Cleaning Cards

[RedlegsFan]

Is there a way to remove these black spots like this off cards? I see a bunch of cards with damage like this. I don’t know if it is mold, or what… i just don’t want to destroy the card even more. Anyone ever have success?


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[swarmee]

That would be considering altering the card. There are ways to do it, but they're normally frowned upon as done in bad faith to increase the card's value by scamming. If you're worried about it, throw the card away and buy another one. You should not attempt to remove it.

[JollyElm]

I have had a lot of experience with soaking, but trying to remove something from the back of a card is like having a front row seat to a damage concert. Whereas card fronts have (some of) the protective gloss there to help make something atop it go bye bye, the backs have nothing. That mold is probably there to stay unless some serious chemicals, effort, expense and whatnot are added to the equation, and then, as was stated, it becomes a serious alteration.

[GasHouseGang]

Straight bleach kills mold doesn't it?

[cannonballsun]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

Straight bleach kills mold doesn't it?

It also kills the card.

[cannonballsun]

You could try leaving the card in the sun for a while, but don't over do it.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by cannonballsun

It also kills the card.

Well if that's the price you have to pay.... I thought it was clear I was joking.

[cannonballsun]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

Well if that's the price you have to pay.... I thought it was clear I was joking.

My bad, I should have known you were joking.
Anyway, we know sunlight will bleach a card and kill mold, and I don't think that would be considered tampering/altering a card. It will help some with the mold, but maybe not all the way.

[commishbob]

Using sunlight...wouldn't that just fade the entire card back? You'd still have stains, just lighter ones on a sun faded card.

I haven't seen them discussed here in a few years but there is a family that runs a business that does exactly what you are trying to accomplish. It's a very contentious issue which I'll leave others to debate but if you google 'gone with the stain' you should come up with their website.

[cannonballsun]

If you leave it in the sun for a short period of time, it will mainly just kill the mildew. Some of the mildew, probably not all of it. If you leave it in the sun for a long period of time, it will fade the whole back of the card.
I live in New Orleans, and some of my collection got wet due to Hurricane Ida. I tried this strategy of leaving the cards in a card box, loosely packed, sitting on the dashboard of my car.
The sun and the heat did kill a lot of the mold and mildew. It made things better, but I wouldn't say it was a cure-all. His little spots of mildew on his card is much less severe than what I was trying to deal with, if he leaves the card in direct sunlight for a while, he might have a good amount of success. If not, he can just go back to the original suggestion, and pitch the card and buy another one.

[cannonballsun]

Originally Posted by commishbob

I haven't seen them discussed here in a few years but there is a family that runs a business that does exactly what you are trying to accomplish. It's a very contentious issue which I'll leave others to debate but if you google 'gone with the stain' you should come up with their website.

That guy was Dick Towle. Many jokes about his name. He was a member here for awhile, and then got banned. He is featured in some very interesting threads.
I could be wrong , but I think he passed away. His family might still be in the business?

[G1911]

It’s a low grade 1955 Bowman Al Lopez. Buy a new one for a few bucks if it bugs you. I can’t imagine paying Dick Towle’s shitbag card altering operation would be a profitable endeavor.