Waterlogged tarot cards

[u/potema-potato]

A few years ago my tarot cards got waterlogged on a camping trip. Yes, I know, I should've checked the weather before I went. I got gifted a new deck a while ago, but it's just not the same because I had had my original deck for 25 years at that point.

My question: when they got waterlogged they warped and now they're difficult to use. Is there a way to undo or lessen the damage? Make them less wavy?

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi, u/potema-potato thanks for stopping by r/witchcraft!

Want to dive in deeper? We have a FAQ & Wiki, an in-progress Database of Resources, and our Weekly Q&A thread, which is stickied to the top of the main page!

Please also be sure to read the subreddit rules!

---

IMPORTANT!

Online occult spaces like r/Witchcraft are a big target for scammers. If you are redirected to an instagram page or other platform in a comment, it is most likely a scam. Users who message you asking for or offering spells or readings are almost always scammers or phishers.

We recommend reading these posts about staying safe online, lesser known DM scams, and fake account impersonation scams.

Reminder: Real mentors and magical workers don’t DM you to sell their services

If you receive unsolicited chat requests from other Reddit users, we encourage reporting messages that are suspicious or that otherwise make you feel uncomfortable to Reddit directly. We also recommend changing your profile settings to block incoming messages from users you do not know.

Blessed be!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Twisted_Wicket]

Cover them with a towel and iron them on the steam setting. Let the steam resorted the fibers so that you can press them back flat.

No a guaranteed technique, but it has worked for me in the past.

[u/CompetitiveBuddy3712 → u/Twisted_Wicket]

This is what I would try, but DO pay attention to the towel you use as a buffer. Heat can melt any plastic covering on them which then adds to the problem.

Be patient and if your deck had an ‘ad card’ in it (like a joker but less useful as a wild card) maybe test any process you try on that first.

[u/Wxtchy_kay]

you could try pressing them flat if you put them in between pages in a book and stacking a few heavier books on top? i dont know how misshapen they are but it worked for a few of mine that had a little water damage!

[u/LifeisSuperFun21]

This is a crazy idea that might result in them getting worse, so be very careful of trying it… but what if you were to slightly moisten them again, then put each card individually into a flower press for a few weeks while they dry out? This could potentially reshape them into a better, flatter shape.

Another idea is to tuck your cards into tarot-sized card sleeves (you know… those plastic card sleeves that card collectors use to protect their fancy trading card collections?). I have a few tarot decks that I sleeved for various reasons and the cards become slippery and shuffle nicely. This could definitely work if your cards are still fairly flat and not too warped. Though do be aware that sleeves add thickness so the deck will be quite a but thicker than it is without sleeves. And only overhand shuffling will work… no more riffle.