Dig & Clean Gear Upgrade Guide

Gear is the backbone of progress in Dig & Clean. Three tools do all the work: detectors find items, shovels dig them out, and spray bottles clean them. Each upgrade costs more Gold but pushes a specific stat — and buying the wrong one wastes Gold you could save toward the next map.

The three stats that matter

• Detector Luck — decides the rarity of what you dig up. This is the stat that matters most, because rarer finds are worth far more.
• Shovel Power — digs faster and unlocks the heaviest, rarest dig spots. Weak shovels get refused.
• Spray Power — cleans faster but does not change what you find or earn.

The upgrade order that works

1. Detectors first. Your first purchase should raise Luck. Go Copper (x3) → Silver (x5) → Gold → Platinum.
2. Shovels second. Dig power determines whether you can even break into the good spots. Save for jumps, not tiny steps.
3. Sprays last. Once your detector and shovel are strong, a better spray makes the reveal stage faster.

Best value targets

• Amethyst Shovel is the standout unlock on Starter Island — Power 9 and +25% walk speed.
• Platinum Detector is the strongest confirmed detector (x12 Luck).
• Turquoise Spray Bottle is the best sprayer (Power 114) once everything else is done.

Skip the in-between steps

Instead of buying every small tier, save and jump straight to a higher-tier tool. You spend less overall and get a much bigger jump in speed or power for the money. During the early game, the biggest progression jump is not a tool at all — it’s the Shipwreck Cove unlock (see Reach Shipwreck Cove).

How to know which tool holds you back

• If a dig spot refuses you with “you need a stronger shovel,” your shovel is the bottleneck.
• If you are finding mostly common junk, your detector’s luck is the bottleneck.
• If cleaning takes forever, your spray bottle is the bottleneck.

Only ever upgrade the single piece that is actually slowing you down right now.

All prices and stats on the Gear page are community-observed and change between updates — check the live game for exact values.