We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide.

This year, we're taking care of the stuff we own instead of just buying something new.

Thinking about throwing things away? These home restoration products are for anyone staring at scratched tables, stained rugs, and sagging couches, and wondering if they’re done for. Instead of replacing everything, get smart fixes that may help you clean, repair, refresh, and revive what you already own. We found cleaning pastes, fabric shavers, stain removers, slipcovers, repair tools, and touch-up kits reviewers swear by.

Promising review: "So I’m a baking soda girlie. I’ve never met a mess or stubborn stain I couldn’t tackle with a little elbow grease and baking soda. This product has been on my radar for a while now, but I haven’t gotten it because I’ve been getting by fine, the way I always have. However, recently I inherited a pitcher that lived on my grandma's gas stove. I brought it home and realized how dirty it actually was. I tried to do the baking soda paste. I tried to scrape the soot off with a knife, but it was not working. This was 30 years of soot and wear. It’s a coffee percolator, but it was used as a stove decoration. I finally decided to try this stuff because my baking soda and elbow grease method was not working; it still took a little work, a little scrubbing, but this product cleaned it. There are no scratches in the enamel, everything looks like it should, and I just want to say that when all else fails, this product is not a gimmick. I’m not a product person; I turn to elbow grease and my mom’s advice to solve my cleaning problems. I’m here to tell you to TRY THAT, and it should work. It is when all else fails, TRY THIS. There’s magic in here." —Allison

Get it from Amazon for $4.79+ (available in packs of two).

Promising review: "Where have these been all my life? We purchased a couple of beautiful charcoal-gray (dyed) sheepskin rugs for both sides of our bed. It used to feel really nice to get out of bed and set your feet on them. But after many years and a couple of dogs, my reaction to putting my feet down is, 'Ew. What the heck did I just step on?' Because of the dye, we can't just wash them or get them too wet. And I'm kind of lazy and forgetful. (Meaning, I've been thinking of taking them to a dry cleaner for years — but how much will that cost?) After our puppy had an accident (the worst kind of accident) on one, I knew I had to do something. These rugs weren't cheap, so tossing them wasn't an option. I cleaned up the 'accident' as best I could, but that left the spot feeling kind of dry and crunchy. So, after reading and googling, I decided to try one of these wire wool brushes. HALLELUJAH! It took some muscle to thoroughly brush each rug, but wow, not only did it re-fluff and revive the wool, but it also pulled up a lot of loose dirt and anything that was stuck to the fibers. I really wish I had gotten this brush sooner!" —Renee

The battery-operated style requires 2 AA batteries, which are not included.

Promising review: "OMG!! This fabric shaver is the best thing since sliced bread! I was skeptical at first, but then today, I shaved all of those pesky pills off one of the twin mattresses in our guest bedroom that had pills all over it. It worked so well and was so easy I started taking sheets off of all our beds and starting 'shaving' the 'pills and pulls.' If you have fuzz balls on things that look so horrible you want to throw them away, don't! Get this little fabric shaver and 'shave' away...lol." —MK

Get it from Amazon for $8.95+ (available in white or lavender).

Check out our full Conair fabric defuzzer review to learn more!

Promising review: "Two months ago, we got a 6-month-old puppy who has needed some time to get adjusted. That included more than a few accidents in our living room and on his bed. This machine has made cleanup of everything so much simpler, and I love that it's deep cleaning and has a nontoxic pet cleaner so that our not-so-little puppy isn't harmed through exposure or smells. Also helpful since my teenage sons like to camp out on the couch with their friends on long weekends, and our couch gets that fresh, clean smell in an hour." —Kindle Customer

Promising review: "Great for couch pillows! The pillow insert in the pillow cover was just not fluffy enough. I used this stuff, and it perked right up! Love how it turned out." —Botanical Optimist

Get a 5-lb bag from Amazon for $24.99 (available in larger sizes). 

Some reviewers even use it to redo their countertops or sinks, although you might want to use an acrylic sealer afterward if you decide to do that! It's fantastic for vintage appliances, too, according to one reviewer.

Promising review: "Oh my goodness! This stuff is amazing! I remodeled my bathroom, and the washer and dryer looked terrible. One coat of this and they look brand new! I’m going to add another coat today just to make it extra durable." —L. Hornberger

Includes six repair markets, six paper-wrapped wax sticks, and one wax stick sharpener packaged in a blister card. 

Promising review: "I. LOVE. THESE. MARKERS!! I bought this because I was using a brown Sharpie on my coffee table, which was getting chips from normal wear and tear. The Sharpie would always rub off over time, and of course, it was not exactly a color match. I bought these on a whim, and WOW— they are amazing! Even the black worked SO much better on my black bedroom furniture than a normal black Sharpie. These are buildable, so you can start with a semi-transparent, lighter mark, and you can build it up darker as you continue to go over it. (NOTE: I have not even tried the crayons yet because the markers are SO good!)" —SR

Promising review: "My metal barstools were left on the balcony all winter because of a surprise three-day blizzard. After being buried in snow all winter, I thought for sure I would have to throw them out when I saw them in the spring. Looking at them now after using the product, no one would suspect that they weren’t new ones!" —Mom@home

It comes with two accent handles and four hinges. You can also buy window decals to zhuzh it up even more.

Promising review: "These are so realistic looking, and the latches and handles have great magnetic abilities. They do not affect the mechanism to raise and lower the garage door. Made my plain white garage door look like a million bucks. I would have given it 10 stars if I could have! I could not believe the price for the quality of the product. Love them!" —Charlotte K. Gean

Get a set from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in three styles).

Because this scrubber is metal, you should avoid using it on nonstick pans as it can scratch and damage the surface.

Promising review: "I love the product. I wish I had known about it when I first got my cast-iron skillet over a year ago. It is really easy to use and did a great job getting the crud off of the skillet without stripping the seasoning away, and it was fast. I find myself using my cast-iron more frequently since purchasing this product because I no longer dread the cleanup process. If you have cast-iron cookware, then you need one of these babies. I will definitely recommend it to others." —KeCaRi

Get it from Amazon for $17.99. This customer review is long, but it's full of great tips if you end up purchasing this scrubber.

Promising review: "I have never been so excited about a slipcover. Total transformation of our couch and loveseat. I was worried about it not working on our leather couch, but it stays on really well due to the straps and the separate cushion covers. LOVE." —Brian/Liz

Get it from Amazon for $35.49+ (available in 5 sizes and 15 colors).

These support boards are furniture-grade wood slats covered in fabric, with a 400-pound weight capacity.

Promising review: "Ten years ago, we bought an inexpensive sofa to get more seating. Once home, after the glory of a bargain wore off, I found the seating sagged way too much. So I put unused thick storage container lids under the cushion to lessen the sag. Minuscule improvement. Barely tolerable to even take a nap on. But the sofa still looks so good...looks are deceiving. Purchased Ben's Home Cushion Support Inserts and lined the sofa's interior lining. Reinstalled the cushions, and both my husband and I sat on them at the same time. Cushions are still extremely comfortable, but — Wow! —Our tushes felt loved and supported. Laid down like for a nap and felt level support all the way across the sofa. We did not even feel that uncomfortable hardness some reviewers described. The panels fit well and snugly. The sofa seems way better than when we first bought it. Wish I had known about these inserts 10 years ago. Love my bargain sofa now. Thanks, Ben!" —Pattep

Get them from Amazon for $26.16+ (available in 27 sizes/styles to fit couches and armchairs).

Promising review: "Very satisfied. I tried everything to remove black mold with no success. This product actually worked to remove the black mold. I applied the gel to the mold and left it to sit overnight. I was amazed the mold wiped off with a rag." —Robin S. Johns

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in three sizes).

They're safe to use with pretty much any type of washer: HE or regular, top-loading and front-loading.

Promising review: "I've been using this product for several years now. I have two teens and a husband who's an auto technician. Boy, do they get filthy! After time this grime buildup will make your washer stink bad. I don't do it every month as they say to, as I don't have that type of money, but when it stinks, this product is the bomb! Makes your washer smell really fresh, like brand new. If it still stinks after one tablet, pop another one in, and no more stink!! Yay! I would give this 20 stars if I could. I really love this product so much that I bought the ones for my dishwasher, too!! (they work great, too!)" —berja

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $11.98.

Promising review: "I rarely post reviews, but this stuff has completely changed our lives. Our dishwasher, utensils, plates, and glasses were covered with dry scales, and nothing we tried came close to helping. After using the tablets three times, our dishwasher looks like new; our glasses are sparkling like fine china, and everything else looks fabulous. I highly recommend it; it's worth every penny. It's the best product BY FAR!!! One great advantage is you can use it with your dishes. Some other products are used to clean the dishwasher but not to clean dishes and glasses. Buy this, and you will be blown away!!! It is astounding!" —Jenny

Get a pack of six tablets from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "Saved us a load of money. I saw this product in a BuzzFeed article. I was skeptical about whether this product would work at first, but for the price, it seemed like a bargain. Our kitchen knives were dull, and throwing them away would have cost more than buying the sharpener. Needless to say, it worked out very well, and our knives are well-sharpened — even the knives we thought couldn't be sharpened! Very happy with this product. I bought my mom one, too." —mibkim

My colleague loves this lil' guy, saying it "totally ~transformed~ my hodgepodge of a knife collection, and probably saved my clumsy self from lots of close calls with dull knives." Read her full KitchenIQ knife sharpener review.

Promising review: "I got this because I own a nursery and use hand pruners and loppers regularly, and with all the use, they dull quickly sometimes. Since using this, I'm very impressed. It only takes me around 30 seconds or less to put a nice new edge on my pruner blade. I also like the size. I can keep it on me while I'm working and can sharpen my blade as needed. I'd recommend watching the video that Corona provided with this listing because it shows you how to use it. Great product!" —Michael

Promising review: "I am IN LOVE. I bought this to use as a backsplash in my rented studio apartment kitchen, which has potential to be pretty but really needs some help. I ordered two rolls, thinking that if I liked them in my kitchen, I’d order more to use on the wall behind my bar cart. I loved it so much when it came in that I decided to go ahead and put it up on the big wall and deal with the kitchen later. The pattern is so easy to line up, and it looks so good! My tiny, dark apartment instantly looked bigger and brighter. Even up close, I can’t tell where the seams are. It was super easy to put up by myself, though I would recommend having another person to help if possible, because it would have taken a lot less time if I’d had someone to hold it steady while I lined up the edges. If I could give six stars, I would. It’s expensive but worth every penny!" —Lizzy

Promising review: "I resurfaced my office desk with this paper, and it looks really good. What I like about it is that it's waterproof (I have spilled coffee and water and it wipes up without soaking into the contact paper.) Easy to install and pretty. I just ordered another roll for my linen shelves and will be ordering more for my laundry cabinet shelves." —Amazon Customer

Get a roll from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in six sizes).

Promising review: "I have a small three-tier water fountain on my patio. Naturally, the birds in the community have come to rely upon it for drinking and bathing. I literally sprayed this product and walked away. I actually left it on overnight, and I got busy with other tasks. When I checked back, all of the mold was gone, everything, with no damage to the painted stucco wall or cement, and no scrubbing. Literally spray and leave." —Mark

Get it from Amazon for $16.04+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "I have both the cleanser and conditioner of Leather Honey and I. Am. In. Love! Following the directions has gotten 10-year-old stains out of a leather chair, and slowly but surely, the conditioner is bringing the leather back to life. I actually intended to donate both a loveseat and a chair with an ottoman, but not now. I was really skeptical because of the well-known brands I had tried in the past, but this stuff is a miracle worker. It's taking time because it's been such a long-ago stain, but my patience is paying off. It was recommended to me by a guy who sells only leather furniture, so that's why I took the plunge. It's also not as expensive as some of the ones out in the garage. Wish I could give it 10 stars. I rarely write reviews, but this one really deserved a good one." —A. Eley

Promising review: "My loveseat was looking cracked and faded again after three years. (It’s 13 years old and sits in a room with a big picture window.) The product worked just as well as it did in 2016. I noticed that some buyers have reported issues with color transfer. I followed the directions on the container and never had that problem. It’s important that you wait five minutes and then buff your furniture with a clean, dry cloth. I also used this to restore some leather barstools that were looking a little faded. Our dog scratched our leather sectional, and this balm took care of the scratch, too. I only used half a container to do a loveseat, four bar stools, and a few scratches on our sectional (pictured above). —Casey B

Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in 16 colors).

Promising review: "OMG! This is a great product! My husband and I are big fans of coffee and tea. We use tumblers and thermo carafes all the time. Even if I washed them immediately after use, it was hard to remove all the buildup residue. Especially tall thermo carafes with a small mouth, I can’t wash them even with a bottle brush. After 6 hours soaking with a couple of these cleaning tablets and warm water, most of the heavy buildup stains are gone! The rest of it, I could wash off completely by rinsing and light brushing. It is effective and effortless! I highly recommend this!" —Yoon

FYI: The yellow brush is a medium-bristle brush designed for bathroom surfaces. The other colors are better suited for different surfaces based on their stiffness.

Promising review: "Sadly, I only have a shower at my house, and of course, it’s all tile. I have zero clue why anyone would want tile; it’s awful. Saying that cleaning it is the worst, and it never gets clean, and I know for a fact I don’t put enough elbow grease into it. Well, that all changed with these bangers! I just put it into a drill, spray some mildew spray on it, and hammer away. It’s 100% better than doing it by hand, not 97% or 98% or even 99% better, it’s 100% better. You need these." —Mark

Get a set of four drill brushes from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "We have a lighter-colored carpet throughout our entire house and with a toddler, two black cats, and two clumsy adults, it feels like a new stain shows up every single day. Saw this product on a BuzzFeed list and figured since it’s less than $6 I’d give it a try. It WORKS! It worked SO fast and smells nice too! I promise you, this is $6 well spent!" —Jonathan and Jill Orbell

Promising review: "WOW! Honestly, I was a little skeptical of the promise of these pads, but I bought them just to try them out. THEY WORKED AMAZINGLY WELL! Seriously. I have some stains that are 1.5–2 years old. I've tried everything to get them out. I put these pads on the stains (two to cover the spot), let them sit for about an hour, pulled them up, and the stain was gone. I truly couldn't believe it. The pad was yellow. Somehow, the old urine was soaked up into the pad. My carpet looks like new. I couldn't recommend these any higher for what I wanted and what I got. Wish I could give this more than five stars." —Matt

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $34.74.

Promising review: "If you are ever thinking you might need this, TRUST ME you do! My 2-year-old threw up chocolate milk on our cream carpet. It was a complete disaster. I tried everything, and nothing even made a dent in it, until this. It’s also scentless, which was great because I got the stain up right before my little girl’s bedtime. TOP NOTCH!" —Jillian Hastings

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in multi-packs).

It's from a family-run small business that specializes in cleaning products, especially ones for homes with pets!

Promising review: "Worth every penny. I’ve bought this product so many times now, I have it on auto ship! Saw the reviews and figured I’d give it a try. My cat likes to pee over the litter box and stain the brand-new carpet. I used this in my Bissell, and it took all the stain and smell out!!! I’ll never use another cleaner." —Wendy

Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in three scents).

Promising review: "Great value for an excellent memory foam topper. We put it on top of an Ikea mattress, and it turned that uncomfortable bed into luxury." —Skip

Get a two-inch topper from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in sizes Twin–California King, as well as a three-inch-thick version).

Promising review: "We have a rather deep mattress and added a memory foam topper, which gave our fitted sheet a real stretch to be able to securely tuck in the corners and not slip off. It would hold some of the time, but we frequently had a corner or two slip off during the night. After giving Bed Band a try, our fitted sheet slipping problem is solved! The clamp design grips like iron, but the best part is the adjustable bands that allow for a quick final fit after installing the clamps. This makes for a much simpler installation, and with a product that, by its nature, needs to be removed and reinstalled repeatedly (sheet washing), ease of installation is critical. Bed Bands is the clear design winner for function and ease of installation. A stellar product design at an affordable price!" —David K

Get a pack of four bands from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in three colors, two lengths, and multi-packs).

Promising review: "Between myself (medium long hair) and my overly fluffy cat, a lot of hair and fluff was continually getting caught up on the roller brush of my vacuum. I dreaded vacuuming because it took so long to pull and snip the hairs wrapped up on the roller brush out with scissors. Not anymore! This silly, little, inexpensive thing works great! Super quick to remove all the hair/fur — in virtually a minute, then back to vacuuming with my lovely Miele vacuum." —MKS

You can use it to bond glass, ceramic, wood, metal, and most plastics *and* to bond all of those surfaces to most walls. It slowly cures from malleable glue into a tough silicone rubber overnight.

Promising review: "This stuff is the solution to so many challenging repairs that it’s well worth keeping a supply of basic colors on hand in the fridge at all times. Example: After various glues failed to reattach the black rubber trim that holds the rear windshield onto my car, Sugru was the only thing that did. With no garage parking, this repair has survived 75-mile/hr winds, freezing temps, heavy rains, and 100-degree heat for well over three years and counting. And the repair fills the gap so perfectly that only a well-trained observer would ever detect the repair." —No BS Reviews

Get an eight-color pack on Amazon for $26+ (available in five color combinations).

Snug Plugs is a small business that specializes in home improvement products. 

Promising review: "Many of my appliances have a loose fit on my outlets, but with these in now, I don’t worry about my appliances being in a shortage because they fit so loosely. Definitely a quick, inexpensive fix to an annoying problem I had. Very satisfied." —Tania B. Delgado

Get a pack of 10 from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in clear and glow-in-the-dark).

Promising review: "I cleaned the whole sink in less than 10 minutes. I wish I had found this product a long time ago. It deserves more than 5 stars!" —Raven

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Melanie Aman is a deputy editorial director on the BuzzFeed Shopping team who's spent the last decade in the lifestyle and service journalism sphere, using her shopping editor eye to find and vet products across a variety of categories, including lifestyle, home, beauty, fashion, pets, cleaning, travel, aging, and more.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.