Essential Card Cleaning Service (Pre-grade)

A final pre-grade clean for cards that are already mostly clean. Our Essential Card Cleaning Service (Pre-grade) is ideal for collectors who want visible dust, fingerprints and light handling residue addressed before submitting their cards for grading.

A card can look clean at first glance but still carry surface dust or oils from handling. Using our bespoke cleaning process developed specifically for collectible cards, we carefully remove suitable light contamination to help your card present at its best before submission. It is also suitable for a straightforward refresh before storage, display or resale.

Sending us graded cards? Your order must include one Graded Slab Cracking Service for each graded card you send.

What this service includes

• One card cleaned per quantity ordered.
• Gentle surface-level cleaning using a specialist solution developed for collectible cards.
• Careful removal of suitable visible dust, light surface dirt, oils, fingerprints and handling residue.
• Controlled manual cleaning appropriate to the card’s condition.
• A fresh penny sleeve, semi-rigid holder and sealed team bag.
• Protective return packaging with a reusable box.

Best suited for

• Mostly clean cards needing a final pre-grade clean to address visible dust, fingerprints and light handling residue before submission.
• Cards in good overall condition where light surface contamination is the main concern.
• Collectors seeking an accessible preparation service before grading, without the more detailed treatment offered by Precision Cleaning.
• Cards needing a light refresh before storage, display or resale.

For heavier contamination, stubborn residue or build-up requiring more detailed attention, consider our Precision Card Cleaning Service, which includes inspection and cleaning under up to 30x magnification. You do not need to purchase both cleaning services for the same card.

What cleaning can and cannot improve

Removing suitable surface dirt can improve a card’s appearance, but cleaning does not repair permanent damage. Marks caused by scratches, missing ink or damaged surface material may remain after contamination has been removed.

Holofoil polishing, dent and crease reduction, humidification and flat-press treatment are not included with Essential Cleaning. Some residue may also remain where further removal would require more intensive treatment or place the card’s surface at unnecessary risk.

Optional Restoration Report + scans

A Restoration Report + scans can be added to your booking for a record of your card’s condition and the work completed. Reports and scans are not included as standard with Essential Cleaning; they are included with Ultimate Card Revival.

The add-on includes:

• A Restoration Report recording findings, treatment carried out and remaining concerns.
• Front and rear condition maps with labelled points of interest where relevant.
• Front and rear digital scans before and after treatment.

Once shared, your report is available in your Dugz Cards account under Restoration Reports, with a Restoration label beside your card. The condition maps illustrate approximate finding locations; the actual card scans are supplied separately.

For graded cards, before-treatment scans are taken after slab removal. Cards inside graded slabs cannot be scanned using our equipment.

See how to read your Restoration Report for an explanation of the maps, findings and treatment notes.

Important considerations

• All cleaning and restoration work carries inherent risk, particularly on older, brittle or heavily damaged cards.
• Results vary by card, and complete removal of every mark or contaminant cannot be guaranteed.
• Scratches, dents, creases and other permanent damage may remain after cleaning.
• Whitening cannot be restored, as it involves missing ink or surface material.
• Improved presentation does not guarantee a higher grade.
• No particular grading outcome, cleaning result or increase in value is guaranteed.

We handle every card with care and select treatment according to its condition. Read our card cleaning FAQ for further information about booking and sending your cards.