I think cleaning vinyl is the biggest upgrade of all. I stared with a VPI 16.5, which worked, but was noisy and kept snapping the plastic wands. Then moved to a RecordDoctor to do both sides at once. Eventually I splurged on a Loricraft PRC4 (now owned by SME) which is a turntable-like point source vacuum (I think the Monks is similar). I was happy for many years and then I heard someone had invented U/S record cleaning, so now I get the gross stuff off with the Loricraft, then use a Degritter to finish the job. I can't magically cure scratches, but most disks end up silent.
After that a new inner sleeve goes on and before playing I use a Furutech Destat III and a photographic rocket blower to remove any dust. The dust detaches and blows off very easily after the using the Destat, so I think the latter actually does something!
Chris