Tips or instant grooming on a trip

The hazards of business travel can be minimized, a West Coast luggagemaker has been telling its customers. Perhaps not everything difficult is easily taken care of - like canceled flights, didn't-notice-it expired credit cards, and taxis going the other way in the rain. But the minor annoyances of away-from-home-and-no-way-to-fix-it travel can be taken care of with honest-it-works ingenuity, this company says.

* To remove scratches from a wristwatch crystal, try gentle rubbing with toothpaste.

* To blend in spots on a dark suit, dress, or tie, dab on a blot of black coffee; on lighter apparel, club soda will help.

* To cover up curb-and-stair scuffs on black shoes, try a felt tip pen or laundry marker.

* To get a quick shoeshine, use skin moistener.

* To renew trouser creases and remove wrinkles, place the garment overnight between the mattress and box spring.

* To smooth a mussed-up tie, shirt, or blouse, ''iron'' it with a clean, hot light bulb in easy strokes.

* To repair a drooping tie lining, hanging hems, or too-long cuffs, use a temporary strip of cellophane tape.