23 People Proved Anything Can Look Brand New After a Good Clean

Think about the things you buy because you love or need them, then imagine throwing them away when they’re scratched, broken, torn, or spoiled. At first, it may sound like a fast solution, but it’s not always easy for the things you’ve got a special bond with, like your rings, jewelry, watches, etc.

5-Minute Crafts rounded up some incredible proof to show you that there are a lot of easy peasy solutions to extend the item’s life and save money.

1. ’’£3 brooch before and after cleaning. Found a small 925 stamp in the tarnish so bought it. I love cleaning up silver!’’

The original poster used foil and baking powder. You can learn more about this simple, yet effective method here.
But if you want to give your silver items a long-lasting shine, buy Weiman Silver Polish and Cleaner from Amazon now.

2. ’’ English briefcase: 5.99. Before and after cleaning/conditioning.’’

“I washed it with saddle soap, then used leather honey. There were still a lot of visible scratches so I used a rag to press mink oil into it.” © Unagivom / Reddit

An amazing transformation, isn’t it? No need to throw things away if you can restore them. To help you with this process, we found Amazon products that will make your old leather bags, shoes, and even sofas look brand new:

• Buy this excellent LINCOLN Lanolised Leather Saddle Soap here.
• Don’t forget to put the powerful Leather Honey Leather Conditioner in your shopping cart.
• Protect your leather goods from moisture damage and cracking with Tarrago Mink Oil.

3. ’’Thrifted and refinished a set of teak lounge chairs.’’

“A quick scrub with soap and water does wonders. Once dry, I gave these a light sanding with 220 grit paper to smooth out all of the weathered grain.” © D***TheAdmiralty / Imgur

Do you want to give your outdoor wooden furniture a proper sanding, too? Get the 220 Grit Sandpaper available on Amazon.

4. "From bleh to brilliant! Before and after results of cleaning + polishing an old purse of my mom’s from the ’80s!’’

The original poster used Wright’s Brass and Copper Polish, which you can also get on Amazon right now.

5. “30-minute soak in vinegar”

Such a great environmentally-friendly method! But if you can’t wait for 30 minutes, there’s a faster way: use British Basics Shower Head Cleaner (available on Amazon) — it does the job 3 times faster.

6. “I came home early this morning, saw how terribly grungy my front door was and let my ADHD take the wheel.”

“It’s amazing how effortless it was. I’ve tried in the past to use paper towels and surface cleaner and failed miserably. With the vinegar/water/Dawn concoction and a cheap $1 foam sponge, it wiped off so easily.” © Eternal_Geek / Reddit

We’re sure you already have a pack of foam sponges at home, but have you ever heard of a temperature-controlled scrub?
Try the Scrub Daddy FlexTexture foam sponge (available on Amazon). It’s firm in cold water and can be used for tough scrubbing and it gets soft in warm water, so you can use it for light cleaning.

7. “Found this locked-up old monkey wrench at a swap meet, bought it for $12. Cleaned it up and discovered an inscription that has patent dates June, 26, 1866 and March 28, 1869.”

Looks like a lot of work, but there’s nothing a good rust remover can’t fix. We don’t know what brand the original poster used, but here’s the Amazon #1 Best Seller — JENOLITE Rust Remover.

8. ’’Thanks to the person who recommended the Clorox Foamer. Before and after pics.’’

You can get yourself a bottle of Clorox Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner on Amazon too.

9. "30 yrs of grease and grime on a Le Crueset — before and after.’’

“Hot soapy water, a non-abrasive scourer, BKF, and plenty of elbow grease. It was worth the effort!” © ShizzStewWhizz / Reddit

BKF stands for Bar Keepers Friend cleaner — make sure to get it on Amazon now, you won’t regret it.

10. “My girlfriend did this — she’s a true keeper.”

Excellent job! But if you want to get rid of weeds once and for all, try Dansand No Grow Paving Sand. It will save you time and effort. This product contains special minerals and keeps weeds at bay due to its naturally high pH.

11. “Antique oil can I found at a swap meet for $4 and cleaned up — I used Simple Green cleaner, acetone, a wire wheel, sandpaper, 0000 steel wool, and a buffing pad.”

Get your Simple Green 13022 All Purpose Cleaner here. By the way, it’s 22% off now.

12. “Thank goodness for scrubby brushes, sponges, and bleach.”

We can’t believe this sink isn’t new! The secret is a Scotch-Brite Classic Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge which the original poster used to achieve these results. You can get this amazing product on Amazon.

13. “If you really want the chandelier clean, you’ve got to take each piece down and wash it by hand.”

Tip: Don’t use soap for washing. It will make rinsing difficult and if you leave soap on the chandelier, it will make it foggy. Try a window and glass cleaner instead.
Here is an Amazon Choice product — The Pink Stuff by Stardrops “The Miracle Window & Glass Cleaner” with Rose Vinegar.

14. “My mom cleaned the pool.”

Although pool cleaning is a job for professionals, you can still maintain the pool area if you have the right tools. Try the ASAB Swimming Pool Maintenance Kit (available on Amazon).
Also, we have a whole selection of other pool cleaners and filters.

15. “Found it at the local flea market. It was bent and grimy. A hot water and baking soda cleaning and one trip to the goldsmith to bend it back was all it took & a little luck — $6 silver.”

Good old baking soda does the job for sure, but we discovered another way to clean tarnished silver that has been sitting in a box for years: Goddard’s Long Term Silver Polish Cloth (available on Amazon).

16. “I was searching for a grill, instead found this $10 K45 KitchenAid mixer! I cleaned it up and added a bowl, good as new!”

“It was mostly Mrs. Meyers multi-surface spray and a lot of elbow grease! Also, an ‘eco’ sponge where the scouring edge isn’t synthetic so it won’t scratch the surface and a bunch of old socks once I opened her up and had to wipe out a lot of old food grease.” © SergeantMarvel / Reddit

What a dream find! And the elbow grease is definitely worth it.
If you, like this lucky person, happened to find a vintage gem that requires a lot of cleaning, grab a bottle of Mrs. Meyers Clean Day All Purpose Cleaner Spray on Amazon now.

17. ’’BKF saves the day again! (before/after)’’

’’I used Bar Keeper’s Friend powder plus some steel wool to scrub and a little elbow grease, and it looks brand new!’’ © mercurystatic / Reddit

We’ve already mentioned BKF before, but make sure to get some Steel Wool Cleaning Pads on Amazon as well.

18. "Rescued an old rotten outdoor table (pressure wash, dry, sand, oil)’’

The original poster didn’t mention what oil they used for such a beautiful finish, but if you want to renovate a table, we suggest you choose something food safe, like this Danish Oil from Amazon.
It’s suitable for internal woodwork, cabinets, salad bowls, utensils, wood chopping boards, wooden toys, and any surface that comes into contact with food.

19. “I received this secondhand kettle through my local buy nothing group. Cleaned it up and descaled with vinegar. Good as new!”

’’It was in need of a good cleaning. I wiped down the outside with some Dawn Powerspray and a microfiber cloth. For the heavy scale buildup, I descaled it with 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water mixture and set it to boil, and then let it sit overnight. In the morning, I emptied the kettle, added fresh water, and boiled it again.’’ © none4gretchen / Reddit

Get Dawn Dish Spray here and make your kettle and other glass items shine, just like the original poster did.

20. “Literally we opened it and yelled for joy. It’s like the grown-up version of seeing presents under the tree at Christmas!”

’’Half a cup of the powder (there are instructions on the back) we just put it in our soap holder and sprinkled the rest on the door/floor, closed it up, and ran it on a normal cycle. At first it smelled like Lifesavers mints, but once it got going it smelled like CHEMICALS so I’d suggest an open window. Popped the door open the second it was done and it looked like this! We’re going to go back with the spray gel over the part in the middle that is still a little stained, but this photo required no scrubbing!’’ © pun-in-punishment / Reddit

The powder the original poster used is called Iron Out and we found it on Amazon for you.

21. “I just cleaned and repainted my very tired sneakers.”

’’To restore them, I first cleaned them — like a lot! I pulled out the laces and inners, put them through the wash, and used a magic eraser over a couple of nights. I also scrubbed the stained midsoles. Then, I painted them with acrylic leather paint (about 7-8 coats of white) and with an acrylic finisher.’’ © best_guy / Reddit

Even if you’re not planning on restoring a pair of old sneakers, having Saplax Magic Eraser Sponges at home would still be very handy.
They can be used for surfaces including walls, kitchen countertops, cookers, bathroom surfaces, sinks, watches, leather, shoes, and much more.

22. “House burnt down but this pan lives.”

’’This cast iron pan survived a high heat, sat in the rain for some time, and had thick flakes of rust across the entire surface. I scrubbed it to remove the crust and expose the rusty metal. Then, it went into an electrolysis bath, which removed the red rust. The cooking surface still looked like a dry lake bed, for which I used a wire wheel on an angle grinder. It feels good in the hand.’’ © BrowsOfSteel / Reddit

It’s really sad about the house, but what a magnificent pan! If you own a cast iron pan, you can be sure it’ll outlive most of your other items.
Make sure to take good care of it and get yourself a Cast Iron Cleaner Set from Amazon. The set contains:

• 1 x stainless-steel chainmail scrubber
• 1 x scrub cleaning brush
• 1 x hot handle holder
• 2 x pan grill scrapers
• 1 x kitchen towel
• 1 x wall hook

23. “3 hours of pure hardcore moss annihilation was worth every backache!”

Perhaps, the most convenient option is to call a professional, just like the original poster did.
But you can do it yourself too — with the right equipment, like Kärcher K 2 Power Control Home high-pressure washer (Amazon’s Choice).

⏰ If you’d like to learn more hacks, check out our other articles.

• 9 Style Hacks to Prep Your Inner Fashionista for Summer, click here.
• 10 Genius Beach Hacks to Have the Most Epic Beach Day Ever, click here.
• Cutting Tricks That Can Save You Time, click here.
• How to Make Your Old Accessories Look Brand New, click here.
• How to Reuse Tires for Home Projects, click here.
• 5 Easy Ways to Make Your Water Drinkable, click here.
• How to Remove Any Kind of Tape, click here.
• 9 Lifesavers for Everyday Situations, click here.

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