You do not need to learn Blender to use Blender for asset cleanup. This is the subset that covers most of it.
Modes
- Object mode. Manipulating whole objects — move, rotate, scale, duplicate.
- Edit mode (Tab). Manipulating the geometry inside one object — vertices, edges, faces.
Almost every confusion for beginners is being in the wrong one.
Navigation
Middle mouse orbits, Shift+middle pans, scroll zooms. Numpad keys snap to axis views. If you have no numpad, enable "Emulate Numpad" in preferences and use the number row.
Selection
Click selects, Shift+click adds. In edit mode, the 1/2/3 keys switch between vertex, edge and face selection. A key selects all, Alt+A deselects.
The transform trio
G moves, R rotates, S scales. Type an axis letter after to constrain (G then X), type a number to be exact (S then 0.5). Escape or right-click cancels.
Modifiers
Non-destructive operations stacked on an object — Decimate, Subdivision Surface, Mirror, Solidify. They preview live and only become real geometry when applied. This is the safest way to make big changes, because nothing is committed until you say so.
The outliner and properties
The outliner (top right) is the scene contents. The properties editor (bottom right) has tabs — object, modifiers, material, and so on. Most settings live there, organised by what they apply to.
Saving and exporting
Blender's own format is .blend and keeps everything. Export (File → Export) writes an interchange format — GLB, FBX, OBJ — and that is what leaves Blender. Do both: keep the .blend as your source, export copies for use.