anyone had any luck getting stains off a card?

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Posted By: sean

I doubt Ill try but any comments would be helpful

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Posted By: Matt

Is that tobacco staining or dirt?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Sean- all stains are different.

Some can easily be removed with a cloth. Others become so ingrained in the paper that even conservators can not remove them without risking permanent damage to the card. It's probably not a great idea to try this at home.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Go to kitchen with card, get glass, turn on tap, cold water.

Run water on card, both sides, fill glass with water, gently put card in glass.

Let set a couple of hours.

Rinse card off under running tap, touch stains if they're still there, don't rub.

Pat dry with paper towel. And again. Then stack between several sheets of paper between some books.

Someone will suggest distilled water. Unless you have really hard water, or additives in your water, save your money. This isn't heart surgery...

Some stains won't come out, as mentioned above. That triple folder will soak in water and come out just fine.

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Posted By: sean

It might be dirt? Thanks for the tip frank but that scares me to no end. ANyone do this professionally (i.e. for a price and insures the card).

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Posted By: peter ullman

sean...I've done it a few times to remove tape residue...i too was scared...but alas...it was easy and kinda fun. just follow frank's directions...go nice and slow and be very gently...it'll work just fine.

pete ullman

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Posted By: barrysloate

Sean- paper conservators can clean cards, paper, photographs, etc. for a price, but that price often exceeds the value of the card. It's best to use their services only for something rare and valuable.

Edited to add not that a T202 Cobb isn't valuable, but it could set you back $100-150 and it's possible that they will only lighten the stain and not get it out entirely. Plus, they must use some bleaching agent, which even when diluted is not recommended for baseball cards.

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Posted By: JK

A glass? Why not put the card into something like a rectangular baking dish or some other type of kitchen container (like tupperware) that is large enough to soak the card flat?

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

I said a glass 'cause he'll have a glass. I used a big lid for a plastic storage container to soak a Baseball Magazine M114, it came out very well...

Soaking with a glass allows the soaker to observe all sides at the same time, difficult to do with something flat, unless you use a glass plate and lift it. Also, a glass allows debris to fall to the bottom as it soaks loose, with a plate the debris just sits there...

I'm okay with using something flat.