10 genius ways to clean those thrift shop finds

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Thrift stores, junk shops, and flea markets are filled with excellent items for a budget-minded shopper. You can easily create a one-of-a-kind home decor with pieces found in unique places. But you may find that many of these "treasures" look a bit worn.
Knowing how to properly clean thrift shop finds without damaging the items or their vintage patina will take you from a shopper to a master designer. These ten tutorials feature the most popular vintage finds in home decor. They will change the way you look at items when shopping. Best part? They use items you can easily find around your house!
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1. Smelly vintage suitcases and trunks
The vintage appeal of suitcases, hatboxes and trunks is often overwhelmed by their musty, old smell. Clean up those vintage fabric, wicker, and leather suitcases. The secret to removing that smell? Kitty litter!
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2. Tarnished silver
Cleaning tarnished silver items seems like a huge task. Commercial cleaners and silver polishes smell awful and take forever. Here's an easy way to clean thrift store silver treasures with two items you already have in your pantry -- baking soda and kosher salt. It only takes 5 minutes to restore a brilliant shine. ​
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First, cover your kitchen sink with tin foil, and load up with hot water. Add in ½ cup of baking soda and ½ cup of kosher salt to the water, until both are dissolved. Place the tarnished silver into the solution, and allow 5 minutes to soak. Finally, rinse well, and dry with a soft cloth.
3. Aged vintage linens
Napkins, aprons, curtains, dresses -- the vintage fabrics to be found in antique shops are endless. Many feature hand stitching, tatted lace and little details that create a simple and charming look. Old textiles can be tricky to clean. The Sewing Loft recommends using a mild temperature bath of white vinegar, warm water and borax. Find the complete directions to safely clean vintage fabrics here.
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4. Rusty cast iron pans
The best cast iron skillets are ones well loved throughout the years. Newer cast iron simply does not perform the same way. Don't be turned off by rusty old cast iron from garage sales, thrift stores and flea markets. You can easily turn them back into well-loved kitchenware by giving them a good cleaning and seasoning. A Delightsome Life takes you step-by-step through cleaning and restoring old cast iron using a high heat oven and oil in this tutorial.
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5. Collectible dolls
Vintage dolls are highly collectible. Their nostalgia brings us back to our childhoods. If you are lucky to find a treasured doll at a bargain price, chances are it is going to be in rough shape. If you've ever had a doll professionally cleaned, you may have been surprised when the expert pulled out the box of baking soda. You don't need specialized chemicals to safely clean your dolls. Vintage Doll Repair shares the easy-to-find household items used to clean antique dolls here.
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6. Antique furniture
Part of the charm of antique furniture is often the patina and age it shows. You want to clean and deodorize a piece without actually refinishing it and losing its vintage look. DIY Passion recommends using a combination of fresh air, baking soda, vinegar, and dish soap to freshen up an old piece of furniture. She starts with this process on her furniture projects, moving on to stronger methods as needed. ​
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7. Thrift store purses
A high-quality leather purse is timeless. Thrift store leather purses often look shabby, but most just need a little cleaning and conditioning. This step-by-step tutorial guides you through cleaning and conditioning a thrift store leather purse. A great tip for keeping them smelling fresh is to add a fabric softener sheet to the inside of the bag before you store them.
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8. Dusty baskets
Most thrift shops are filled with baskets covered with dust. You can purchase really nice wicker baskets for a fraction of the new cost. All they need is a good cleaning. One Good Thing by Jillee simply gives her baskets a quick bath in warm, soapy water. The key is to set them outside to get thoroughly dry as quickly as possible. See how she does it in this basket cleaning tutorial.
9. Vintage galvanized buckets
The recent Fixer Upper trend of decorating features lots of galvanized steel. Vintage buckets, tubs and other containers can hold flowers, throws, towels, collections, and other items. Knowing how to properly clean galvanized buckets can prevent irreversable damage. This tutorial recommends using a mild dishwashing liquid. Acids, such as vinegar, should never be used to clean galvanized tin or steel.
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10. Antique china and glassware
Southern Vintage Table adores her antique finds from thrift stores, junk finders and antique dealers. But she has found that many stores make the mistake of marking on china and glassware with permanent markers and apply hard-to-remove stickers. She keeps three items to remove these "permanent" reminders: Magic Erasers, eucalyptus oil, and light sand paper. See how she uses them to clean up antique china in this post.
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These quick fixes to thrift store shopping problems will leave you knowing exactly how to clean up those amazing finds! Share with your friends and family on Facebook before you head out shopping!
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