How To Clean Dirty Card Sleeves

Nothing is worse than shuffling through your deck to find that the sleeves have collected grime over the past two weeks. It can happen fast and seemingly come from nowhere. There is a solution. Actually, there are a few solutions!

Why Do Card Sleeves Get Dirty?

First, we have to address why your sleeves are getting dirty.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to play competitive TCGs without using your hands. Dirty hands could be the source of the dirty sleeves. But your hands also secrete oil throughout the day, even if you wash them regularly. 

You won’t be able to see this oil collect on your sleeves, but once you place them onto a playmat or table, then start moving them around, dirt and dust particles start to collect on the sleeves.

A dirty playmat is going to speed this process up tenfold. Depending on how often you use it, you should be cleaning your playmat regularly. It’s as easy as filling the sink with warm water, and a bit of soap, and letting it soak. Give it a light scrub if it needs it, and hang ‘er up to dry.

Should You Clean Dirty Card Sleeves?

When considering the value of a card, the condition is everything. That’s why we need to keep cards in as mint condition as possible. 

So the question isn’t only should you clean sleeves, but also, can you clean sleeves without causing damage?

The biggest factor at play here is liquids. Specifically, water. In the next section, we’ll discuss cleaning materials, but water is the one you have to look out for. Obviously, water destroys cards. 

Another factor to consider is dust and dirt particles. By cleaning your sleeves you’ll be handling them a lot, and possibly introducing more dust and dirt in the process. 

Just buy new ones

A lot of collectors and players argue that cleaning sleeves just isn’t worth it. You can usually pick up a new pack of sleeves from Amazon for just a few bucks.

Or, plenty of products come with sleeves, such as the Pokémon Elite Trainer Boxes.

We highly recommend Dragonshield sleeves (Link to Amazon)

But sometimes you want to save your sleeves, even if it means you’ll be extending their life of them for just another month. 

How To Clean Dirty Card Sleeves

There are a few different methods were going to outline, but whatever works best for you is the best method for you. Remember to remove your cards from the sleeves before any type of cleaning!

Hot Bath

Fill the sink with hot water and let your sleeves soak for a few minutes.

Use a soft towel or microfiber to wipe the sleeves, removing any grime in the process.

Let sleeves dry. Try using a dishrack, or something else similar to speed up the process.

Wipes

Gather some wet wipes. These can be isopropyl alcohol wipes, baby wipes, or the ones that you clean eyeglasses with.

Gently wipe the front and back of each sleeve. Wave the sleeve in the air for a moment to evaporate the cleaner.

Compressed Air

If it’s the interior of the sleeves that you need to clean, use compressed air.

Pinch the sleeve by the sides with your thumb and index finger, and give a short spurt of air into the sleeve. This will remove any dirt or dust trapped inside.

Tips To Keep Card Sleeves Clean

1. Obviously, you won’t need to clean your sleeves if they never get dirty. Here are some tips to keep your sleeves clean. 
2. Wash your hands often.
3. If you use lotion, try applying less.
4. Clean your playmat often.
5. Bring a small hand sanitizer bottle to events (apply before games and after shaking hands).
6. Double sleeve. If you have some sleeves that you want to keep in good condition but still want to use, try purchasing some slightly bigger penny sleeves and double sleeve. You can think of this as sleeving your sleeves!
7. Use a deck box, or clean your deck box often.

How Long Should Sleeves Last?

The lifespan of your sleeves is going to vary. There are a few factors to consider such as the type of sleeve and the amount of play they see. 

Generally, sleeves are considered disposable. Standard clear sleeves are less durable than the nicer thicker ones and thus last longer.

If you play TCGs on a weekly basis, then your sleeves are going to get dirtier faster, it’s just a fact. But they’re also going to earn various battle scars in the process and when this happens, switch them out, they earned it.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to clean dirty card sleeves comes with experience. There’s no one-guide-fits-all, since there are many different kinds of sleeves out there. As a general rule, warm water is safe for the sleeve and any alcohol-based sanitizer is usually safe too.