Waterproofing Techniques

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Waterproofing Containers

At some point, most geocachers have opened a cache and found 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.

Waterproofing Documents

• Labels, stash notes, and other documents can be laminated. If you don't have a laminating machine, most copy shops will laminate documents for a modest charge.
• Various waterproofing/sealing products (e.g., Mod Podge) can help seal decals or labels that you have printed on a home computer. You can find them in most craft stores.
• Waterproof paper can be used to print stash notes, log sheets, and other documents.