Best cleaning without ultrasonic (1 Viewer)

[saleen121212]

So there's a ton of different threads in this section but does anyone know the best method of cleaning 500 casino used Paulson's without the 200 dollar ultrasonic cleaner? Is dawn dish soap and water ok to use with a tooth brush? Can they soak in the soap water? What are the dos and don'ts of cleaning these bad boys?

 

[Shaggy]

Prior to using the ultrasonic, my preference was Oxi-Clean and a dish scrub brush. Oxi was an issue for ASM/CPC chips, but fine on Paulsons. It seemed to be less work than using Dawn. I would soak approx 20 at a time for about a minute in warm water Oxi mix. I'd take them out one at a time and scrub. I'd then throw the clean chip into a cool clean water bath. When all 20 were done, I'd take them out and towel them off and lay them out to dry in prep for oiling.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

Biggest advice whatever method you decide to use... try it on a small sample of chips first. It'll save you time and chips in the long run.

Personally I place 10-20 chips in warm water with a bit of dawn then cleaned with some sort of pan scrubber (bristles). When I'm halfway done I put another 10-20 chips in another bowl to get them "soaking" while I finish the first batch and repeat. This works best for the "casino gunk"... for a more precise and exact cleaning I've used soapy water and a magic eraser - see results below.

 

[upNdown]

If you’re cleaning chips with hot stamps, you need to be careful with the scrubbing, so a toothbrush could make sense. But if they’re regular old inlayed paulsons, for the love of god, get yourself a bigger brush like this dish scrubber.

 

[saleen121212]

Biggest advice whatever method you decide to use... try it on a small sample of chips first. It'll save you time and chips in the long run.

Personally I place 10-20 chips in warm water with a bit of dawn then cleaned with some sort of pan scrubber (bristles). When I'm halfway done I put another 10-20 chips in another bowl to get them "soaking" while I finish the first batch and repeat. This works best for the "casino gunk"... for a more precise and exact cleaning I've used soapy water and a magic eraser - see results below.

These look great!

 

[saleen121212]

If you’re cleaning chips with hot stamps, you need to be careful with the scrubbing, so a toothbrush could make sense. But if they’re regular old inlayed paulsons, for the love of god, get yourself a bigger brush like this dish scrubber.
View attachment 204822

Good call. Cleaning horseshoe Clevelands.

One more question, my dawn/dish soap is scented will that leave a scent or hurt anything? I guess I should probably try a few as suggested above...

 

[EGLIDE73]

An electric toothbrush works great...just be careful with hot stamps, keep your thumb on the stamp.

 

[BGinGA]

Prior to using the ultrasonic, my preference was Oxi-Clean and a dish scrub brush. Oxi was an issue for ASM/CPC chips, but fine on Paulsons. It seemed to be less work than using Dawn. I would soak approx 20 at a time for about a minute in warm water Oxi mix. I'd take them out one at a time and scrub. I'd then throw the clean chip into a cool clean water bath. When all 20 were done, I'd take them out and towel them off and lay them out to dry in prep for oiling.

^^ This is/was exactly my cleaning process for gunky Paulson chips (not for hot-stamps or ASM/CPC chips).

Key components are a) warm but not hot water, b) minimal soak times (especially shaped inlays), c) gently stir the chips while in solution, and d) clear water rinse to remove residual Oxi solution.

I thoroughly mix/disolve the Oxiclean powder in hot water and then let it cool before introducing chips. Overbleaching of chip colors can occur with excessive water temperatures or soak times, and some chips will soften and deform if the water is too hot.

Use a damp Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the really stubborn residue and to finish up the rolling edges. Rinse after this step, too.

 

[saleen121212]

^^ This is/was exactly my cleaning process for gunky Paulson chips (not for hot-stamps or ASM/CPC chips).

Key components are a) warm but not hot water, b) minimal soak times (especially shaped inlays), c) gently stir the chips while in solution, and d) clear water rinse to remove residual Oxi solution.

I thoroughly mix/disolve the Oxiclean powder in hot water and then let it cool before introducing chips. Overbleaching of chip colors can occur with excessive water temperatures or soak times, and some chips will soften and deform if the water is too hot.

Use a damp Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove the really stubborn residue and to finish up the rolling edges. Rinse after this step, too.

Great info here. Thanks everyone.

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

While this thread is going... any tips or no nos while cleaning Hotstamps? I get not brushing super hard on the actual hot stamp but anything more insightful would be helpful.

 

[saleen121212]

Just thought of one more thing. Oxy doesn't really kill germs right? Just gets rid of stains? I'm not even normally a germaphobe but something about dirty used casino chips covered in grime makes me uneasy lol.

 

[Denali]

I use this (see below) when not using an ultasonic. It is amazing stuff! a small dab on a tooth brush minimal scrub and rinse.

Sterlings

 

[moose]

While this thread is going... any tips or no nos while cleaning Hotstamps? I get not brushing super hard on the actual hot stamp but anything more insightful would be helpful.

TSP is the best (it's the main ingredient in Diamond Chip Cleaner) but word of warning - it will eat ASM/CPC/hotstamps. But for regular Paulson's it is magic. Use paint cleaning strength. A lifetime supply will cost you about $2.

 

[saleen121212]

TSP is the best (it's the main ingredient in Diamond Chip Cleaner) but word of warning - it will eat ASM/CPC/hotstamps. But for regular Paulson's it is magic. Use paint cleaning strength. A lifetime supply will cost you about $2.

Can you link the TSP you are referencing so I don't buy the wrong stuff?

 

[moose]

I was wrong. Price went up - it's $4 for a lifetime supply. 1 tblsp in 8 cups h20 should clean a couple hundred chips.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAVOGRAN-1-lb-Box-TSP-Phosphate-Free-Heavy-Duty-Cleaner-10611/202967451

 

[saleen121212]

I was wrong. Price went up - it's $4 for a lifetime supply. 1 tblsp in 8 cups h20 should clean a couple hundred chips.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAVOGRAN-1-lb-Box-TSP-Phosphate-Free-Heavy-Duty-Cleaner-10611/202967451

Thank you!

 

[ReallyGoodUsername]

I was wrong. Price went up - it's $4 for a lifetime supply. 1 tblsp in 8 cups h20 should clean a couple hundred chips.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAVOGRAN-1-lb-Box-TSP-Phosphate-Free-Heavy-Duty-Cleaner-10611/202967451

I'm too lazy to look back (sorry!) but I think I remember it being noted that TSP if left onto long can be damaging to chips? Am I crazy or is there some truth to that?

 

[moose]

1 tblsp is really weak. I've never used gloves and will dump 100+ chips in the bucket. I scrub 20-40 at a time and drop them in a sink of warm water. Then I collect those chips and lay them out to dry. So some chips can be in the tsp 30 min or more. I've never seen the colour bleaching that I've seen with people that use oxy clean. But I would always test a few first. You need to give the chips a good 3-5min of soak time. Swirl the chips in the bucket and the water will turn brown from all the gunk that floats off. The remainder of the dirt will turn so soft that a quick brush with a toothbrush and a swipe of a magic eraser should get the rest.

 

[saleen121212]

I was wrong. Price went up - it's $4 for a lifetime supply. 1 tblsp in 8 cups h20 should clean a couple hundred chips.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SAVOGRAN-1-lb-Box-TSP-Phosphate-Free-Heavy-Duty-Cleaner-10611/202967451

Damn, they only have regular TSP with phosphate now. Not sure what to get instead. Does it have to be phosphate free?

 

[Lemonzest]

how dirty are your chips? I use very warm water and dish soap. Then I scrub each chip with a kitchen scrubby for pots n pans. This works for most chips.

If they are super nasty then go the TSP route.

 

[saleen121212]

how dirty are your chips? I use very warm water and dish soap. Then I scrub each chip with a kitchen scrubby for pots n pans. This works for most chips.

If they are super nasty then go the TSP route.

They aren't super bad at all. I just want the rest of the grime off of them and more than anything to sanitize them so I dont feel like I might die if I touch a chip and then eat something (I know I should wash my hands anyway) but when your drinking/playing cards sometimes people want a quick snack.

 

[saleen121212]

Also how do you use the big brush? One chip at a time or do you lay them out and brush multiples somehow?

 

[Lemonzest]

They aren't super bad at all. I just want the rest of the grime off of them and more than anything to sanitize them so I dont feel like I might die if I touch a chip and then eat something (I know I should wash my hands anyway) but when your drinking/playing cards sometimes people want a quick snack.

Just use very warm water and dish soap and scrub them down. Let them sit in the water with the soap for about 30 seconds or 1 minute and then give each one a light scrub and lay it on a towel to dry.

You might be surprised how clean the chips get. It takes time but its not hard.

 

[saleen121212]

Just use very warm water and dish soap and scrub them down. Let them sit in the water with the soap for about 30 seconds or 1 minute and then give each one a light scrub and lay it on a towel to dry.

You might be surprised how clean the chips get. It takes time but its not hard.

Cool, I will try this first on a few tonight and see how they turn out before doing a whole batch. Thanks for tips!

 

[Lemonzest]

Cool, I will try this first on a few tonight and see how they turn out before doing a whole batch. Thanks for tips!

Just to clarify. Usually I fill a bowl with warm but not quite hot water and put some dish soap in. Then I put the whole rack of chips in the bowl. I usually let them sit for about 30 sec and then start taking them out and scrubbing them 1 by 1.

If you get to a stubborn one you can't get clean toss it back in the water to marinate longer. It is good to put the whole rack in the bowl because then they sit in there the whole time you are cleaning and all the gunk gets nice and loose. I have cleaned filthy chips with this method and it still works it is just time consuming.

TSP or ultrasonic or surely easier but I don't have that stuff handy so I just started doing it this way. More elbow grease but its not that bad if you are only cleaning 100-200 chips. Honestly I like doing this its fun.

 

[AWenger]

1 tblsp is really weak. I've never used gloves and will dump 100+ chips in the bucket. I scrub 20-40 at a time and drop them in a sink of warm water. Then I collect those chips and lay them out to dry. So some chips can be in the tsp 30 min or more. I've never seen the colour bleaching that I've seen with people that use oxy clean. But I would always test a few first. You need to give the chips a good 3-5min of soak time. Swirl the chips in the bucket and the water will turn brown from all the gunk that floats off. The remainder of the dirt will turn so soft that a quick brush with a toothbrush and a swipe of a magic eraser should get the rest.

I'll second this post. Really dirty chips may need a longer soak and/or hotter water and/or more TSP, but test out a chip or 2, to try and ensure the longer soak won't get water under inlays or damage hotstamps. And even water under inlays can evaporate over time, especially by putting the chips in front of a fan or blow dryer.

Damn, they only have regular TSP with phosphate now. Not sure what to get instead. Does it have to be phosphate free?

No. Either will work just as well to clean chips. (IIRC, I think the phosphate free is just more eco-friendly, reducing phosphate runoff from sewer discharge into rivers, bodies of water, etc.). The TSP cleaner is great on removing casino 'gunk' - it sort of 'melts' away.

I've cleaned thousands of chips with TSP solution, by hand & toothbrush (with bristles cut shorter). I later got an ultrasonic and have cleaned thousands more. One tip for the hand cleaning method, like moose, I'd do around 40 chips at a time in the cleaning solution, then I'd remove the chips by the barrel, place the still wet chips in a rack to align the edges of 20 chips in a barrel, and that way I can brush the sides of 20 chips at a time. Then I laid the chips individually out on a towel to brush the front, flip, then brush the back.

For a hotstamp chip that needs a good scrubbing, I read this tip on PCF somewhere, and cover up the hotstamp with your thumb (optionally wear a kitchen rubber glove on one hand, The glove just protects the skin of your thumb from the bristles and the TSP solution.), and brush around it. That way you can still brush hard to clear dirt out of the mold impressions on the edge of the chip, but limit damage to the hotstamp foil.

 

[saleen121212]

I'll second this post. Really dirty chips may need a longer soak and/or hotter water and/or more TSP, but test out a chip or 2, to try and ensure the longer soak won't get water under inlays or damage hotstamps. And even water under inlays can evaporate over time, especially by putting the chips in front of a fan or blow dryer.


No. Either will work just as well to clean chips. (IIRC, I think the phosphate free is just more eco-friendly, reducing phosphate runoff from sewer discharge into rivers, bodies of water, etc.). The TSP cleaner is great on removing casino 'gunk' - it sort of 'melts' away.

I've cleaned thousands of chips with TSP solution, by hand & toothbrush (with bristles cut shorter). I later got an ultrasonic and have cleaned thousands more. One tip for the hand cleaning method, like moose, I'd do around 40 chips at a time in the cleaning solution, then I'd remove the chips by the barrel, place the still wet chips in a rack to align the edges of 20 chips in a barrel, and that way I can brush the sides of 20 chips at a time. Then I laid the chips individually out on a towel to brush the front, flip, then brush the back.

For a hotstamp chip that needs a good scrubbing, I read this tip on PCF somewhere, and cover up the hotstamp with your thumb (optionally wear a kitchen rubber glove on one hand, The glove just protects the skin of your thumb from the bristles and the TSP solution.), and brush around it. That way you can still brush hard to clear dirt out of the mold impressions on the edge of the chip, but limit damage to the hotstamp foil.

More great tips here. I will be trying this tonight. One more question.... how long does it typically take for the chips to dry? Would over night be sufficient if I want to play tomorrow?

 

[AWenger]

More great tips here. I will be trying this tonight. One more question.... how long does it typically take for the chips to dry? Would over night be sufficient if I want to play tomorrow?

After a good rinse in clean water, drain in one down, and laying chips out on an dry absorbent towel, then pat any excess water away, chips should dry within a few hours, overnight is good, may need to flip the chips if the towel becomes moist. With a fan on the chips, it might only take 10-15 minutes on each side for the chips to dry.

 

[moose]

Damn, they only have regular TSP with phosphate now. Not sure what to get instead. Does it have to be phosphate free?

I use the phosphate version. That would be safer anyways because I have never tested the phosphate free version. If the chips are used and dirty at all I would use TSP. It simply will be less scrubbing than any other method besides ultrasonic.

1 tblsp in 8 cups is sufficiently weak (safe) but effective. I wouldn't go any stronger.

I put a cloth down and drop a chip on it. It will have sufficient grip to keep the chip in place. A quick swipe with a toothbrush, flip, quick swipe, rinse and then a quick swipe each side and on the rolling edge with a magic eraser and drop in a bucket of clean water. Between chips I drop my toothbrush in a cup of water with 1-2 drops of dish soap in it.

If the chips aren't really dirty you could go straight to the magic eraser but I usually use the toothbrush first just to keep the magic eraser from getting too grungy.

 

[moose]

More great tips here. I will be trying this tonight. One more question.... how long does it typically take for the chips to dry? Would over night be sufficient if I want to play tomorrow?

after you have done 20-40 chips lay them out on a towel. If you cover half the towel you can flip the towel over the top of the chips and dry off both sides at once. 15 min of air dry should be enough.

If you oil your chips they should sit overnight so they absorb any excess oil but I wipe the chips off pretty thoroughly after oiling.