Should You Clean a Card Before Grading? What's Safe
By Mitchell Taljaard ·
It's tempting to clean a card before you send it. But graders distinguish between removing loose dirt and changing the card itself. Cross that line and you risk an Altered label instead of a grade.
We're Cuppas Cards, a PCG submission service for South African Pokémon collectors. We don't grade cards ourselves: PCG (Premier Card Grading) assigns every grade. This guide covers what PCG, PSA and CGC say about altered cards, and what's safe to do before you send yours.
What do graders count as an altered card?
An altered card is one that has been changed after it was printed. Each grader words it slightly differently:
- PCG says altered cards are cards "modified in some way after their original printing or production". That covers cosmetic changes and bigger changes to the card's structure or image. PCG labels them "Altered" (PCG grading standards).
- PSA gives altered cards an Altered Authentic label rather than a number (PSA grading standards). PSA's standards also say certain cleaning products and treatments can make a card ineligible for a numerical grade (Collectibles On SI, October 2026).
- CGC uses Authentic Altered for altered cards, such as trimmed or recoloured ones (CGC grading scale).
Our guide to what card grades mean explains these labels in more detail.
What cleaning is generally accepted?
Removing loose dirt, dust and fingerprints is widely considered acceptable. Trying to hide scratches and other surface defects is generally condemned (Cllct via Yahoo Sports, May 2025).
PSA's president, Ryan Hoge, has said it's "not uncommon for PSA graders to remove fingerprints or smudges". When PSA surveyed customers about a possible cleaning service, it confirmed the service would be strictly wiping the card, with nothing else touching it (Cllct via Yahoo Sports).
So a dry wipe to remove a fingerprint is on the safe side of the line. Anything that adds something to the card, or reshapes it, is not.
What counts as going too far?
These are the treatments graders have said cross the line, or that their labels are designed to catch:
| Treatment | What graders say |
|---|---|
| Some cleaning products and treatments | PSA says certain cleaning products and treatments can make a card ineligible for a numerical grade |
| Pressing out creases or wrinkles | PSA treats it as alteration, because pressing can change a card's dimensions |
| Trimming edges or corners | CGC lists trimming as an alteration |
| Recolouring | CGC lists recolouring as an alteration |
Sources: Collectibles On SI (October 2026) and the CGC grading scale.
None of the grader pages cited here names specific allowed or banned products. So the safest approach is not to apply anything at all.
How should you clean a card safely?
Keep it to a dry wipe:
- Use a clean, dry, soft microfibre cloth.
- Wipe with gentle strokes. Don't press down or scrub.
- Stop at dust and fingerprints. If a mark doesn't come off with a gentle dry wipe, leave it.
- Don't use water, sprays or any cleaning product.
That's the same guidance as our pre-grading checklist. Then sleeve the card and pack it as our packing guide shows.
What can't cleaning fix?
Cleaning can't remove wear. Whitening on corners and edges, scratches, dents and creases are part of the card, and graders assess them as such.
PCG's definition of altered covers cosmetic changes, so trying to hide those flaws risks an Altered label. If a card has a scratch or a crease, the honest choice is to grade it as it is, or decide it isn't worth grading. Our list of grading mistakes covers how to judge that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a card cleaning spray before grading?
We don't recommend it. PSA says certain cleaning products and treatments can make a card ineligible for a numerical grade, and it doesn't name which ones. A dry microfibre wipe is enough for dust and fingerprints.
Can I press out a crease before grading?
No. PSA treats pressing out creases or wrinkles as alteration. Grade the card as it is, or keep it raw.
Is wiping off a fingerprint alteration?
Not usually. Removing fingerprints, smudges and dust is widely considered acceptable, and PSA's president has said its graders sometimes remove them.
What happens if PCG decides a card was altered?
PCG labels it "Altered" to tell collectors the card has been modified after it was printed.
Before you send your cards
Check each card with our pre-grading checklist, pack it in a penny sleeve and a semi-rigid card saver, then submit your cards for PCG grading.