I have an old Formica-topped dinette table that is very nice. It has a red and gray design on the top and an unusually shaped chrome base. The only problem is that the top is scratched and none of the polishes I have used have taken the curse off the scratches. What kind of polish do you recommend?
— Anne Weitze, Chicago
Unfortunately, there is no magic product on the market to get rid of the scratches, but there is one that helps minimize the look of scratches. A call to the consumer help line (800-367-6422) at Formica Corp. of Warren, N.J., led us to a familiar brand-name product: Pledge lemon oil.
The customer representative suggested using Pledge lemon oil to minimize the visual impact of scratches so they are less noticeable. Using this product also lessens the likelihood of scratches in the future.
The trick is to use the oil after washing the tabletop. We tried it on a 40-year-old yellow dinette table that has been in the basement for years to see if this was just talk or truth. The scratches still are there, but the tabletop’s appearance did improve. Also check the tipsheet on care of formica materials at www.kitchenman.com.
It might be best, however, to think of the scratches on your table like facial wrinkles that become more acceptable when they are described as the lines that give a face its character.
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