How to Clean Your Poker Chips With Everyday Household Items
If you're a poker player then you have seen what a dirty and grimy chip looks like. Many of us have gone to a casino and wait our turn for the next available seat at the table, only to see a stack of filthy poker chips. Maybe you have lent your poker set to your friend and he kept your set for a month or two. When your friend finally returns your chips, you notice the dirt on the surface of each chip and how they kind of sticking to one another. Although there's no way to prevent chips from getting dirty, there are ways to clean them without doing any harm to the chip itself. You don't need a fancy contraption for cleaning your chips, just simple household items you can find in your home.
Here's what you'll need:
- 1 soft bristle toothbrush
- mild dishwashing detergent (Palmolive) in a bowl mixed with water
- 2 small hand towels
- time (the more detailed you are the better the outcome)
There are things you should never do when trying to wash your poker chips:
- NEVER submerge your chips in water - This will cause the labels to eventually come off from water seeping under the design label.
- NEVER use abrasive cleaners that can ruin your chips made of clay, etc.
- NEVER throw poker chips in a dishwasher/washing machine to speed up the cleaning process.
- NEVER blow dry or throw your chips in the microwave to dry them faster.
Cleaning Directions:
Mix approximately 1 tsp of mild dishwashing liquid in a bowl with 1/2 cup of water. Place the first poker chip on the small hand towel. Lightly dip the toothbrush in the cleaning solution and softly brush on the first side of the poker chip. Make sure you get the crevices, nooks, and crannies of each chip. With one corner of the hand towel quickly wipe the clean side of the poker chip, then turn the chip over and repeat the cleaning step with the toothbrush. The reason why we want to dry the chips right away is to avoid water from going underneath the design labels if there are any. Once both sides of the chip have been cleaned place them somewhere to naturally dry by itself. Continue this process until all your chips are nice and clean!
When There's No Hope
There might be a few of you chronic poker players where there's not enough soap in the world to clean your poker set. It is at that point where buying a brand new poker chip set would be more beneficial then trying to clean up your old dirty set with missing chips.
