Card Reader card machines are designed to extract and decipher your account information contained in the magnetic stripe on your card. The mag stripe reader can become too dirty to accurately read the information, resulting in lost time from having to key the information in by hand. Plus, each card that must be keyed into the system costs the business more to process. To keep sales up and costs down, it is imperative to keep the mag strip reader on a credit card machine clean. Here’s how.
How to clean a card reader?
The cleaning and maintenance of a credit card reader are recommended by the equipment manufacturer to keep the reader in good working order and to prolong the life of the device if done properly and regularly. Your credit card readers come in all shapes and sizes, but they typically have the same type of unit inside the swipe area that has a magnetic head in the care pathway. You can use a Yousite Cleaning Card to swipe the card reader a few times. If your device integrates a smart card reader, you can insert the Cleaning Card into the slot a few times. Wait one minute to let the IPA dry, then your card reader is ready to work.
Supplies & Materials Needed
Here is a complete list of all the supplies and materials you’ll need to clean your Card Reader:
- Card reader cleaning card;
- Alcohol-based cleaning wipes or cleaners;
Credit Card Reader Cleaning Steps
How to clean a credit card reader
step 1.
Obtain a cloth free of lint and oil. Making sure that you are using the right cleaning medium is a must for getting the best results. The best cleaning medium to use is a chamois cloth or dollar bill or a premade cleaning card.
step 2.
Wrap the cleaning cloth around a credit card. Remove a credit or debit card from your wallet, and wrap the chamois cloth or dollar bill around the card so that it completely covers the front and rear surface of the card with a single layer of cloth.
step 3.
Swipe the card back and forth gently through the reader. Simply slide the card back and forth through the mag reader slot several times as though you were processing a credit sale. Do not push more vigorously or too quickly, or you might damage the reader.
step 4.
Attempt to run a sale transaction. See if the reader will now recognize the information on the back of your card. If not, repeat the process, except add a very small amount of isopropyl alcohol to the cloth. The reader may be dirtier than you think.
step 5.
Get a replacement. If this technique fails, the odds are you have a defective unit that must be replaced. Contact your merchant account provider for a new unit.
what to clean?
CR80 cleaning card is a common cleaning product in the industry.
cr80 cleaning card
The cleaning card can not only be widely used in various types of card printers and card inlets of pose machines, but also can be used in the hotel door system.
Cleaning of IC card refueling machines, automatic ticket machines, etc., have a wide range of uses, and this kind of cleaning card is simple and easy to use, easy to operate, high cleaning effect, and can effectively remove the magnetic stripe of the machine equipment card reader The dust on the surface is dirty, reducing the frequency of equipment failure and prolonging the service life of the machine.
How to use: Tear open the notch of the packaging bag, take out the cleaning card, insert it into the slot of the card reader, and then enter the automatic cleaning state;
Application range: all card readers, card printers, ATM/POS terminals, key card readers, etc.;
Why Clean?
Cleaning your Card Reader is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your printer from damage – it removes dirt, dust, and debris that could harm the sensitive electronics and moving parts within the printer. Cleaning your point-of-sale and self-checkout hardware regularly can help protect your employees and customers from contracting contagious diseases and keep them from spreading these diseases to their loved ones when they leave the store. And it can save you money since printer repairs can be costly and take time.
- Protect your customers from any possible infections;
- Protect and improve your business image, as no one wants to touch dirty card readers;
- No one wants to touch dirty card readers.
- Keep your employees healthy and less likely to take days off;
- Provide your customers with a safe shopping experience;
- Extend the lifespan of your POS equipment;
- Prevent cross-contamination among all of your customer-facing terminals and other shared physical touchpoints between your employees and your customers;
- Contribute to the fight against COVID-19;
- Increase the performance of your POS equipment, especially when debris and grease slower or impact its use;