The care and keeping of your beloved credit cards - The Points Guy

Oct 17, 2024

When it comes to taking care of your credit card, the first things that come to mind are probably paying your bills on time, managing your budget and monitoring your credit score.

What you might not think about is taking care of your cards' physical condition. Should we wipe our cards with a microfiber towel? Supposedly. Does it sound a bit ridiculous? Slightly.

We're not likely to be that nit-picky with our cards, but we still want to show them some love for all the points and miles they earn us. Here's how you can take care of your cards without going overboard.

For a long time, metal credit cards were considered more of a status symbol than a convenience. American Express introduced the first metal credit card, the Centurion Card from American Express (also known as the Black card) in 1999. It was and still is an invite-only card; only elite users have it. It's so exclusive that Amex won't publicly release the card's requirements, except for the hefty initiation fee of $10,000 — once you've been invited.

Fast-forward more than 20 years, and lots of people are clanking down a metal card when the bill comes. From The Platinum Card® from American Express to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, there are so many to choose from that we have a whole post dedicated to which metal card is the strongest.

Whichever one you choose, the metal cards are more durable than your plastic cards, which can peel and split.

The information for the Centurion Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Use a mobile wallet to spare your cards with all the scratches from swiping and inserting your chip. This will keep your card looking pristine and alleviate the annoyance of pulling your card out of those tough-to-grab slots in your wallet.

Most banks have their own mobile wallet tied to their apps, but you can also opt for Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, which can be set up on your phone without downloading any other apps.

Related: Does using a mobile wallet affect my rewards?

Tap to pay is similar to using a mobile wallet but requires you to use your physical card. You can tell if your card is contactless if it has the Wi-Fi symbol on the front or back. If a merchant accepts contactless payments, you can tap away.

You can tell if a store is ready for tap-to-pay if the card reader has the Wi-Fi symbol on it or a sign indicating that it's an accepted form of payment. You can also use the tap-to-pay feature with mobile wallets.

Plain and simple — have a good, clean and secure wallet to store your cards in. If your wallet is tattered and falling apart, with things constantly falling out of it, then it's time to invest in a new one.

Yes, credit cards are replaceable, but you can easily avoid losing your credit card in the first place.

If you have several credit cards, it's possible you may not carry them all; after all, some of us at TPG have more than 15 credit cards, and it would be difficult to carry them all. If there are cards you aren't using regularly, ensure you've stashed them safely away from heat, potential water damage, kids and even pets. The last thing we want is for our cards to be melted if left in the car or chewed up by our furry friends.

If this post is too little, too late, and your credit cards are already peeling, splitting and unreadable, then you should probably call the number on the back of your cards (if you can still read them) and order replacements ASAP. Once you get your pretty new cards, treat them a little nicer this time. After all, they fund your vacations…but we're still not sold on cleaning them with a microfiber towel.

Related: The best rewards cards