We have our inventory and now we need to get it ready to list!
Clothes
First, before you buy, check your item carefully for stains, tears, or flaws. If I find anything, I normally just put it back unless it’s a really special buy. If there’s a stain that looks permanent or if there’s a hole in it, it may not be worth your trouble. However, no matter how carefully you look the item over, some defects always manage to sneak through and you don’t find them until you’re at home. If it’s a hole, there’s probably nothing you can do about it except note it in the Item Description and drop the price a little. I add, “Flaw” or “Stain” in the top description (for example, “Liz Claiborne Sweater XL Pink Cashmere Flaw”). I also add this comment as the first sentence in my description (in all caps): “PLEASE NOTE: THERE’S A SMALL STAIN ON THE LOWER LEFT FRONT (please see circle photo).” I take a good picture of the stain and edit the picture to circle it in red. Make it as obvious as possible. You don’t want the buyer to be surprised.
It’s eBay’s policy that all items must be clean before they’re listed. However, most things will already be clean when you get them. I take a really good look at it all around and then give it a good smell (that sounds unpleasant, but be brave. Normally you will get a fresh whiff of laundry soap and it’s obviously clean). If it doesn’t smell rainy-day fresh, at that point I toss it in the laundry. I like adding a scoop of OxiClean in addition to my regular soap because I think it makes things a little fresher.
If you notice any stains, you may want to try applying a stain fighter. My favorites are the Tide To-Go pen or Shout Triple Acting spray. However; be really careful with these. I have managed to make a stain worse when using these because I used too much and the stain spread and looked worse. So go easy and maybe test just a little bit first.
After it’s clean and dry, I use a lint roller to remove fuzzies and hair. You can find extra-big ones at WalMart in the laundry section. I find they’re more expensive in the pet section, so avoid those if you can.
After the item is hair- and lint-free, I steam it with a small hand-held steamer that I got as a hand-me-down from my mom (thanks, Mom!). Be careful when you use the steamer! It is super hot and steam burns hurt like a bear.
At this point, your item should be sparkly clean and ready to go. I hang mine on my garment rack until I’m ready to list it.
Shoes
Shoes are a little tougher to clean. I learned that you can put them in a bucket of warm water with a scoop of laundry detergent and a scoop of OxiClean. Soak them several hours or overnight (include the shoelaces as it does a great job spiffing them up), then take them out and rinse them until the water runs clear. Then leave them out in the hot sun or somewhere drafty so they can dry. But I only do this if they are heavily soiled, because I tried this on a pair of my own shoes and I felt like it puffed up the soles of my shoes and they’ve never really returned to normal.
For the outsides of the shoes, I wipe them down first with a wet washcloth, then I rub a damp Magic Eraser on any remaining stains. Magic Erasers are amazing and truly magical, but don’t use them too long or they will crumble and then you’ll be left having to remove all the eraser crumbs off of your shoes.
After the shoes are clean and completely dry, I spray the insides with a few squirts of rubbing alcohol. This helps take away any remaining odor. Then I stuff a small cloth bag (homemade) filled with baking soda into the toes of the shoes. This keeps them smelling fresh and clean. Just don’t forget to remove your soda bags before you ship them out.
I hope that all your items are flaw- and stain-free! Please let me know if you have more secrets to getting used stuff looking brand-new!