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41 Ways To Make Your Old Stuff Look Nicer That You'll Wish You'd Known About Sooner
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It’s so easy to say “out with the old, in with the new” when it comes to products we use every day. But fixing rather than replacing certain items in your home can save you money and help reduce waste. I love a good DIY and I’ve found the best tools on Amazon for breathing new life into your tired stuff. Check out these 41 ways to make your old stuff look nicer that you’ll wish you’d known about sooner.
In our house, I love to give a space a refresh by replacing a few small decor items, but when it comes to favorite vintage pieces or family heirlooms, I’m all about preserving character and craftsmanship. But like anything else, wood, leather, suede, and vinyl get dingy over time and need a facelift. I’ve included restoration tools, quick cosmetic fixes, and products to protect your furniture and clothing. From adhesives that fix a loose tile in seconds to actual stick-on tiles that will make it look like you renovated your kitchen, these are genius solutions for everyday problems.
Sometimes a true, deep clean is all a tired piece needs to feel refreshed. I’ve added stain-removing and grease-fighting cleaning products that will remove rust, red wine, pet stains, and even pesky fingerprints. Use these innovative products to tend to your favorite older items and give them the care they deserve. You’ll be glad you did.
1These Extra Thick Sponges That Clean Everything
If you have tough messes, these extra thick magic cleaning sponges will get the job done. They are twice as thick as traditional cleaning sponges and are designed with melamine that is dense enough to clean but gentle enough for your walls and surfaces. You can use this sponge on surfaces as diverse as leather, marble, steel, walls, chairs, bathtubs — you name it. This pack of 20 sponges will keep you stocked and ready for when messes hit.
2The Wooden Supports That Reshape Your Sagging Couch
Over time, sofa cushions get saggy and can lose their shape, but this cushion support will help them bounce back. The supports are covered in black vinyl, but they're made of strong wood. They're a cinch to use — just fold out the supports to your desired length and place them below your seat cushions for extra reinforcement. They instantly fix sagging cushions and make your pieces look so much better. They come in three sizes to fit your sofa, loveseat, or armchair.
3A Set Of Furniture Markers To Disguise Imperfections
Nicks and scratches on wood furniture and floors are bound to happen, but these wood repair markers can restore your flooring instantly. This set comes with 12 markers and wax sticks, as well as a sharpener, to fill in holes and imperfections on wood. The pack features eight wood colors, including white, gray, dark mahogany, and black. Just draw over the scratch and watch it disappear.
4This Cleaning Pen For Dazzling Jewelry
Give your diamonds or other precious stones a quick and safe clean with this diamond dazzle stik. The brush is designed to get into all the little nooks to clean your stone and its setting. Just twist to dispense the cleaning solution through the brush. It’s safe to use on gold and platinum settings and has more than 22,000 reviews.
5The Most Mess-Free Makeup Brush Cleaner
If you love makeup and aren't in love with cleaning your makeup tools, you need this makeup brush cleaning sponge in your kit. It is a lifesaver for keeping your brushes in their best condition without all the hassle of washing them with soap and water. The sponge removes makeup from your brushes without a drop of water — preserving the shape and texture of its bristles. Just spin the brush on the sponge and watch color come right off. The sponge is reusable and washable to keep your brushes looking new.
6A Cushion Support That Keeps Chairs From Sagging
This cushion support puts the shape right back into your tired, sagging cushions or chairs. Unlike other furniture supports, these are inserted inside pillow cushions so you can customize support where it's needed. They're available in four sizes that include "severe" or "extreme" levels of thickness.
7The Repair Kit To Fix Your Windshield For Just $10
No need to replace your whole windshield because of one crack or knick, just use this windshield repair kit to get it looking brand new. The advanced resin formula repairs all types of laminated windshields. There are no additional tools required and the whole job will take you minutes with this kit, saving you time and money.
8These Soft Velvet Pillow Covers In 33 Colors
Give your old throw pillows a facelift with a set of these velvet pillow covers. They're available in eight sizes and 33 colors including chocolate, gold, and aqua blue. They're made of a polyester and cotton blend that's soft, cozy, and conveniently machine washable. The design hides a zipper, giving it a uniform look.
9This Clothing Steamer That Heats Up In 30 Seconds
This steamer heats up in just 30 seconds — making it quick and easy to get wrinkles and creases out of your outfit before you head out the door. Its compact size also makes it great for packing in your suitcase the next time you travel. You can use it horizontally or vertically without any leaks or spills and it comes with three attachments: a lint brush, soft brush, and creaser.
10A Stovetop Cleaner With More Than 7,000 Reviews
Meal after meal, mess after mess, it's no surprise your cooktop needs a thorough clean. This stovetop cleaning kit comes with a 10-ounce bottle of cleaner, cleaning pad, grip pad tool, and a scraper, providing you with every tool you need to tackle grease and food debris and make your stovetop sparkle. It's safe to use on all smooth cooktop ranges, including glass, ceramic, induction, radiant, and halogen. It even has a massive fan base, with more than 7,600 reviews.
11This Leather Conditioner That Revives Dried, Old Leather
Bring life back to your leather furniture or clothing with this leather honey conditioner. The formula comes in an 8-ounce bottle and revives old or dried leather in your car, home, or closet. Just a small amount of this conditioner goes a long way and can protect your leather for up to six months. It has more than 21,000 reviews and a 4.5-star review.
12A Professional Cleaner That Removes Stains And Odors
When it comes to pet stains in your home, not only do they look bad — but they carry a distinctive odor. This professional strength stain remover is made with a natural enzyme bacteria that gets to the root of the problem, breaking up ammonia crystals and organic matter and busting bad odors. It’s safe to use on carpet, upholstery, tile, hardwood, and even your laundry. Free of chlorine, it's completely safe to use around kids and pets.
13This Pack Of 20 Replacement Jean Buttons
Don’t toss your favorite jeans just because they’re missing a button — get this pack of 20 jean replacement buttons and simply mend your favorite pair of pants. The brass buttons have a sturdy metal base and come with durable rivets. Each pack consists of 10 bronze and 10 silver buttons. Best of all, you don't have to be an amateur seamstress to master these: they press together and are move into place with pliers — no sewing necessary.
14A Defuzzer That Closely Shaves Sweaters & Sofas
This fabric defuzzer eliminates that unsightly fuzz, lint, and pillings from sweaters, sectionals, and every fuzzy fabric in between. The battery-powered device features three depth settings to control how much it shaves and it has a large shaving head that removes lint and fuzz quickly and effectively. It even has a detachable lint catcher that can be emptied between uses. It is compact enough to travel like a dream, the honeycomb mesh design over the head keeps fingers safe from the blades, and it comes in four colors.
15The Purse Organizer That Has A Place For Everything
Switch purses whenever you want without having to repack your bag with this convenient purse organizer. The pocketed felt organizer has 13 compartments, including a zippered pouch, for your phone, chapstick, wallet, and even your tablet. It easily lifts in and out of your bag for simple accessory swaps. Choose from five sizes and 21 fun colors to match your purse.
16A Nontoxic Rust Remover That Works In Minutes
Get rid of rust on your tools, antiques, cookware, and even your car with this rust remover. It removes rust in minutes without scrubbing and won't damage steel and other surfaces. You don’t need special tools, just soak the rusted piece in the mixture, remove it, and your piece is as good as new. The water-based product is non-toxic, non-corrosive, and safe for the environment.
17The Scrubbing Brush Drill That Speeds Up Cleaning
Easily give your floors or bathtub a more thorough clean with this drill attachment set. The deep-cleaning brush set includes six brush attachments in different sizes and levels of bristle stiffness, as well as scouring pads, scrub sponges, and a backer. Each attachment head connects to your drill to give a high-powered clean to anything from pans to car tires. It’s earned nearly 16,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating.
18A Finishing Polish To Remove Blemishes In Wood
Restore wood pieces quickly with this finishing polish. It works to blend out minor scratches, blemishes, and abrasions, such as heat rings, watermarks, sun damage, or oxidation. The formula is simple to use — wipe it on and wipe it off. It’ll restore a piece, even if it’s already finished. Choose from nine colors like cherry and dark walnut to match your furniture.
19This Car Wheel Cleaner That Removes Grease
This highly concentrated car cleaning spray is safe to use on your car’s wheels, rims, braking systems, and exhaust tips. Just spay the formula onto any alloy, chrome, or aluminum car parts, let it sit for a bit, and then power wash it off or remove it with a rag or brush. Rust, grease, and grime slide right off. It’s available in an 18-ounce bottle or a larger 1 gallon bottle.
20The Vinyl Wallpaper That Looks Like Stainless Steel
Get the high-end look of stainless steel without the price tag thanks to this decorative stainless steel wallpaper. It has a self-adhesive back that sticks to flat surfaces such as appliances, countertops, or backsplashes. The roll of wallpaper comes in three sizes, but can easily be cut with scissors to fit into your space. The vinyl material is waterproof and can easily be removed without damaging surfaces, which makes it’s a great option for renters.
21A Non-Toxic Carpet Shampoo For A Deep Clean
This carpet shampoo deep cleans to make your rugs and upholstery look brand new. It’s specifically designed to be used with all water-based carpet cleaning machines and carpet steam cleaners. It removes dirt, pet stains, and food spills. It’s biodegradable and non-toxic so you can feel safe using it around pets and children and it’s even scented with essential oils.
22This Pumice Stone For Sparkling Clean Toilets
Get rid of gross limescale, hard water rings, or rust in your toilet with this pumice bowl cleaner. It’s non-toxic and chemical-free yet tough on stains on ceramic or porcelain surfaces, making it the perfect cleaner for hard-to-reach spots in your toilet. The pumice cleaning stone has a convenient handle to protect your hands while you clean, plus the stone has such a fine grit that it won’t leave residue behind.
23An Instant Upgrade With Faux Marble Wallpaper
Upgrade any surface in your home — from walls to cabinets — with this peel-and-stick marble wallpaper. The PVC material is self-adhesive and is smooth and easy to clean. Add it to countertops, cabinets, drawers, doors, and, of course, walls. It’s easy to trim the wallpaper to any size, and because it's thicker than most contact paper, it goes on even easier. The gray marble paper
24A Four-Way Brush For Leather Or Suede
This four-way leather brush cleans boots, coats, furniture, and sneakers quickly and effectively. It has nylon bristles that are gentle enough to use on fine suede or nubuck, as well as leather, and its unique brush head is designed to clean rounded corners and hard-to-reach grooves. The affordable brush has more than 6,000 reviews and a 4.5-star rating.
25The Shoe Cleaning Kit With A Brush & Polish
This shoe cleaner and brush will get rid of dirt, debris, and scuff marks and polish your favorite pair of shoes in a flash. Just one bottle of cleaner will last you 100 pairs of shoes and the accompanying synthetic bristles and wood brush clean dirt and stains with ease. It’s safe to use on leather, suede, nylon, canvas, vinyl, cloth, and even rubber shoes. The kit comes in a resealable bag that’s perfect for travel and storing the tools in between uses.
26A Restoration Kit For Your Car's Headlights
Get rid of that hazy, yellowed film on car lights with this headlight restoration kit. It gets headlights spotless in just three steps. Apply the surface activator to soften the plastic, then sand and polish the light. Lastly, apply the UV block clear coat to keep your headlight looking brand new. This set comes with enough materials to restore two headlights.
27An Easy-To-Use Adhesive To Fix Your Floors
Stop tripping over those loose floorboards and correct them with this fix-a-floor adhesive. The strong formula secures loose tile and wood to floors and fills in gaps where needed. Not only does it keep the floor from coming up again, but it creates a smooth seal that disguises the problem areas in your flooring. The narrow tube tip is perfect for getting in between narrow grout and it comes in a money-saving pack of two.
28A Fabric Glue That Can Be Used On Lace
Keep this permanent fabric glue on hand for any quick clothing or decor hemming projects. The formula will not seal or stain fabrics and is even delicate enough to apply sequins to costumes or use on bridal gowns. It's perfect for a variety of fabrics and materials including lace, leather, and wood. Not only does it dry quickly and stay flexible, but it's conveniently washable.
29This Red Wine Stain Remover That Even Works On Old Stains
Red wine spills do not have to be a death sentence for clothing, furniture, or carpet. This red wine stain remover has a whopping 4,700 reviews and a 4.4-star rating and works on stains that are fresh or old and dried. It has a fresh citrus scent, is free of bleach and phosphates, and can also be used to remove coffee, tea, pet accidents, blood, and paint. For stained clothing, saturate the problem areas with this solution for one to five minutes and then launder your clothing.
30The Shelf Liner With A Super-Strong Grip
Protect your cabinets and drawers with this really strong Gorilla Grip non-adhesive shelf liner. It has a strong grip that isn’t sticky and can easily be removed. With nearly 14,000 reviews and a 4.6-star rating, it stands out for being durable and staying put, but also easy to remove without damaging surfaces. It’s available in nine sizes and 20 colors and patterns like chevron and swirl.
31This Repair Kit For Torn Leather Or Vinyl
Make your tired and worn leather or vinyl look as good as new with this leather and vinyl repair kit. It can fix scratches, pipes, tears, peeling, and even burn holes. This kit comes with a variety of colored compounds that can be mixed to match your leather or vinyl piece perfectly and it also includes backing fabric, a spatula, an application brush, and a mixing jar. It offers a quick, easy, and affordable way to restore leather or vinyl, saving you money and the need to replace items.
32The Secret Laundry Spray That Can Remove Any Stain
If there’s a stain, Grandma’s secret laundry spray will get rid of it. This formula can remove oil, grease, paint, makeup, clay, ink, coffee, rust, and even pet stains. It's free of bleach and chlorine, is not tested on animals, and is safe to spray on your clothes. Just squirt some of the laundry spray onto the stain, rub it in, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before hand or machine washing the garment.
33These Self-Adhesive Tiles For A Dreamy Backsplash
If a full kitchen renovation is not in the budget, this self-adhesive tile sheet will make a huge impact in your space at a fraction of the cost. This pack of 10 sheets look like real tile and feature a strong adhesive on the back that’s designed to stay in place on surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms. Each sheet measures 12 by 12 inches and has a thick, realistic 3D feel. No tools or grout is needed — just stick them on and instantly upgrade your room.
34A Grout Pen That Transforms Tile
If scrubbing your grout for hours is not getting the job done, try this grout pen, which consists of a water-based formula that comes in a pen dispenser with a precision tip. The easy-to-use tool allows you to simply "color" in the clean and it can be safely used in bathrooms, kitchens, or on tiled floors. It only takes 30 minutes to dry and your grout will look super fresh. Choose among 11 grout colors and two pen sizes (5 mm or 15 mm) and apply it to your grout any time to quickly restore its color (without the frustration of scrubbing).
35These Hem Bonding Strips To Quickly Alter Clothing
These hem bonding strips instantly bond fabric without sewing or ironing to give clothing a tailored finish. This adhesive hem tape allows you to quickly (and cheaply) adjust the length of your pants, skirts, and blouse sleeves without expensive trips to the tailor, plus it's perfect for emergency situations (because sometimes even a perfectly tailored hem comes undone). It works on a range of fabrics, from denim to wool, and maintains a secure hold even after machine washing and drying your clothing.
36This Fitted Mattress Pad That's Soft And Breathable
Add extra cushioning to your bed with this fitted mattress pad. Unlike other pads, this one fits around your mattress like a fitted sheet so it stays in place while making you more comfortable. The soft, breathable microfiber pad has a vinyl back and elastic sides and can be machine washed. It’s available in six mattress sizes and has received nearly 50,000 reviews.
37This Stainless Steel Cleaner For Banishing Fingerprints
Stainless steel appliances make a statement in your kitchen, but they also attract dirt and fingerprints so easily. This stainless steel cleaner creates a transparent coating over the surface of stainless steel to protect against fingerprints, water stains, dirt, and dust. It leaves a streak-free finish and can also be used on chrome or aluminum surfaces to keep them looking fresh and new.
38A Small Hole Repair Tool That Saves You Time
Quickly fill in any small holes or nicks in your walls with this all-in-one hole repair applicator tool. The tube is filled with a lightweight spackle compound that you use to directly fill any holes. After filling holes, use the spatula-like end of the applicator to smooth the compound. The formula can be used on interior walls and outside walls that have been painted or sealed.
39These LED Vanity Lights That Are Dimmable
Get ready in style with these Hollywood-style vanity lights. The ten-foot, extra bright LED lights are dimmable and have easy-to-use touch controls. Designed with an adhesive backing, you can simply stick them on your wall or mirror to install them. They are waterproof and safe to use in bathrooms, with cords that can simply snip off to fit your mirror.
40A Set Of Dining Chair Slip Covers With 10,000 Reviews
Give old dining chairs a new look with these polyester-blend chair covers that have a cult following and nearly 10,000 reviews. You’ll love the two-way stretch fabric and the fact that they fit most traditional or high-back chairs. They are durable, resistant to pilling, easy to slip on and off, and machine washable. Choose from ten colors like navy, wine red, and khaki to suit your space.
41This Stretchy Couch Cover That Comes In 38 Colors
There’s no need to buy a whole new couch when you’ve get this couch slipcover that’s earned 25,000 five-star ratings. It’s made from machine-washable polyester with a touch of spandex that makes it easy to stretch over the sofa for a snug fit. Not to mention, it’s budget-friendly and available in an array of colors, so you can get several to switch up the look any time you like.
- Available sizes: 3
- Available colors: 38
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