How to Clean Playing Cards Without Damaging Them

Cards get dirty quickly: skin oil, snacks, drinks and the dust on every table. How you clean them depends almost entirely on what they are made of.

First: paper or plastic?

• Paper cards (most supermarket decks) are cardboard with a plastic coating. Water gets in at the edges and makes them swell, curl and stick.
• Plastic cards are plastic all the way through. They can be washed in water.

If you are not sure, look at the edge of a card. Paper shows a layered, slightly fuzzy edge; plastic is smooth and solid. Plastic cards also feel heavier and spring back when bent.

How to clean paper playing cards

Gently, and without much water.

1. Wipe each card with a soft, dry, lint-free cloth. That removes most grime.
2. For stubborn marks, use a cloth that is barely damp — wrung out until it feels almost dry — and wipe quickly, card by card.
3. Dry each card at once with a dry cloth, and lay the cards out flat until completely dry.
4. Small pencil or ink marks can sometimes be lifted with a soft white eraser, rubbing lightly.

Never soak paper cards, and never use cleaning sprays or alcohol — they strip the coating that makes cards slide.

How to clean plastic playing cards

Much easier.

1. Fill a bowl with lukewarm water and a drop of mild dish soap.
2. Wash the cards in small handfuls, rubbing them gently with your fingers or a soft cloth.
3. Rinse in clean water.
4. Dry each card with a soft towel and lay them out flat to finish drying.

Hot water can warp plastic. Keep it lukewarm.

Sticky or clumping cards

Cards that stick together and will not fan or slide are usually just dirty. Clean them as above. Card players and magicians then use fanning powder — a fine dry lubricant — rubbed lightly into the faces and backs. A very small amount is enough.

Bent or curled cards

• Paper: stack the deck squarely, put it under a pile of heavy books, and leave it for a day or two.
• Plastic: usually springs back by itself. If not, the same books trick works.

Curled cards are often a sign of humidity. Store decks in their box, away from bathrooms and windows.

Can you wash playing cards in a washing machine?

No. Paper cards turn to pulp. Plastic cards survive the water but not the heat and the tumbling — they warp and scratch. A bowl and a towel is quicker anyway.

When to stop cleaning and replace the deck

Cards that are marked, chipped at the corners or bent so badly they can be recognised from the back are no good for any game where cards are hidden. If a deck spends a lot of time near food and drink, the real answer is a waterproof plastic deck: wash it in the sink after a party and it is as good as new.