How to Clean and Restore Items for Resale: The Complete Guide to Adding $20–$50 in Value With $5 in Supplies

The difference between a $12 sale and a $55 sale is often 20 minutes of cleaning. That stained Ralph Lauren polo you found for $4 at Goodwill? It’s worth $15 as-is with the stain disclosed. Remove that stain, steam it, photograph it properly, and it sells for $38–$45. That’s a $25+ bump from maybe $2 in cleaning supplies and a bit of elbow grease.

Restoration is the single highest-ROI activity in reselling. Not sourcing, not listing optimization, not pricing strategy — cleaning. Every dollar you spend on cleaning supplies returns $5–$15 in additional resale value. This guide covers specific products, techniques, and processes for every major resale category, all tested by actual resellers in the field.

Clothing: From Thrift Store Reject to Premium Listing

Clothing is the most forgiving resale category when it comes to restoration. Most “damage” on thrifted clothing is surface-level — stains, odors, wrinkles, pilling — and fixable with basic supplies.

Stain Removal: The Arsenal You Need

Not all stains are created equal, and using the wrong product on the wrong stain wastes your time. Here’s the hierarchy:

OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover ($8–$12 for a 3 lb tub) This is your first line of defense for most stains. Fill a sink or bucket with the hottest water the fabric can tolerate (check the care label), dissolve 1–2 scoops of OxiClean, and soak the garment for 1–6 hours. This handles about 60% of thrift store stains: food, light sweat stains, mystery spots, light yellowing on whites.

Pro tip: OxiClean works through oxidation, which means it needs time and heat. A 30-minute soak in cold water does almost nothing. Hot water + 4 hours = dramatically different results.

Fels-Naptha Bar Soap (~$1.50 per bar) For targeted stain treatment, nothing beats a Fels-Naptha bar. Wet the stained area, rub the bar directly on the stain until you build up a lather, then work it in with your fingers or an old toothbrush. Let it sit for 30 minutes before washing. This absolutely destroys grease stains, collar rings, food stains, and dirt marks. One bar lasts 6–12 months of heavy use. At $1.50, it’s the best dollar-per-stain-removed product in existence.

The Peroxide + Dawn Trick (For Stubborn Organic Stains) Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide (3%, the standard drugstore kind — $1 per bottle) and blue Dawn dish soap. Apply directly to the stain, gently work it in with fingers or a soft brush, and let it sit for 30–60 minutes. This combination is devastatingly effective on:

• Sweat/pit stains on white shirts
• Blood stains (even old, set-in blood)
• Wine stains
• Food grease
• Collar grime

Important: hydrogen peroxide can lighten colored fabrics. Test on an inside seam first. On white and light-colored garments, go nuts — it’s basically magic.

Biz Stain & Odor Eliminator (~$6 for a 50 oz box) Biz contains enzymes that break down protein-based stains that OxiClean can’t touch. Specifically effective on: blood, grass, baby formula, food proteins, and sweat. Dissolve in warm water, soak for 2–4 hours. It’s the secret weapon for vintage whites and linens that have yellowed over decades — an overnight Biz soak can take a cream-colored vintage tee back to near-white.

The Stain Decision Tree

Use this to save time and pick the right product immediately:

Odor Removal: Because Nobody Buys Clothes That Smell Like Grandma’s Attic

Odors reduce sell-through rates more than stains do. A buyer might accept a small mark at a discount, but nobody intentionally buys something that smells like cigarette smoke, mildew, or mothballs. Here’s how to kill every odor type:

Vodka Spray (Cheap Vodka, $8–$12 per bottle) Fill a spray bottle with the cheapest vodka you can buy. Mist the garment lightly — you want it damp, not soaked. Hang it to air dry, preferably outdoors. The alcohol kills odor-causing bacteria as it evaporates and takes the smell with it. This works phenomenally on:

• Light body odor / deodorant smell
• Smoke (light exposure)
• Musty / storage smell
• That generic “thrift store smell”

One bottle of cheap vodka lasts hundreds of garments. At maybe $0.03 per treatment, there’s no excuse not to vodka-spray everything you source.

Activated Charcoal ($12–$15 for a bag that lasts a year) For deep-set odors that vodka can’t handle — heavy cigarette smoke, pet urine, strong perfume — seal the garment in a large plastic bag or bin with activated charcoal packets or a charcoal odor absorber bag. Leave it sealed for 48–72 hours. The charcoal absorbs the odor molecules rather than masking them.

You can also place charcoal bags in your inventory storage area to prevent the dreaded “reseller closet smell” from transferring between items.

Sun Bleaching for Whites Sunlight is a free, effective bleaching and deodorizing agent. Wash white items, then lay them flat on a clean surface in direct sunlight while still damp. The UV rays bleach yellowing and kill bacteria. Leave for 4–8 hours, flipping once. This won’t damage fabric and works better than chlorine bleach for gradual yellowing.

For bright sun in summer, you can even spray white items lightly with lemon juice before sun exposure for enhanced bleaching.

De-Pilling: The $12 Investment That Pays for Itself in One Day

Pilling — those little fabric balls that form on sweaters, fleece, and knit fabrics — makes items look worn and cheap even when the garment is structurally perfect. A fabric shaver (also called a lint remover or de-piller) costs $10–$15 on Amazon and transforms pilled garments instantly.

Recommended models:

• Conair Fabric Defuzzer (~$12) — the reseller standard, reliable, easy to use
• Brilnell rechargeable fabric shaver (~$18) — stronger motor, USB rechargeable, better for heavy pilling on thick fabrics

Run the shaver lightly over pilled areas in one direction. Don’t press hard — let the blade do the work. A heavily pilled Patagonia Better Sweater goes from looking like a $15 item to a $45–$55 item in about 3 minutes of de-pilling.

Steaming vs Ironing for Photos

Always, always, always steam or iron garments before photographing them for listings. Wrinkled clothes look used and cheap in photos, period.

Steaming is preferred for most resale clothing because:

• It’s faster (30–60 seconds per garment vs 3–5 minutes ironing)
• No risk of iron burns or shine marks
• Works on all fabrics including ones you can’t iron (silk, velvet, embellished items)
• Kills remaining bacteria and dust mites

A basic handheld steamer like the Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam ($25–$35) is the reseller workhorse. Fill it up, wait 60 seconds for it to heat, and steam your items on hangers. Hold the steamer head 1–2 inches from the fabric and let gravity pull wrinkles out.

Ironing is better for crisp items where you want sharp lines: dress shirts, chinos, table linens, and anything cotton where a structured look adds value.

Sneakers: From Beat to Heat

Sneakers are one of the highest-ROI cleaning categories. A pair of dirty Air Force 1s that looks like $20 can look like $65 after 15 minutes of cleaning. Sneaker buyers are visual — clean photos sell shoes.

Cleaning Products: Premium Kits vs DIY

Premium option: Reshoevn8r or Jason Markk ($15–$25 per kit) Both brands offer cleaning kits with a specially formulated solution and brushes designed for sneaker materials. They work well and are convenient. Jason Markk’s Premium Shoe Cleaner is excellent on leather, canvas, and mesh. Reshoevn8r includes a three-brush system (soft for uppers, medium for midsoles, stiff for outsoles) that’s worth the price alone.

If you’re cleaning 5+ pairs per week, the premium kits are worth it for time savings and consistent results.

DIY option: Baking soda + white vinegar + dish soap (~$0.50 per pair) Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1/2 tablespoon dish soap, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a small bowl. It’ll fizz — that’s normal. Dip an old toothbrush or medium-stiffness brush in the mixture and scrub. This works on:

• Canvas sneakers (Converse, Vans)
• Leather uppers (Air Force 1s, Dunks, most Jordan 1s)
• Midsoles and outsoles
• Laces (soak them separately in the same mixture for 30 minutes, then scrub)

Rinse with a damp cloth — never run sneakers under heavy water unless they’re fully washable canvas. Stuff with newspaper or paper towels and air dry away from direct heat.

Sole Whitening (The Secret Sauce)

Yellowed soles on sneakers kill value more than almost any other cosmetic issue. Nike Air Max soles yellow, Jordan outsoles yellow, Boost midsoles yellow. Here’s how to fix it:

The Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer Method:

1. Buy Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer at Sally Beauty (~$4–$6)
2. Clean the soles first so the developer contacts the material directly
3. Apply a thick, even layer of Salon Care 40 to all yellowed sole areas
4. Wrap tightly with clear plastic wrap (Saran wrap) to prevent evaporation
5. Place the shoes in direct sunlight for 3–6 hours (UV activates the peroxide)
6. Remove wrap, wipe off with a damp cloth
7. Repeat 2–3 times for severe yellowing

Each session noticeably whitens the soles. Three sessions can take a moderately yellowed sole back to near-new. Keep the developer off the uppers — it can bleach or damage colored materials. Use painter’s tape to mask off upper/sole boundaries.

This technique routinely adds $15–$30 in value to yellowed sneakers. A pair of yellowed Nike Air Max 90s worth $35 as-is can sell for $55–$65 with whitened soles. That’s $25+ in added value from $5 in supplies.

Sneaker Recoloring and Touch-Ups

For sneakers with scuffed or discolored paint:

Angelus Leather Paint ($7–$9 per 1 oz bottle) Angelus is the industry standard for sneaker customization and restoration. They make color-matched paints for practically every sneaker colorway. For basic restoration:

1. Clean the area with acetone or Angelus Leather Preparer & Deglazer
2. Apply thin coats of Angelus paint with a small brush or sponge applicator
3. Let each coat dry completely (15–20 minutes) before applying the next
4. Apply 3–5 thin coats for even coverage
5. Finish with Angelus Acrylic Finisher (matte for most sneakers) to seal

This is most commonly used for touching up white sneakers (white Angelus paint on scuffed Air Force 1s) and restoring black areas on sneakers where the paint has worn through to gray.

Electronics: Function First, Then Cosmetics

Electronics buyers care about two things in order: does it work, and does it look good? Cleaning and restoring electronics focuses on both.

Cleaning Connectors and Contacts

Dirty connectors cause intermittent failures that make electronics seem broken when they actually just need cleaning. This applies to:

• Game cartridge contacts (NES, SNES, N64, Game Boy)
• Charging ports on phones, tablets, laptops
• Headphone jacks
• Battery terminals
• USB ports

Isopropyl alcohol 91% or higher is the standard. The 70% version from your medicine cabinet has too much water and can corrode contacts. Pick up a bottle of 91% or 99% isopropyl ($3–$5 at any pharmacy) and apply with:

• Cotton swabs (Q-tips) for accessible contacts
• Soft-bristle toothbrush for game cartridge pins
• Compressed air + isopropyl for recessed ports
• Dental picks or toothpicks wrapped in microfiber for charging ports with lint buildup

For game cartridges specifically: dip a cotton swab in 91% isopropyl, insert into the cartridge, and rub back and forth across the contacts 10–15 times. Let dry for 2 minutes. This fixes “not reading” issues on 80% of retro game cartridges — meaning you can buy non-working cartridges for $2–$5 and sell them as tested-working for $10–$30+.

Screen Scratch Removal

For plastic watch crystals and screen protectors: Polywatch ($8–$10 per tube) Polywatch is a German-made plastic polish that removes scratches from acrylic/plastic watch crystals, plastic phone screen protectors, and any clear plastic surface. Apply a small amount directly to the scratch, rub in circular motions with a microfiber cloth for 2–3 minutes, wipe clean. Deep scratches may need 3–4 applications. One tube does 50+ treatments.

This is huge for vintage watch flipping. A Casio G-Shock with a scratched crystal looks like it’s worth $20. Five minutes with Polywatch and that crystal is clear — now it’s a $45–$60 watch.

For glass screens: Cerium oxide powder ($10–$15 for enough to last years) Cerium oxide is used by professional glass polishers. Mix with water to create a slurry (consistency of heavy cream), apply to the glass scratch with a microfiber cloth or felt polishing pad, and rub in small circles with moderate pressure. This works on glass phone screens, display cases, glassware, and glass watch crystals. It won’t fix deep cracks, but it handles surface scratches and haziness well.

Retrobrite: Restoring Yellowed Vintage Electronics

If you flip vintage electronics — old game consoles, retro computers, vintage Apple products — you’ve encountered yellowed plastic. That off-white/cream discoloration on originally white or light gray plastic is caused by UV degradation and flame retardant chemicals in the plastic itself.

The Retrobrite Process:

1. Disassemble the device and remove the yellowed plastic shell
2. Clean thoroughly with soap and water
3. Apply Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer (same one used for sneaker soles) in an even coat
4. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap
5. Place under UV light or in direct sunlight for 4–8 hours
6. Remove, rinse thoroughly
7. Repeat if needed (severe yellowing may take 3–5 sessions)

A yellowed SNES console worth $40 in yellowed condition can sell for $70–$90 after retrobriting. A yellowed original Game Boy goes from $30 to $50–$70. The process takes patience but the ROI is exceptional — $4 in supplies for $25–$50 in added value.

Warning: Retrobrite can cause uneven whitening or “marbling” if applied unevenly. Apply cream developer generously and evenly, ensuring full coverage. Wrap tightly so no areas are exposed to air, which causes uneven peroxide evaporation.

Furniture: Small Fixes, Big Profits

Furniture flipping is a high-margin niche, but most resellers avoid it because of the hassle of large items. That’s exactly why there’s opportunity — less competition means higher margins.

Wood Scratch Repair

Howard Restor-A-Finish ($9–$12 per can) This is the fastest, easiest way to minimize scratches on finished wood furniture. It’s not a stain — it’s a blend of solvents and oils that penetrates the existing finish and re-amalgamates it, blending scratches and blemishes into the surrounding wood tone.

How to use it:

1. Clean the surface with a damp cloth and let dry
2. Apply Restor-A-Finish liberally with #0000 steel wool, working in the direction of the wood grain
3. Wipe off excess with a clean cloth
4. Apply Howard Feed-N-Wax ($8) for a protective finish

Available in multiple wood tones (Golden Oak, Walnut, Mahogany, Cherry, Maple, etc.). Pick the tone that matches the piece. This won’t fix deep gouges or raw wood damage, but it handles 80% of the surface scratches and ring marks that make furniture look worn.

A scratched-up mid-century end table that looks like $20 at a thrift store can present as $65–$85 on Facebook Marketplace after 15 minutes with Restor-A-Finish and Feed-N-Wax.

Hardware Restoration

Rub 'n Buff ($7–$9 per tube) Furniture hardware — drawer pulls, knobs, hinges — often looks tarnished, oxidized, or just tired. Rub 'n Buff is a metallic wax finish that transforms old hardware instantly. Apply a small amount with your finger or a soft cloth, buff with a clean cloth, and your hardware looks refinished.

Popular finishes for furniture flipping:

• Gold Leaf — for brass hardware or mid-century modern pieces
• Silver Leaf — for chrome or nickel hardware
• Antique Gold — for vintage/traditional pieces
• Ebony — for modern/industrial look on knobs and pulls

Quick Fixes for Common Furniture Issues

Scuff marks: Magic Eraser (melamine foam). Wet it, squeeze out excess water, and lightly scrub scuff marks on painted furniture, laminate, or sealed wood. Don’t use on unsealed wood — it can damage the surface.

Wobbly joints: This is the most common furniture issue and the cheapest fix. Disassemble the loose joint if possible, clean off old glue with sandpaper or a damp cloth, apply Titebond III wood glue ($8 per bottle, lasts a year), reassemble, and clamp firmly for 24 hours. For joints you can’t disassemble, inject glue into the gap with a syringe (available at pharmacies for $2), then clamp.

A wobbly dining chair that nobody wants for $5 at a garage sale becomes a solid $30–$50 chair with $0.10 worth of wood glue and a day of clamping.

Watermarks / white rings: These are moisture trapped in the finish, not damage to the wood itself. Place a clean cotton cloth over the mark, run a hot iron (no steam) over it in 10-second passes. The heat drives the moisture out of the finish. Check after each pass — the ring usually disappears in 30–60 seconds. Follow up with Feed-N-Wax to restore luster.

Cast Iron Restoration: The Undisputed ROI King

Cast iron restoration is arguably the single highest-ROI restoration activity in reselling. Crusty, rusty cast iron skillets are available at estate sales and thrift stores for $3–$15. Cleaned and seasoned, vintage cast iron (Griswold, Wagner, Lodge pre-1960s, Favorite Piqua, Birmingham Stove & Range) sells for $40–$200+.

Step 1: Stripping Old Seasoning and Crud

The Yellow Cap Easy-Off Method:

1. Buy Easy-Off Heavy Duty Oven Cleaner — the one with the yellow cap, NOT the fume-free version (blue cap doesn’t work)
2. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection — this stuff is sodium hydroxide (lye)
3. Spray the entire piece thoroughly — every surface, inside and out
4. Place in a large garbage bag, tie it closed
5. Let sit for 24–72 hours (longer for heavy buildup)
6. Remove from bag, scrub with steel wool or a stiff brush under running water
7. Repeat if significant buildup remains
8. Rinse thoroughly — you need to remove all Easy-Off residue

For severe rust after stripping, soak in a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution for 1–4 hours. Check every 30 minutes — prolonged vinegar exposure can pit cast iron. Scrub with steel wool after soaking. Rinse immediately and dry thoroughly.

Alternative stripping method: Electrolysis For high-volume cast iron restoration, building a simple electrolysis tank is more efficient. A plastic storage bin, a manual battery charger ($30), washing soda ($5), and a sacrificial piece of steel is all you need. It strips seasoning and rust without any risk of damaging the iron. Serious cast iron resellers all use electrolysis because it’s hands-off — drop the piece in, come back in 12–24 hours, and it’s stripped clean.

Step 2: Seasoning

Once your cast iron is stripped to bare gray metal and free of rust:

1. Wash with hot water and a small amount of dish soap (this is the one time soap on cast iron is fine — there’s no seasoning to damage yet)
2. Dry completely — put it in a 200°F oven for 15 minutes to ensure zero moisture
3. Apply a very thin layer of Crisco (solid vegetable shortening) to the entire piece — inside, outside, handle, everything
4. Wipe off as much as you possibly can with a clean lint-free cloth — it should look like there’s almost no oil on it (too much oil = sticky, uneven seasoning)
5. Place upside down in a 450°F oven with foil on the rack below to catch drips
6. Bake for 1 hour
7. Turn off the oven and let the piece cool inside the oven completely
8. Repeat steps 3–7 two more times for a total of 3 seasoning layers

Three rounds of seasoning produces a smooth, dark, attractive finish that photographs beautifully and functions perfectly. The piece should have a semi-gloss, dark brown to black appearance.

Cast Iron Value Examples

The consistent $3 restoration cost is not a typo. A can of Easy-Off ($6) does 4–6 pieces. A tub of Crisco ($5) does 15–20 pieces. Oven heat is negligible. Cast iron restoration has 80–95% margins routinely.

Leather: Conditioning for Value

Leather goods — jackets, bags, boots, belts, wallets — are resale goldmines when properly conditioned. Dried-out, neglected leather looks old and cheap. Conditioned leather looks rich and premium.

Leather Conditioning

Leather Honey Leather Conditioner ($18–$22 for an 8 oz bottle) This is the go-to for resellers because it’s affordable per-treatment ($0.50–$1.00 per item), non-toxic, doesn’t darken leather excessively, and lasts indefinitely on the shelf. Application process:

1. Clean the leather first with a damp cloth to remove surface dirt
2. Apply a thin, even coat of Leather Honey with a soft cloth or sponge
3. Work into all areas — don’t miss seams, creases, edges, straps
4. Let absorb for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal for very dry leather)
5. Buff with a clean dry cloth to remove any excess

Dry, cracked-looking leather transforms visibly — it literally changes color from a dull, chalky appearance to a rich, saturated tone. This is especially dramatic on dark leather jackets and vintage bags. The before/after difference in listing photos is striking and directly translates to higher selling prices.

A dried-out Coach leather bag found for $8 at a thrift store might sell for $25 as-is. Conditioned with Leather Honey and photographed properly, the same bag lists for $40–$55. That’s $15–$30 in added value from $1 in product.

Mildew Smell on Leather

Leather items stored in damp environments develop a distinctly unpleasant mildew smell that conditioning alone won’t fix. The process:

1. Wipe down all surfaces with a cloth dampened with white vinegar (50/50 water/vinegar solution for delicate leather, straight vinegar for sturdy leather)
2. Let air dry completely outdoors if possible — UV sunlight helps kill remaining mold spores
3. Stuff bags with newspaper and a few tablespoons of baking soda in a sock — leave for 48 hours to absorb remaining odor
4. Condition with Leather Honey after deodorizing

For severe mildew on sturdy leather (boots, heavy jackets), saddle soap ($6–$8 for a tin) provides deeper cleaning. Work into a lather with a damp cloth, wipe clean, let dry, then condition.

The ROI of Restoration: A Summary

Here’s the math that should convince every reseller to invest in cleaning supplies:

The average ROI across these examples is absurd — often 1,000% or more. Even if you only add $10–$15 in value per item, that adds up to hundreds or thousands of additional dollars per month if you’re doing any meaningful volume.

Building Your Cleaning Station

Every reseller should have a dedicated cleaning station, even if it’s just a section of a laundry room or garage. Here’s the essential supply list:

The Starter Kit (~$85 total)

• OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover (3 lb tub): $10
• Fels-Naptha bar (2-pack): $3
• Hydrogen peroxide (2 bottles): $2
• Blue Dawn dish soap: $4
• Cheap vodka (750ml): $8
• Spray bottle: $2
• Fabric shaver (Conair): $12
• Handheld steamer (basic model): $25
• 91% isopropyl alcohol: $4
• Microfiber cloths (10-pack): $8
• Magic Erasers (4-pack): $4
• Leather Honey (8 oz): $20
• Old toothbrushes (save your own): $0

Category-Specific Add-Ons

• Sneaker cleaning: Salon Care 40 + plastic wrap: $8
• Cast iron: Easy-Off yellow cap + Crisco + steel wool: $15
• Vintage electronics: Polywatch + compressed air: $15
• Furniture: Howard Restor-A-Finish + Feed-N-Wax + Rub 'n Buff: $25
• Wood glue + clamps: $15

The starter kit at $85 will pay for itself on your first 2–3 items. Every item after that is pure profit amplification.

Final Thought: Clean Items Sell Faster and for More

Beyond higher prices, clean and restored items sell faster. Buyers scroll through dozens of listings — the one with a freshly steamed, well-lit, wrinkle-free garment catches their eye over the one photographed wrinkled on a carpet. The sneakers with bright white soles get favorited more than the pair with yellowed, dirty soles. The cast iron with a glossy black seasoning sells in 24 hours while the rusty one sits for months.

When you’re evaluating a potential flip, factor in restoration potential just like you factor in comps and fees. That item isn’t just worth what it sells for as-is — it’s worth what it sells for after you’ve invested 15 minutes and $2 in supplies. Use a tool like Underpriced to check the comps, mentally add the restoration premium, and make smarter buying decisions at the source.

The resellers making the most money per hour aren’t necessarily finding the best items — they’re getting the most value out of every item they find. Restoration is how you do that.