Bad Items In Geocaches

[+Mary&Dave]

Recently I've stumbled across a few caches that had items in them that really should not have been there. One had a bottle of perfume in it. Another had soaked through and many of the contents not in plastic bags (while they were probably fine last summer) were wet , ruined, and some were even growing mold.

 

I wasn't sure if I should try to clean these up (which means throwing away some of the things inside) or just leave a note for the owner that the cache needed a visit. These particular caches were in a place that wasn't that easy to access (up a long winding road and a few miles out on a trail), so they probably don't get visits all that often.

 

Please note, I'm not talking about trade items that I think are junk (there's another thread on that). I can certainly understand that one man's trash is another's treasure. I'm talking about things like scented items that shouldn't have been put there in the first place or a moldy stuffed animal that *nobody* would want.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks,

Mary

Edited December 1, 2005 by Mary&Dave

[+Sputnik 57]

Trash, food, weapons, or other inappropriate items should be removed. You can note it in your log or e-mail the owner, but I would pull them.

 

If the log book is ruined, and you happen to have a spare (I usually carry one in a ziplock bag when I cache), feel free to drop in the new log book, but *don't* take out the old one. The owner may want to try to salvage it, and it is an essential part of the cache.

 

Just my $.02.

[+NoLemon]

A cache should never have a scented item in it. This includes anything edible, any thing that smells like something edible, candles, bubbles, perfume, lotions, etc. The scent can attract unwanted visitors (bugs and critters).

 

In the case of you finding a cache that has such items in it, you should "trash out" the inappropriate items and mention it in your on-line log. Leaving the items and just mentioning it the logs is not the best solution as it may be a while before the cache hider can get there to do maintenance.

[+4leafclover]

I agree with "cleaning" the cache out. not only does it make the find a little more "presentable" for the next finder, it also may keep the other items in the cache form getting ruined due to contact.

[+StarBrand]

As an owner of 60+ caches - I would appreciate any cacher that help tidy things up!

[+dougsmiley]

I'm quite new at this, in fact I havn't even done it yet. (and I won't until it's much warmer than it is now!), but I agree. Anything bad should be removed. This should be in the code of conduct/FAQ/etc. Anything that can harm someone or something is especially bad.

 

Something I will add to my future pack, disinfecting wipes. Not the skin kind, but the "anything" kind. They're designed for cars (they fit in a cupholder), but wold be great for wiping down a dirty/moldy/etc. cache. Also, some extra baggies (in case one is damaged), and a spare logbook as sputnik suggested.

[+yumitori]

The solution that (hopefully) causes the least angst is to trade out the inappropriate items and replace them with something else. We normally mention 'removing' the item and adding whatever we leave in its place rather than 'trading' for it. Hopefully that gets the message across without be too confrontational.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Definitely remove anything harmful or icky or seriously damaged. If you've got enough swag on you to restock the cache generously, doing so will make you a Colossus of Geocaching, striding across the landscape with your head in the misty aether miles above mere mortals. Otherwise...eh. Do what you can and mention the situation in the logs.

 

Lately, I only carry sig items, a couple of spare log books and some Ziploc baggies (yeah, you bet the genuine brand name item). I've run across a couple of very nice caches that could use a little restocking, though, and I'm thinking about going back to a slightly larger bag.

 

I ebb and flow.

[+Thrak]

On a recent caching trip I found one cache that was quite wet inside. I took out the destroyed items, dried the inside of the cache and the remaining items, added a new heavy duty ziplock bag for the stuff, and put the cache back. I noted my actions in the log. On the same trip I replaced another torn ziplock where the log was getting damp, added a small ziplock and a fresh log since the log was full (leaving the old log too), and added a pen to a cache where the pen had gone missing.

 

I noted all of the above in the logs and received nice emails from the cache owners thanking me for my effort. I would hope that folks would do the same if they found my caches in need of repair. (Yeah, I only have 2 out but I will have more eventually and I would still appreciate someone fixing them up or at least letting me know if they need help.)

 

Hmmmmm..... this reminds me that I need to replenish my supply of replacement ziplocks and spare log stuff in my cache bag!

[+kentuckygirls]

Recently we went to a cache that had some inappropriate items in it (in our opinion). We did not remove them but I wish we would have. The cache was in an area that had no parking and it was a quick grab on our part. I wish now that we had traded for the offensive items but instead we TNLNSL. This was someones first hide and they were still really new to the sport so we opted to send them an email instead explaining why the items needed to be removed. This person was new and we did not want to discourage him. We got no response for a while and another cacher found it that was offended by the items. Hind sight is 20-20 I guess but from now on we will trade out items that we don't feel appropriate and send an email.

Edited December 2, 2005 by kentuckygirls

[+Jester2112]

New Ziploc for Log

 

New Ziploc for swag

 

Removing illegal swag

 

Rebuilding a nasty/soggy cache

 

...to sum up....you betcha! Anything I can do to give back to this sport, is that much more to making it enjoyable for the rest! Good for you for wanting to do the right thing. Happy Caching!

[+Sparrowhawk]

My geocaching bag is well-stocked with logbooks, ziplocks, spare pens and other cache-rescuing supplies. On my Los Angeles trip last May, I ran into 3 caches in a row in sad shape which I rescued.

 

I tend to tidy up any cache I meet anyway... getting rid of evil junk such as AOL CDs, soggy things and food items.

[+Mary&Dave]

Thanks for the input! I will definitely add some rescue supplies to my backpack.

[+BlueDeuce]

Anything I take, whether it's because I wanted it or I wanted it removed, I'm going to make an even or better trade.

 

Therefore I don't need to justify taking things that are inappropriate.

 

However, you get down right nasty, I'll report it so it doesn't happen again. Okay?

 

Okay.

Edited December 2, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+badlands]

If you don't have anything with you to fix up the cache, is it better to make a note in the log so the next cacher can be prepared to lend a hand, or is it better to send an e-mail to the cache owner and not post a "needs maintenance" type note?

[+Miragee]

I make a note in my log because that is part of my cache "experience."

 

I don't think I've ever emailed a cache owner about maintenance issues, but that probably is a good idea if the person is still active and if the cache really needs help.

[+AuntieWeasel]

If you don't have anything with you to fix up the cache, is it better to make a note in the log so the next cacher can be prepared to lend a hand, or is it better to send an e-mail to the cache owner and not post a "needs maintenance" type note?

Even if I didn't have enough swag on me to make it all good, I'd still take anything absolutely rotten out. Like, seriously moldy or inappropriate and leaking.

 

That said, if I didn't have paper towels to wipe it out or fresh baggies or something, I'd make a note in the log that it needs same. Politely, of course.

 

The only time I contact the hider instead is if I can't explain the problem without spoiler information, which did happen to me not long ago.

[+reveritt]

If the cache is in poor condition, that information may be of interest to potential finders as well as the owner. I make a point of reading the recent log entries for every cache I consider going after. I have demurred on a few that sound like their pretty putrid.

[+Criminal]

Remove and dispose of:

• Trash

• Food

• Drinks

 

Remove and keep:

• Alcohol

• Firearms and/or ammunition

• Knives, if in an urban type cache

[+team moxiepup]

We recently came across a cache that had mercury thermometers in it being newbies, we were not sure how to handle this so we left them and emailed the owner of the cache and let them know that they should be disposed of properly. We also let them know if we were in the area again we would recheck the cache and remove the thermometers if they were still there and they hadn't been able to get to the cache to take care of it. We have not heard back from the owner and next time we are in the area we will check the cache and remove them if they are still there.

 

20/20 hindsight.... we should have done what we felt was right and removed them when we saw them

[+FlyfishermanMike]

I think this is the owner's responsibility. Drop him a note telling him there are bad items in their cache. If you have so many caches you can't maintain them then why do you have so many caches that you can't maintain them?? Obviously if there is something that's imediately dangerous remove it. But I want to find caches not maintain them for lazy cache owners.

 

^^ike

[+briansnat]

I think this is the owner's responsibility. Drop him a note telling him there are bad items in their cache. If you have so many caches you can't maintain them then why do you have so many caches that you can't maintain them?? Obviously if there is something that's imediately dangerous remove it. But I want to find caches not maintain them for lazy cache owners.

 

^^ike

I agree with this. It is the owner's responsibility and they should not be placing more caches than they are able to maintain. It could be argued that by taking care of other's caches we are acting as enablers, letting them get away with lazy maintenance practices.

 

That being said, I will fix up a cache if I can. But I do it more for the next person coming along than the owner.

[+Miragee]

I think this is the owner's responsibility.  Drop him a note telling him there are bad items in their cache.  If you have so many caches you can't maintain them then why do you have so many caches that you can't maintain them??  Obviously if there is something that's imediately dangerous remove it.  But I want to find caches not maintain them for lazy cache owners.

 

^^ike

I understand your comment, but the cache owner cannot control what cachers put in the cache.

 

I have quite a few caches that require a long hike. I would really appreciate a cacher taking out scented items and other inappropriate items (religious tracts, etc.) as trash at the time they are there and before anyone else encounters them. I carry a few grocery bags with me folded the way I learned to when I completed the task for this cache, "Fold Bags to help Trash Out."

 

You can even get credit for such altruistic activities by posting in this thread.