You’ve hidden your first geocache and you’re thinking to yourself, now what? One of the most important parts of owning your own geocache is properly maintaining it. To help keep your geocache alive and well after publication here are six tips and tricks to best maintain your geocache. 

1. Check the logs regularly

As a cache owner, you will receive email notifications for each log on your geocache. You should read every log to keep up with any updates about the area or the cache. Geocachers often include information about their journey to find the cache and will sometimes mention if anything about the cache should be updated or changed.

2. Keep the cache page up to date

Your cache may change over time, so keep your cache page updated with any new information by editing your cache page. You are able to edit any images on the page, update the coordinates, or update the hint. Having updated information on your cache page is very important to keep people informed about the cache and the area surrounding your cache. Keep in mind this is for small updates only. You will need to contact your reviewer if you are planning on making any big changes to your cache.

3. Physically check on the cache

One of the most common ways to perform maintenance on your cache is to check on the cache yourself. By visiting the posted coordinates, you will know if the cache container is damaged and needs to be replaced or if it is muggled. A good cache owner will have backup containers when visiting the cache in case they need to replace it. If you need to replace the container, temporarily disable the cache in your admin tools to let the community know that it is not currently available. Once everything has been updated, you can enable your cache again!

4. Replace the logbook and contents if they are wet

As a cache owner, it is best practice to carry extra logbooks with you for replacement. Since geocaches are not spared from the elements, most cache containers have the ability to get wet and waterlogged. It is best to replace the log every couple of months, especially if the container is hidden in an environment with rainy or humid conditions. In addition to replacing the log, you should also check the contents of the container, including the Stuff We All Get (SWAG). 

5. Check trackable inventory

Apart from the logbook and the SWAG in your cache, there might also be trackables. Another form of maintenance you must perform on your cache is checking the trackable inventory. Sometimes, the listed location of the trackable no longer reflects its accurate location. If you notice that a trackable is listed in your cache on the website but is not physically in the cache container you should mark the trackable as missing.

6. Clean up the area

Lastly, when you are performing maintenance on your cache container, you should always clean up the area that your cache is in as well. As geocachers, we always want to take care of the environment and maintain quality areas for others to discover. Cache In Trash Out (CITO) is a mantra to keep in mind while caching but also when taking care of your cache. The geocaching experience is always better when you do not need to search through garbage to find the cache. 

With all of these tips, you will be better prepared to maintain your geocache for years to come. You can learn even more by checking out Ownership after publication in our Help Center for more information. 

Source: Geocaching