How to Remove Teeth Marks From a Crib Rail

Written By
Maria Magher
Maria Magher
Published: Sep 12, 2013
Updated: Jan 14, 2020
2 minute read

When your baby starts teething, he will gnaw on anything he can to alleviate his discomfort. When teething pain wakes him in the middle of the night, the object he's most likely to chew on is the railing of his crib. That can leave dents and scratches in your crib's finish. Fortunately, repairing these teeth marks is a relatively simple job that might require only an iron and a damp cloth.

Dampen a cloth and wrap it around the area with teeth marks 2. Iron the cloth on the crib rail to release steam. The steam will cause the wood grain to raise, which might fill the teeth marks -- if they are not too deep. Repeat the process a couple of times to help the wood raise and fill the dented areas.

If the teeth marks cannot be raised through steaming, try filling the holes. Rub a wax stick over the dents to fill them, or use a putty knife to apply a wood filler. Apply the filler evenly to make it as smooth as possible.

Sand the area smooth once the wood filler has dried 2. Wax filler will not need to be sanded.

Apply a matching stain only to the area that has been sanded and filled. Rub it in using a soft cloth and blend it with the surrounding area.

Install a crib rail cover. This will prevent future chew marks and will ensure that your baby does not ingest any of the filler or stain that you have applied to the crib.

Photo Credits

James Woodson/Photodisc/Getty Images

Maria Magher

Maria Magher has been working as a professional writer since 2001. She has worked as an ESL teacher, a freshman composition teacher and an education reporter, writing for regional newspapers and online publications. She has written about…

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