13 Superb Ways to Make Old Things Look As Good As New

Have you ever felt frustrated that you can’t make old or well-loved things look and feel as good as new again? Well, the chances are there’s a way to overcome this problem — you just didn’t know the secret.

Here are 13 superb solutions tested by Bright Side.

Chopping boards

Clean the board with a sponge soaked in a mixture of lemon juice and salt.

Copper pots

Copper pots are considered to be the best kind available for cooking. To help them look brand new again, use salt and vinegar. Just sprinkle the surface with the salt, then pour a little bit of vinegar over it and rub with a hard sponge.

Plates

It’s easy to get rid of scratches on plates. Just use a polish designed specially for use on porcelain.

Baking trays

You can rid baking trays of burnt fat by applying a paste made of hydrogen peroxide and ordinary soda. Spread the paste on the baking tray and leave it for 30 minutes, then rinse.

Carpets

You will need a solution made of one part vinegar and two parts water. Mix the water and vinegar together in a spray bottle, then spray on the stain and cover with a damp cloth. Turn on the iron, set it to steam mode, and place it over the cloth for 30 seconds.

Cast-iron pans

You will need a disinfectant which you can use on your stove and some gloves, garbage bags and white vinegar. Spread a thick layer of the disinfectant on the old cast-iron pan. To make sure it doesn’t dry out, put it in a garbage bag and tie it up tightly. Leave the pan in the bag for 1-2 days, and then rinse off the disinfectant. Then apply a new layer of the same liquid and again put it in a tightly knotted bag for one day. Then wash off the dirt with hot water. Now, soak the pan in a mixture of warm water and vinegar (1: 1) for an hour and scrub the surface with a scouring pad. Let the pan dry. Preheat oven to 250°C and a place the pan in it for an hour. Then carefully remove the hot frying pan and apply a layer of olive oil all over it. The hot metal will absorb the required amount of oil, then you can wipe off the residue with a clean, dry cloth and again, put the pan in the oven — this time upside down. After 15 minutes, take it out, wipe it with a cloth and place it in the oven again for an extra 15 minutes. Repeat the process two more times.

Tiles

Clean the areas between the tiles using bleach. Mix it with water in a ratio of 1: 1. Don’t forget to ventilate the room while doing it.

White sneakers

You can make your sneakers shining white again using the following solution: one teaspoon of dishwasher cleaning liquid; three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide; two tablespoons of baking soda.

Leather furniture

Wipe the scratches on your sofa with olive oil or baby oil using a cotton swab. Let the oil dry for an hour. If the scratch is still visible, repeat the procedure.

Furniture, with microfibre upholstery

This kind of furniture requires special care. You can use a white sponge and alcohol to get rid of any stains that appear on it over time. Dampen the stain with a sponge soaked in alcohol, let it dry, and then clean the area thoroughly with a brush.

Leather bags

You can easily clean the stains on a leather bag by simply using wet wipes.

Terry towels

To restore your towels’ "fluffiness", rinse them in salt water after washing. Moreover, your towels will stay like new for longer if you dry them in a well-ventilated room or outdoors.

Toothbrushes

If you are looking to revive your old toothbrush, it’s actually easier to do than you might think. To save your toothbrush’s bent bristles, pour some boiling hot water in a bowl and swirl around the brush.