Pokejem / Guide: cleaning vs restoration vs repair
◆ Guide · Which service?
Cleaning, restoration or repair: which does your card need?
Three words that get used for the same thing, but fix different problems. Here is a plain guide, with what we can do for each.
◆ Side by side
What each one fixes
| Type | Fixes | Our service | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning | Fingerprints, oils, dust, sticker and sleeve residue, surface haze | Card cleaning | From 2 days |
| Restoration | Light holo scratches, scuffs, corner and surface dents, pressure marks | Scratch & dent removal | From 4 days |
| Repair | Lifted edges and corners | Lifted edge repair | From 3 days |
| Repair | Soft and hard creases, bent and warped cards | Crease & bend repair | From 7 days |
| All of the above | A card with several kinds of damage | Full condition pass | By arrangement |
Why it matters: some services only clean and polish, and turn away creases, bends and lifted edges. We do all three, so one assessment covers the whole card.
◆ How to tell
Which one is yours?
It wipes off or looks cloudy
Smudges, fingerprints, marks from an old sleeve or a hazy holo: that is a cleaning job.
It catches the light
Fine lines on the holo or a small dip in the surface when you tilt the card: that is restoration.
The card is not flat or a layer is coming away
A fold line, a bend, a warped card or an edge where the top layer is lifting: that is repair.
◆ Examples
One of each, before and after
◆ FAQ
Common questions
What is the difference between card cleaning and restoration?
Cleaning removes things sitting on the card, like oils, dust and residue. Restoration works on the surface itself, such as scratches and dents. Repair fixes structure: creases, bends and lifted edges.
Which service does my card need?
Send photos on Telegram or by email. We assess the card for free and tell you exactly which work it needs, if any.
Do you do all three on one card?
Yes. A card that needs several kinds of work gets one plan and one quote. See prices and turnaround.
◆ Free assessment
Tell us about your card
Send a photo of the front, the back and the damage, plus a sentence about what happened. We reply with an honest opinion and a quote. Cards are dropped off and collected in person in Singapore, by appointment.