Best method of cleaning Kem cards?

[b00gal00ga]

My cards are beginning to get sticky.

[clutch]

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My cards are beginning to get sticky.

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Damp towel. Water is all you need.

[messenger309]

But rub each one pretty hard. I was gentle the first time and had to go back and redo them.

[b00gal00ga]

I thought about trying a little soap, but if a damp towel is good enough, thats what I'll do.

thank you.

[smoore]

dilute dish detergent (just like you'd use to wash dishes) is fine, but COLD WATER ONLY. I learned that one the hard way. I did manage to fix the cards with a couple months under 100+ lbs of books.

[suprblah]

I did a bit of quick research:

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Gambling casinos use Kem Plastic Playing Cards because they are difficult to mark without detection and stand up under heavy use. These cards are made from Tenite cellulose acetate from Eastman Chemical. Cards made from this material will bend and flex without breaking and can be polished to a high surface gloss. Precision Polymer Processors, Carbondale, PA, a joint venture company of Kem Plastic Playing Cards and Gentex Corp., extrudes Tenite into sheets from which the cards are made.

Properties of Tenite Acetate.

Notice the poor chemical resistance to acids and bases (like Windex and soap). Also notice the upper working temperature of 50-95 degrees, and the fact that it absorbs water. I'd be a bit careful with my cards [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[tomb1]

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Also notice the upper working temperature of 50-95 degrees, and the fact that it absorbs water. I'd be a bit careful with my cards [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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Wow, great info!

Just to clarify that the maximum temperature is about 122º-203º Fahrenheit -- from warm water to just under boiling water (50º-95º Celsius).

Wipe with a damp rag and don't soak them. And no dishwasher, of course!

My rule is always to use as little as it takes to clean them. A light wipe instead of heavy rubbing, a damp cloth instead of a wet one, and plain water vs. detergent. Use more effort only if a stain requires it.

P.S. Was playing at a casino Saturday and a patron spilled mustard from a hot dog on the back of his Kem card. The dealer was livid and had to throw out the deck because of the yellow stain, even after quickly wiping the card.

[bolgenmod]

After washing the cards -- I do them a few at a time, wash 5 on one side, dry, turn over, repeat, so they don't absorb too much water -- get a bag (paper or plastic) and put a little talcum powder in in. Put the cards in and shake. The powder absorbs whatever water was left on the cards, and they come out just like new. One key: a LITTLE talcum, too much and the cards are all powdery. The other: use plain talcum, like Johnson's Baby Powder or the generic equivalent. I've used stuff like medicated powder which worked fine, but one player's hands started getting irritated by something in the powder.

BTW, we had 90 degree/90% humidity last week, and the cards got really sticky. So I got out the old powder and bag, and afterwards the cards were fine!

[roxtar]

I've had good luck with baby wipes.

[Hold'me]

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I've had good luck with baby wipes.

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Would you recommend using baby wipes over a damp towel? I've yet to clean my copags but they are getting a little dirty lately.