https://www.reddit.com/r/pkmntcgcollections/comments/1dhixgr/polishing_cleaning/
This being card altering is a pretty controversial opinion there. Most just want to know how to do it themselves. I fear this is going to start becoming far more common of a practice.
Unfortunately as its a sub for collectors and information for collections, there is no reason to remove the post despite it being very controversial. The information has been out there and it seems that besides many people asking for videos of it, most people are understanding that its a personal choice but it shouldnt be altered for selling.
Generally the sub is a chill place for collectors with minimal drama and sometimes some great collections shared.
I agree. The cat is out of the bag about this and people will find out eventually. I think it’s important to educate people that it is considered altering the card, akin to coloring in whitening edges with a marker. It’s also more important PSA and other grading services figure out how to consistently detect this kind of thing, as I think that will be the only incentive or deterrent to stop people from doing this kind of thing.
This is the only way to change anything. It should be a top priority for them and for anyone who cards about this type of alteration. As soon as one company figures out how to do it, they will all have to adapt
Well using grit polish removes surface off the card doesnt it? Im assuming that would be fairly easy to detect upon close inspection of the foil
One would think. One day I may do my own experiments to see if it’s detectable
PSA etc graders could use the very scientific “sniff test”
The polish smells very strong and really stands out.
I think it also stays on the cards for a long time as I recently bought a graded card and cracked it for my binder, could tell instantly it was cleaned.
Wipe with bleach afterwards to eliminate traces of polish!
In Italy it’s been spreading like a plague, almost every card graded in the last year with a fancy 9/9.5 surface from BGS has been cleaned.
Vinted/ebay/mkm are full of cleaned cards, played backs with perfect holos, they don’t even try to hide it, made me completely lose interest in italian vintage cards tbh.
The smell does?? lol that’s wild
This really bothers me and makes me shy away from newer certs.
Non-holo trophy cards to the moon! 
Lol I can’t remember the last time a Pokemon “grail” was non Holo?
Pop 5???
Am I invisible to you?! 
Lol well those are older than pop 5
But yeah to a simple English set card guy those are not things in my mind very often
*Edit I was talking about pop series 5 cards being Grails and non Holo
Not cards that are population 5
Unikarp, Tropical Wind(s), Bilingual Exeggutor, Snap Cards, Art Academies, Scramble Promos, Zorua / Zoroark / Pichu / Arceus Illustration Contest Promos, etc. etc. etc.
Use little words I only speak English set card
Felt hat pikachu qualifies… sorta
Really? I know some of the European people are cleaning and removing indents. They seem to grade with BGS a lot, I have started shying away from BGS slabs. If I can’t visibly tell it’s been cleaned I guess it is what it is. But it’s a gray area if you do know it’s been altered. I know lots of people wouldn’t want a cleaned card in their PC.