Should you clean a card before grading?
Yes, in most cases, but with the right method. Surface cleaning is part of normal card preparation. The line you must not cross is retouching: anything that changes the card itself rather than removing what has built up on it.
- The surface is one of the four graded criteria, along with centering, corners and edges.
- Removing dust, fingerprints and greasy film is standard preparation.
- Varnishing, recolouring, filling a crease or trimming an edge means altering the card.
- When in doubt, only touch what comes off.
Why clean?
The grader examines the surface under light that reveals everything: fingerprints, greasy haze, tiny debris. These deposits have nothing to do with the card’s real condition, but they weigh on the surface grade. Removing them shows the card as it truly is.
The line: cleaning is not retouching
| Surface cleaning | Retouching or alteration |
|---|---|
| Removing dust and tiny debris | Recolouring a whitened edge |
| Removing fingerprints and greasy film | Filling or pressing out a crease |
| Reviving a dirty holo with a suitable gel | Applying varnish or wax |
| Flattening a slightly curved card with gentle pressure | Trimming an edge, redrawing a corner |
A retouched card can be rejected or flagged as altered, which sinks its value. Before sending a card that has been worked on, read the terms of the company you are using.
When not to clean
- If the card is already clean under raking light: no need to touch it.
- If you don’t have the right materials: a slightly dusty card is better than a scratched one.
- If the card has a structural defect (crease, tear): cleaning won’t change it.
How to clean safely
A clean microfibre cloth, alcohol-free spray applied to the cloth and never to the card, cotton swabs for the corners, gel only on a dull holo: the detailed method is in how to clean a Pokémon card before PSA grading.
The complete kit
The Pokémon card restoration kit
Alcohol-free cleaning spray, shine gel, 2 microfibre cloths, 5 applicators and 10 cotton swabs: everything you need for €59.
See the kit – €59Frequently asked questions
Can cleaning raise the grade?
It won’t lift a card above its real condition. It prevents you from losing surface points to deposits that simply come off.
Do grading companies detect cleaning?
A well-done surface clean does not alter the card. What grading companies look for are alterations: ink touch-ups, recoloured edges, filled creases, trimming.
Can I flatten a curved card before sending it?
Yes, with gentle, gradual pressure, without heat or moisture. See how to flatten a warped Pokémon card.