Keeping Tarot Edges Clean

Before I perform a reading, I almost always wash my hands, but I dunno why, the edges of a deck I use about three times a month still gets sullied? Like there are smudges in it, and since the edges (and the borders too) are white, they become pretty noticeable when the cards are stacked.

How do you avoid this? Do you use a special hand lotion or something?

And how do you clean your deck edges? I used bar erasers but they're less than ideal, and little shavings get stuck in between the cards, which I proceed to clean piece by piece. Is there an eraser brand you'd swear to? Other edge cleaning techniques?

I hope I don't sound OC though.

Wow...can't imagine why you want to clean the edges of your decks. I've used a RWS deck for over 40 years it's dirty, bashed about and I love it...in fact I hate New decks and I won't let them loose on the public until they have been broken in.

Few of my decks are white. I prefer gilded edges. It solves that problem
However, as mentioned above, I'm not wild about keeping decks pristine. Those that I care about being kept pristine I don't use as often.

I'm going to take this into a slightly different direction by embracing the entropy... How about stamping/coloring the edges a dark color?

I don't pay any attention to the card edges. I'm fussy about the faces and backs being marred in any way, though. That's the main reason I wash (or at least wipe) my hands before handling the cards.

I love well used decks, but I have a Greenwood which has very grubby edges and I know the previous owner used it a LOT when reading for clients. In theory I like it but it does secretly disgust me a little - nice and well-handled and loved and all that, but it's really dirty and full of filthy microbes. LOL

If there were a way to clean the edges, I'd love to know. I doubt there is, but I'm paying attention to this thread just in case...

Cheap mass produced revolting white bread. The kind that comes in a plastic bag and is all squishy. Roll it into little balls and roll it (HARD) along the sides of your deck.

You have nothing to lose, and it often works with all sorts of dirty things (notably books !)

Incredibly it TOTALLY doesn't work with decent bread !

Not that I get excited about dirty edges - but since you asked....

Maybe hold the deck as a "brick" and wipe the edges lightly with rubbing alcohol on one of those soft cosmetic pads, then quickly wipe it with a dry pad? If the deck has a coating, the alcohol should dry quickly enough to not soak in. Might want to try it on cheap playing cards first.

I wouldn't use ANYTHING liquid.

The other idea is very fine-grained sandpaper, also applied to a "brick" of cards, but then you might have "fuzzy" edges. I would think erasers would deposit more rubber rather than taking anything off, especially if the edge deposits are at all greasy. I suppose darkening the edges with some kind of ink (also a liquid) is your best bet, as long as you can keep it off the borders and face of the cards.