The permanent upgrades in Cleanup Crew are the core meta-progression system that allows you to get stronger between runs. Purchased in the Workshop hub area using two main currencies, Scrap and Schematics, these upgrades are essential for tackling the game's tougher, more contaminated zones. Unlike temporary power-ups found during a mission, these enhancements to your character, equipment, and home base persist through death, making every run a step forward, even if it ends in failure.
This guide breaks down every upgrade, how to afford them, and the optimal path for turning your rookie cleaner into a master of sanitation.
How Do You Get Upgrade Currencies?
Your progress is fueled by two key resources found during your cleaning missions. Understanding how to maximize your income of both is the first step to building a better cleaner. Success isn't just about surviving; it's about running a profitable, efficient operation.
Farming Scrap: The Workhorse Currency
Scrap is the common currency, earned for nearly every positive action you take on a job. You'll get it from mopping up slime, neutralizing bio-hazards, incinerating alien weeds, and completing primary and secondary mission objectives. The amount of Scrap you keep is finalized when you either complete the mission or die.
The most effective way to farm Scrap is to focus on mission completion and efficiency. You receive significant bonuses for your clear rate (e.g., 90%+ of hazards neutralized), speed, and for completing optional objectives. Don't just rush to the exit; a thorough, methodical sweep of a level will always yield more Scrap than a frantic dash, even if it takes a few minutes longer.
Finding Schematics: The Key to Top-Tier Gear
Schematics are the premium currency that acts as a gatekeeper for the most powerful upgrades. You cannot buy the best gear with Scrap alone; you need to prove you're ready by finding the corresponding Schematics. These are much rarer and are primarily found in three ways:
- Hidden Safes: Most levels have at least one locked safe hidden in a side room or maintenance tunnel. These almost always contain a Schematic.
- Elite Enemies & Bosses: Special, tougher enemies like the "Corrosive Skitterer" or the dreaded "Mutated Rat King" have a high chance of dropping a Schematic upon defeat. Every major floor boss is a guaranteed source.
- End-of-Level Rewards: Occasionally, you'll be awarded a Schematic simply for completing a particularly hazardous mission for the first time.
Actively hunting for safes and prioritizing elite enemies is the only reliable way to gather the Schematics needed for late-game upgrades.
The Workshop Upgrade Tree: Where to Spend Your Resources
The Workshop, managed by the grizzled Head Janitor, is your hub between missions. Here, you'll spend your hard-earned Scrap and Schematics on a wide array of permanent buffs. The upgrade system is divided into three distinct branches, each focusing on a different aspect of your cleaning capabilities. A smart cleaner balances their investments across all three trees to create a well-rounded build.
Personnel Upgrades: Enhancing Your Cleaner
This branch focuses on your character's innate physical abilities. These are core stat upgrades that increase your survivability and stamina, allowing you to stay in the field longer and endure more punishment. Early on, these are some of the most critical investments you can make.
Prioritize stamina and health upgrades first to fundamentally extend the length and success of your runs. An extra bit of health can be the difference between finishing a job and losing a haul of Scrap.
| Upgrade Name | Effect | Scrap Cost (Tier 1) | Schematic Cost (Tier 1) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plasteel Weave Underlay | Increases maximum health by 25 points. | 150 Scrap | 0 | A must-have early upgrade. |
| Adrenal Gland Stimulator | Increases maximum stamina by 20%. | 120 Scrap | 0 | Lets you run and mop longer. Essential. |
| Reinforced Exo-Spine | Increases inventory carry weight by 2 slots. | 200 Scrap | 1 Schematic | Allows for more tools or valuable salvage. |
| Toxin Filter Implant | Reduces damage from poison hazards by 30%. | 180 Scrap | 1 Schematic | Situational, but vital for swamp/sewer levels. |
| Cellular Regeneration | Slowly regenerate health over time. | 500 Scrap | 3 Schematics | A powerful late-game survivability tool. |
Equipment Upgrades: Improving Your Tools of the Trade
This tree is all about improving the gear you carry into every mission. From your trusty mop to your advanced scanner, these upgrades make your actions more effective and efficient. An upgraded toolset allows you to clean faster, identify threats sooner, and protect yourself from environmental hazards.
Cleanup Crew in-game screenshot
The High-Capacity Mop Head is a game-changing early upgrade that dramatically improves your cleaning speed and efficiency. It should be one of your first goals. Better tools mean faster jobs, which means more Scrap per hour.
| Upgrade Name | Effect | Scrap Cost (Tier 1) | Schematic Cost (Tier 1) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-Capacity Mop Head | Mop holds 50% more contaminant before needing a rinse. | 250 Scrap | 1 Schematic | The single best early-game upgrade. |
| Ionizing Sprayer Nozzle | Neutralizing Sprayer works 25% faster. | 200 Scrap | 1 Schematic | Saves precious time on stubborn hazards. |
| Lead-Lined Boots | Grants immunity to radiation floor hazards. | 300 Scrap | 2 Schematics | Non-negotiable for the Nuclear Plant levels. |
| Bio-Scanner Mk. II | Highlights hidden enemies and valuable items. | 400 Scrap | 2 Schematics | Helps you find more Scrap and avoid ambushes. |
| Plasma Incinerator | Increases incinerator damage to alien flora. | 350 Scrap | 2 Schematics | Speeds up clearing of overgrown areas. |
Facility Upgrades: Unlocking New Possibilities
Facility upgrades improve your home base, providing passive bonuses, new starting options, and entirely new systems to engage with. They are generally expensive but offer powerful, run-altering benefits that can define your entire strategy.
Cleanup Crew in-game screenshot
Unlocking the Character Dossiers early provides more playstyle variety and can make certain levels much easier with the right cleaner for the job.
- Medical Bay: A one-time purchase that lets you start every run with a free Med-Patch healing item. It pays for itself over time.
- Recycling Unit: A fantastic early investment. This unit gives you back a percentage (starting at 10%) of all Scrap you were carrying when you died. This significantly softens the blow of a failed run.
- Expanded Armory: Unlocks additional starting weapon/tool slots, allowing you to bring more specialized gear from the outset.
- Character Dossiers: This is a multi-stage upgrade. Each purchase unlocks a new playable cleaner with a unique starting loadout and innate perk (e.g., a Brawler who moves faster but has less inventory space, or a Scientist who starts with an upgraded scanner).
What's the Best Upgrade Path for Beginners?
Feeling overwhelmed? Follow this simple path for your first dozen or so runs to build a solid foundation that will carry you into the mid-game.
Cleanup Crew in-game screenshot
- Adrenal Gland Stimulator (Tier 1): More stamina is immediately noticeable. You can run further and mop for longer without getting exhausted.
- Plasteel Weave Underlay (Tier 1): The extra 25 HP is a literal lifesaver and helps you endure mistakes as you learn enemy patterns.
- Recycling Unit: Get this as soon as you can. It makes every subsequent death less punishing and accelerates your overall progress.
- High-Capacity Mop Head: Your first Schematic purchase. It will revolutionize your cleaning speed. You'll spend less time running back and forth to rinsing stations and more time earning Scrap.
- Adrenal Gland Stimulator (Tier 2): Double down on your stamina. The difference is night and day.
- Medical Bay: Start every run with a safety net. This free heal can be the clutch save you need to secure a boss kill.
- Character Dossier (First Unlock): By now you should have a feel for the game. Unlocking a new character provides a fresh perspective and might better suit your playstyle.
From here, you should start specializing based on the levels you're struggling with. Facing a lot of poison? Get the Toxin Filter. Need to deal with radiation? Get the Lead-Lined Boots.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do you lose permanent upgrades when you die in Cleanup Crew? No. All upgrades purchased in the Workshop with Scrap and Schematics are permanent. They persist through death and are the main way you grow stronger over the course of the game.
Can you reset your permanent upgrades? As of the current version, there is no in-game mechanic to respec or reset your purchased upgrades. All choices are final, so spend your resources wisely, especially your limited Schematics.
What happens when you unlock a new character? Newly unlocked characters benefit from all previously purchased Facility upgrades (like the Medical Bay and Recycling Unit). However, their Personnel and Equipment upgrades are tracked separately, allowing you to build each cleaner for a specific purpose.
Are there secret upgrades? Yes. After you successfully defeat the final boss, the "Source Sludge," for the first time, you unlock a new "Veteran" tab in the Workshop. These are extremely expensive, high-tier upgrades that offer powerful new effects and cosmetic rewards for dedicated players.
Cleanup Crew in-game screenshot
The Final Polish
The permanent upgrade system in Cleanup Crew is the engine that drives its compelling roguelike loop. It masterfully turns the sting of failure into the fuel for future success. Every neutralized hazard and every mopped-up spill contributes to a tangible sense of growing power. By investing your Scrap and Schematics wisely, you're not just cleaning up a mess—you're building a legend in the fiercely competitive world of extraterrestrial sanitation.