Over the years, people have found many ways of neglecting Vinyl.
If it has spent time witout a cover, which is one of the more common things to happen
you can help by carefully cleaning the Vinyl obviously making sure the Label doesn't get wet.
If it is a U.K. PRESS sometimes a visually scratched record plays extremely well considering.
U.S.A. copies to a similar possibly slighly lesser degree if they are Vinyl.
I have some U.K. records that look terrible but sound almost perfect.
If it is a U.S.A. Styrene and has suffered Needle Burn it may look O.K. but play Terrible,
Nothing can be done to Improve a record that has Needle Burn as far as I am aware.
Cleaning is Always worth a try, it may not be the scratch, but dirt that is the problem.
Mild Soap & Water, I have used the Antibacterial Wipes, & In extreme cases basic Toothpaste which is of course a Mild Abrasive.
Always washed thoroughly afterwards. The Toothpaste can dull the records shine if over used.
A clean soft toothbrush also Invaluable and cheap to buy.
Try cleaning a record of no value first though.
The things that some people have Inflicted on Vinyl records are far worse than gently trying to clean it.
Fortunately I have only had to clean a handful of records in this way, mainly, Junk Shop/Car Boot casualties.
The Antibacterial Wipe, then Soap & Water usually does the trick on a Dirty Record.