts have a wonderful oil that is great for filling in those minor scratches, but there is one thing you need to keep in mind. Your hardwood floors must be finished or this repair hack won't work. They also note that you should avoid trying this trick on antiques — leave those scratches to the experts and pros. If your floors are of the darker variety, Food52 explains you will probably need to use some floor polish, too.