Waterproofing Techniques

---

We have all had the problem of opening a cache and finding a mass of wet paper, leaves, and mud inside. Here are some ways to make sure your own cache doesn't become one of these waterlogged messes.

• Check the seals on containers before placing them. Here are a couple ways to do this:
  • Fill up a sink or bathtub, close the container with some tissue paper inside it, and weigh down the container so it is fully submerged. After a few hour, retrieve and open the container. There should be no water inside.
  • Place the container outside with some tissue paper inside it. Choose a location where it will be exposed to rain/sprinklers at least as much as the cache's intended location. After a few weeks, open the container. There should be no water inside.
• Use good containers. Cheap containers (e.g., semi-disposable storage containers) tend to leak more.
• Spread a thin layer of silicone caulk around the edge of the lid.
• Wrap some teflon tape around the threads (of a pill bottle, for example). This comes in rolls, about a dollar each. Three wraps should keep your cache dry.
• If it's an ammo can, check the gasket (on the inside of the lid, all around) before you buy it.
• A product called "Mod Podge", a waterproofing for paper products, can help seal decals or labels that have been printed off of a home computer. You can find it in most craft stores.