Washing a bank card is much easier than it seems - just forget it in the pocket of your trousers or jacket. Those who, through negligence, have already made such a mistake, are always interested in the further fate of the “plastic” - whether it will be possible to withdraw money from an ATM and pay through the terminal, or will I have to order a new credit card. The answer to this question depends on the type of card and the method of washing.
How does washing affect tape performance?
The magnetic stripe - a dark brown or black track located on the back of the card - is not too susceptible to moisture. The fact is that on top it is covered with a special film that protects the surface from raindrops, snowflakes, wet hands and other factors associated with the ingress of water. However, the thickness of this film and its strength in most cases leave much to be desired. A lot of scratches appear on it, if the owner often uses the card to pay for services through the terminals or is not economical:
- carries a credit card in his pocket with keys and coins;
- has the habit of turning it in her hands;
- uses bank plastic for other purposes.
It is the scratches that make the magnetic tape vulnerable: water molecules easily penetrate through them and cause destruction. With prolonged contact with moisture, mold invisible to the eye appears inside; after this, the card becomes unusable, since no device can read information from it.
However, water is not the only and not the biggest enemy of bank cards. If it comes to washing, then you should pay attention to the temperature of the water in the basin or machine.
- If in the used mode there is heating to 30–40 ° C, then there is nothing to worry about - under the influence of such heat, the card is in the summer in natural conditions.
- But 60–90 ° C can cause damage to the magnetic tape.
Another danger awaiting the card during washing is spin. Rollers or a centrifuge that rotate at high speed can not only violate the integrity of the magnetic tape, but also break the credit card itself.
The conclusion from all that has been said is this: if you washed a new card at a low temperature and managed to get it out before automatic spinning worked, then most likely it will remain in working condition. But a well-worn “plastic”, which survived washing at 90 ° C, with a high degree of probability will be inoperative.
The effect of water and detergent on the integrated chip
The chip is a technically sophisticated device, so it becomes unusable much faster than magnetic tape.
Firstly, it is made of metal susceptible to corrosion, therefore, under the influence of water with an admixture of washing powder, its contacts oxidize and cease to fulfill their functions. Even worse, if chemical bleaches or stain removers were used: they are much more aggressive than conventional powders and gels.
And secondly, the chip is very fragile - under the influence of the “paw” the microcircuit breaks, after which it will not be possible to use the card in ATMs and terminals. The spin cycle is most dangerous for cards with a chip - even with a low number of revolutions, credit cards fail.
Other risks
Each bank card contains additional information:
- F. I. O. of the owner;
- card number;
- month and year in which the validity period expires;
- CVV or CVC code of three digits.
In most cases, these data (except for three-digit codes) are stamped and additionally printed with metallic paint. However, on some credit cards, the embossing is not too deep, and the dye is easily washed out. For example, if you wash an old Mastercard card from Sberbank in a typewriter, reading what is written on it will be extremely difficult. As for the three-digit code, it is most often printed on a paper base, which quickly soaks, and ink disappears immediately under the influence of detergents.
The lack of text data on the front side is fraught with the fact that the cashier in the bank may refuse to service. And if the owner does not remember the CVV / CVC code, then he will not even be able to make an online transfer of money from the damaged card to any other, so that later they can use them in the usual way.
We reanimate a bank card after washing
The card that survived the wash should not be thrown away right away - it is likely that it will still work. And in order to increase her chances of "survival", the following steps should be taken:
- Regardless of which credit card you have washed - with or without a chip - immediately after removing from the washing machine or from a basin with water, you need to remove any powder, gel and carbonates contained in tap water from it. To do this, “plastic” is immersed for several seconds in a glass with alcohol or pure vodka. Among other things, alcohol also evaporates quickly, so it can protect the microchip from oxidation. If there is no vodka or alcohol, you can rinse the card with distilled or drinking bottled water.
- Then the credit card is soaked with paper towels and left to dry in the air away from heating appliances. Putting it on something hot or trying to remove residual moisture with a hairdryer is prohibited.
After about a day, you can check the card’s performance by using it in a terminal or ATM. If the device cannot read the information from the magnetic tape and the chip, you will have to write a statement and wait until the bank reissues the card.
In order not to get into unpleasant situations associated with getting wet bank cards, always check the pockets of jackets, jackets, shirts and trousers before washing. And if the credit card is still in the drum of the machine, try to remove it from there as quickly as possible.
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