I washed my bank card in the washing machine – what should I do?

Many people have experienced the situation where, in a rush, they forgot to check the pockets of clothes before washing, throwing everything in the washing machine. This can lead to phones, money, flash drives, passports, bank cards, and much more ending up in the drum. Some items can be permanently lost after such a shake-up, while others can still be given a "second life." Today, we'll answer the question of what to do if a bank card was washed in the washing machine.

What happens after washing?

How many times have we convinced ourselves to turn out all our pockets before washing anything, but laziness takes over, and we simply forget. And as practice shows, this is in vain. After all, the price for this could be a washed-out passport or bank card, as in our case.

Bank cards are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or more simply, plastic, which is resistant to moisture, temperature, and chemicals. All information about the cardholder and their account is recorded on a magnetic strip or chip located on the card. Most new cards have a magnetic strip.

After washing a plastic card with a magnetic strip in an automatic washing machine, in 70% of cases nothing serious happens. It continues to work as before. However, this only applies if the card was washed at a low temperature. If the card was in a pocket, this may also save it. However, locks, buttons, and other items on clothing that can scratch the magnetic strip can damage the card. A magnet can also ruin the card, but fortunately, there aren't any in the washing machine.

Important! Cards with a chip often fail after being washed in a washing machine.

If you accidentally washed your card in the washing machine, don't panic. First, take a dry cloth and wipe it down. Let it sit for a bit to dry completely. Inspect the card for damage and to make sure the numbers haven't faded. If everything looks good, you can check the card's functionality at the nearest ATM. Work with the card several times to make sure it works properly, because the card may work intermittently, and this is already bad.

If you washed a Troika card used to pay for Moscow public transportation, not a bank card, it might still be fine. It all depends on the washing cycle. If you noticed the card at the very beginning of the wash cycle, you can remove it. We described how to do this in the article. How to open a washing machine while washing?

What to do with a damaged card?

If your bank card isn't working or is functioning poorly, you'll need to replace it at the branch where you received it. A card with damaged magnetic stripe cannot be repaired and will be reissued.

To receive a new VTB Bank card early, you need to:

• Come to the bank with your passport and write an application for early reissue of the card, stating the reason for replacing the card;
• give the application to a bank employee;
• block the old card;
• Receive a new card in 5-10 business days.

Please note! To ensure the new card has new details (number and account number), you must indicate these separately in the application. Otherwise, the details will remain the same except for the PIN.

The procedure for obtaining a new card in other banks is essentially the same. However, the card issuance fee varies from bank to bank for different types of cards and ranges from $0.50 to $15. For example, replacing a standard VTB card will cost $1.50, while replacing a status card will cost $15. Replacing a credit card at Sberbank will be free.

Therefore, the fee for issuing a bank card due to damage can be quite significant, so be careful before washing your items in the washing machine. Otherwise, your carelessness will cost you money and time.

   

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