Items that shouldn't be in a cache

January 9, 2012

I read the FAQ in regards to this and it was rather vague and all in all only mentioned things that are inappropriate for kids. I also tried searching for a previous post on the subject, but I didn't find one that really talked about it (though I may have been searching for the wrong keywords).

My question is, what items are generally considered a no-go for caches? I'm not asking because I'm thinking of leaving something questionable in a cache. I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

For instance. Religious material. I'm not talking about cult materials or anything super-crazy, but I've seen a lot of cards and pamphlets for particular churches. Recently, I saw a whole pamphlet for a church that was about the size of the container itself and had to be jammed in the jug, taking up about half the space available. Personally, I don't see a problem with leaving something like a cross or swag with religious symbols (although I wouldn't take it), but advertisements for a particular church seem a bit like spam to me.

Business cards. Along the same line. Is there any established etiquette regarding this? I know you aren't supposed to make caches advertising a business, but are cachers allowed to leave business cards?

Really crappy swag like a rubber-band. Is it okay to simply throw that sort of thing out to make the cache tidier?

January 9, 2012

I remember reading somewhere that commercial/political/religious stuff should be avoided.

January 9, 2012

what about a book of matches? I'm assuming if the cache became wet they'd be no good. I know it says lighters are off limits. If you really want to pack a bunch of propaganda into a cache without using any space, you can fit quite a bit of text into QR codes. I plan to put a link to my profile on them but you can fit much much more onto a space an inch or two square.

Edited January 9, 2012 by sholomar

5.2k · January 9, 2012

what about a book of matches?

I'd use the matches to burn the religious propaganda :anibad:

3k · January 9, 2012

I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

One day I realized that I was better off ignoring everything in the cache except the log book and visiting trackables. Since that day, I have found geocaching to be much more enjoyable.

6k · January 9, 2012

I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

One day I realized that I was better off ignoring everything in the cache except the log book and visiting trackables. Since that day, I have found geocaching to be much more enjoyable.

I concur. Find the cache, sign the log, repeat. No need to get the knickers in a bunch over something unimportant that I can't control anyhow.

2k · January 9, 2012

I remember reading somewhere that commercial/political/religious stuff should be avoided.

In listings, not in the cache themselves.

4.2k · January 9, 2012

I remember reading somewhere that commercial/political/religious stuff should be avoided.

that only refers to cache listings

4.8k · January 9, 2012

I try not to overthink it too much. I leave the type of stuff I'd like to find in a cache.

January 9, 2012

Just use common sense, if you have to question weather something is appropriate or not, then play it safe and don't leave it.

If I find stuff in someone else' cache that I don't think should be there, that's not my business or my place to remove it. Obviously if it's something very inappropriate like guns, drugs, alcohol or porn, then yeah, I'd pull that stuff out. But all of the religious propaganda, business cards, expired coupons, trash, website ads and other spam, it's staying there. Now when I find that stuff in my own caches, it's going in the trash no question.

what about a book of matches?

I will say that I think you should evaluate what you place in a cache on a cache by cache basis. What may be inappropriate for one cache may be very appropriate for another. Obviously, matches wouldn't be a very smart idea for a playground cache, but say there is a wilderness cache that requires a three day backpacking trek to reach. A container of dry matches, maybe some water purification tablets, or even a small pocket knife would be plenty appropriate in my eyes, and welcome by most finders. Fishing lures and hooks wouldn't be wise for a walking trail in a subdivision, but would be just fine in a cache at say a public fishing access.

January 9, 2012

The general consensus of things not to put in the cache are weapons, food and adult oriented items. Matches and lighters tend to be frowned on but it's not that uncommon to find them.

I'd lean away from religious/political items mainly because they tend to be on paper and paper doesn't hold up well when the inside of the cache gets wet. And the cache will get wet, either because it doesn't get closed properly, it's opened in the rain or because it's a bad/damaged container.

If it's not paper, do you care if it gets dumped into the trash? Eventually someone's going to be bothered by it for one reason or another and that's where it'll end up. If it's not paper and you don't care that it'll most likely end up in a trash can, I say go for it.

3.1k · January 9, 2012

Besides the stuff already mentioned, here are some bad things I've found in caches:

fireworks/firecrackers

things that melt on a hot day (ex: candles)

sharp objects (ex: fish hooks)

January 9, 2012

I had a book of matches in my swag bag, but I decided to take them out because of the kiddies :/

I suppose there's always going to be something to nag about. Everyone is not going to like everything. I wouldn't have a problem with matches or even a lighter (if it was nice and worked). I wouldn't mind pocket knives or multi-tools. I wouldn't take or leave a packaged condom, but I wouldn't freak out (as long as it was packed and unopened). All of the above though, I can see why others wouldn't want such items.

I'd be slightly annoyed with any sort of propoganda, religious, political, or otherwise. It wouldn't be worth my time to argue about it however. Nobody wants to play a game and have someone else's opinions (however well meaning) thrown in their face. If someone wants to leave something like that, then okay. It's not worth my time getting all ruffled about it. Live and let live.

Some people get offended about cheap toys or toys that have seen some love. I can see where they're coming from, but I don't really have anything better And with the family thing going on, some kids like getting kiddie swag, some kids just like being outside, and some kids just like the thrill of finding something.

Pretty much, it's up to you. If it's a cache that the kids are not likely to access (strenuous hikes or backpacking kind of places) then yeah, leave some matches. If it's in the middle of town, then someone will probably get fussy about it. Use your own judgment and just know that sometimes swag is more well intended that it may seem

22k · January 9, 2012

I had a book of matches in my swag bag, but I decided to take them out because of the kiddies :/

I suppose there's always going to be something to nag about. Everyone is not going to like everything. I wouldn't have a problem with matches or even a lighter (if it was nice and worked). I wouldn't mind pocket knives or multi-tools. I wouldn't take or leave a packaged condom, but I wouldn't freak out (as long as it was packed and unopened). All of the above though, I can see why others wouldn't want such items.

I'd be slightly annoyed with any sort of propoganda, religious, political, or otherwise. It wouldn't be worth my time to argue about it however. Nobody wants to play a game and have someone else's opinions (however well meaning) thrown in their face. If someone wants to leave something like that, then okay. It's not worth my time getting all ruffled about it. Live and let live.

Some people get offended about cheap toys or toys that have seen some love. I can see where they're coming from, but I don't really have anything better And with the family thing going on, some kids like getting kiddie swag, some kids just like being outside, and some kids just like the thrill of finding something.

Pretty much, it's up to you. If it's a cache that the kids are not likely to access (strenuous hikes or backpacking kind of places) then yeah, leave some matches. If it's in the middle of town, then someone will probably get fussy about it. Use your own judgment and just know that sometimes swag is more well intended that it may seem

You are free to take out anything from a cache. Trade even, trade up, or not at all.

22k · January 9, 2012

I read the FAQ in regards to this and it was rather vague and all in all only mentioned things that are inappropriate for kids. I also tried searching for a previous post on the subject, but I didn't find one that really talked about it (though I may have been searching for the wrong keywords).

My question is, what items are generally considered a no-go for caches? I'm not asking because I'm thinking of leaving something questionable in a cache. I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

For instance. Religious material. I'm not talking about cult materials or anything super-crazy, but I've seen a lot of cards and pamphlets for particular churches. Recently, I saw a whole pamphlet for a church that was about the size of the container itself and had to be jammed in the jug, taking up about half the space available. Personally, I don't see a problem with leaving something like a cross or swag with religious symbols (although I wouldn't take it), but advertisements for a particular church seem a bit like spam to me.

Business cards. Along the same line. Is there any established etiquette regarding this? I know you aren't supposed to make caches advertising a business, but are cachers allowed to leave business cards?

Really crappy swag like a rubber-band. Is it okay to simply throw that sort of thing out to make the cache tidier?

You are free to take out anything from a cache. Trade even, trade up, or not at all.

1.9k · January 9, 2012

A loaded 22 pistol

1.6k · January 9, 2012

A loaded 22 pistol

I'll trade!! I'll trade!!!

Edited January 9, 2012 by Lieblweb

5.6k · January 10, 2012

Human (or animal) waste products shouldn't be in there. I've found caches with them and it wasn't nice ('nuf said).

3.6k · January 12, 2012

This subject comes up at least once every few months.

Items that should not be placed in caches

Most of what the others said. And things like

Weapons, (which I have seen like knives)

Personal items like tampons, and condoms

Drugs (yes I've seen a joint and yes with a note asking to trade up)(and yes I removed it and no I didn't use it)

One of the biggest no-nos is food, including dog treats.

Doesn't matter if the food or candy is wrapped or not.

Animals can smell it and in many cases the container gets taken, chewed up or just over run

with ants.

Also in hot weather the food would get moldy, rotten or just plain messy.

2.4k · January 12, 2012

What shouldn't be in a cache? Soaking, moldy log and water.

1.9k · January 12, 2012

A loaded 22 pistol

I'll trade!! I'll trade!!!

I took it for safety reasons. wouldn't want a kid getting hurt.

January 12, 2012

My rule of thumb is if it makes you think "hmm should I put this in here?" then play it safe and just don't put it in.

-Matches

-ammo

-knives

-adult items

-blatant advertising items, IE a lamented business card to a tire shop or something lol. I mean COME....ON.

-Food items, or anything that might attract animals.

-etc.

I think the most questionable item I've ever placed was a token for a free desert at a local restaurant. I don't think that was too bad.

I'm a coin(I have a lot of foreign coins I carry with me for trade)and random toy kinda guy if I trade anything at all.

I agree with the dilemma crappy swag can create. I once did a cache that was specifically geared towards children, the owner said "You will be looking for an ammo can stuffed with goodies that kids would love; please trade accordingly" when I got there I found a .50 cal ammo box, when I opened it someone had absolutely stuffed it with pencils and balloons (which were muddy and soaked), I had to dump it all out to find the log. It's like wow...why would you do that lol.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Putasokinhet

January 12, 2012

I found condoms once. (Thankfully new in package) I was with my 6 year old, so I removed them. We added extra swag to make up for what I took out.

3k · January 12, 2012

Things that should not be in caches:

Food

Scented candles

Scented anything

Flammables/matches/lighters

Drugs/alcohol

Knives

Razors

Cigarettes

Porn/sexual aids

Illegal items

Explosives

and of course, Water

You may find other worthless junk, and religious tracts and business cards, but there is no guideline against them. Some people trash them out. Some people take them to read. Most just ignore them.

I remove anything from a cache that is wet, moldy, rusting, and detrimental to the cache health. I hardly trade anymore, but I do sometimes carry trade items to leave, if a cache needs stocking up.

I take out rocks, pine cones, dirt, water, bottlecaps, used lottery tickets, expired coupns, etc....

14k · January 13, 2012

I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

One day I realized that I was better off ignoring everything in the cache except the log book and visiting trackables. Since that day, I have found geocaching to be much more enjoyable.

I concur. Find the cache, sign the log, repeat. No need to get the knickers in a bunch over something unimportant that I can't control anyhow.

That's exactly what I do, except in the rare instances when my 8 year old son is with me, then he goes straight for the swag.

1.1k · January 14, 2012

A loaded 22 pistol

What model?

9.3k · January 14, 2012

what about a book of matches?

I'd use the matches to burn the religious propaganda

Just say "No" to tolerance. :lol:

I suppose there's always going to be something to nag about.

Yup. What gets my kilt in a twist is bubble liquid. I hate that crap with a passion. I've had to replace three ammo cans, and all their swag because some mook decided it would be a "fun" thing for a kid to find, giving not a speck of thought to how expanding liquids, (from Florida's ever rising temperatures), can affect the viability of a cheap plastic bottle. I scoured the dripping, gooey remains of all three logbooks, as well as the online logs, but could not put a handle on who would do such a thing. That's probably a good thing for both of us. <_<

January 14, 2012

Twisty kilts would be scratchy! :surprise:

I've never thought about bubble liquid (never placed any either) but that's good to know! Even when I was little I hated getting it on my hands

I've never really thought about leaving food, I mean, I've thought NOT leaving food because you don't know how long it's going to sit there, but the animals and ants are a good point. I would not enjoy opening something filled with ants....

1.9k · January 14, 2012

A loaded 22 pistol

What model?

Taurus PT-22

January 15, 2012

I generally ignore things that are in caches, as long as they aren't gross or dangerous. However, things that I generally remove: Unwrapped gum. Soaked-through tampons. Batteries sitting and rusting in the bottom of a damp container. Sexually related materials in caches that would likely be found with kids. the rest of the junk just gets ignored. We usually put something cool in, just to present and upgrade from the rubberbands and bandaids that seem to fill caches nowadays.

January 15, 2012

No ink pads, no bubble soap, no old golf balls (they are not funny),no over-large things stuffed in small containers!

We found a really nice ammo can cache once but someone had left a little red ink pad inside and it had leaked all over EVERYTHING in the can. I dried off and cleaned it as well as I could. After that, I always take out ink pads, unless the cache is a letterbox, of course! I also remove bubble soap, as someone else mentioned above, since it would be so messy if it leaked.

If we find a cache stuffed so full of swag that the lid won't close, I take out whatever large item seems to be causing the problem and leave something small in return. I don't think anyone likes to find old dirty golf balls so I remove them too. I do wonder why cachers leave very large things in caches when they can see they don't fit.

14k · January 15, 2012

No ink pads, no bubble soap, no old golf balls (they are not funny),no over-large things stuffed in small containers!

We found a really nice ammo can cache once but someone had left a little red ink pad inside and it had leaked all over EVERYTHING in the can. I dried off and cleaned it as well as I could. After that, I always take out ink pads, unless the cache is a letterbox, of course! I also remove bubble soap, as someone else mentioned above, since it would be so messy if it leaked.

I found a cache with an ink pad in it that was not a letterbox hybrid. It was part of a series of a dozen or so caches along the Susquehanna river. One could get a "punch card" from a local chamber of commerce and once 8 (I think) spots were stamped from the stamps found in the cache series it could be turned in for a nice geocoin. However, this one cache pas placed a little *too* close to the river. The water level in the river can change a lot after a heavy rain so when I found the cache, the ink stamp was in a plastic bag full of water and everything else was a dark blue mess.

January 15, 2012

I've found condoms in several caches,

they always look really old so I guess the person who left them hadn't been lucky in a long time and was looking to get rid of something that might not be any good anymore.

As for business cards, that's really tacky as swag, I clean those out.

January 15, 2012

I went caching today and found some weird things. Not like condoms or anything, but just stuff I didn't really know what to do with.

One cache was small and had these coupons for Frosties inside that were valid in a few places in Colorado. I was tempted to trash them, but I couldn't find an expiration date and even though this cache isn't in Colorado, it's not impossible that someone would get it on the way to Grand Junction and go "Oh, free Frosties" :unsure:

The other one was a hair clip that appeared to be missing some teeth. I don't know, hair items left in places kind of freak me out. My dad was with me and said "Maybe they needed a new hair clip so they traded" :rolleyes: I kind of froze and wasn't sure what to do with it.

So, this whole time I've been thinking I'd know what I'd do and I ended up choking :laughing: I guess I jsut feel bad about taking something that someone might actually have thought was a good trade :unsure: Especially in caches where it's random trinkets or just really nothing at all.

January 16, 2012

Thanks for all the responses. I've started removing some of the real junky junk (like broken plastic Easter eggs and golf balls).

January 16, 2012

Why put in gift cards? You always wonder if there's any money left in them, then embarrass yourself by going to those establishments and finding there is a $0 balance. Along with several of those was an empty cell phone box. This is the thanks I get for putting out a large tool box with many quality items in the $1 to $5 range as well as smaller knick knacks for those who don't choose to trade at that level. Someone once traded a rolling ruler for a golf ball and not a clean one at that.

3k · January 16, 2012

The bubble liquids fall under the "scented" category. In the winter climates, they bust open. I always take out the bubbles, and I won't trade for them.

Anything scented in the cache spells doom.

9.3k · January 16, 2012

This is the thanks I get for putting out a large tool box with many quality items in the $1 to $5 range

Something you might consider for future quality swag hides is proximity to parking. Going from my own personal experience, there seems to be a direct relationship between the number of feet a finder has to travel from their car to the cache, and the amount of time it takes for the swag degrade. There are folks who do not practice fair trading, and these folks seem to be repeled by physical and/or mental exertion. (Some kind of correlation between cheapskates and lazyness, perhaps?) Your Handyman cache looks to be just a few feet from the side of a roadway. That practically guarantees that your gonna end up with a box full of broken McToys, used lottery tickets and rusty bottle caps.

1.9k · January 16, 2012

I go with the trade even or trade up theory. I often remove trash from the cache, and leave a little something nicer in its place. I'm not really into the swag that much (but I do like looking at it), and if I make the swag a little better for the next person, then that was a good deed done.

In the mentioned examples-- I would take the religious tract out (and then throw it away). I would leave a little toy (like a party favor type).

When I first started, I didn't know bubbles were such a bad thing -- I love bubbles, but now I take them out because of the temperature issue.

1.9k · January 17, 2012

Things that should not be in caches:

Food

Scented candles

Scented anything

Flammables/matches/lighters

Drugs/alcohol

Knives

Razors

Cigarettes

Porn/sexual aids

Illegal items

Explosives

and of course, Water

You may find other worthless junk, and religious tracts and business cards, but there is no guideline against them. Some people trash them out. Some people take them to read. Most just ignore them.

I remove anything from a cache that is wet, moldy, rusting, and detrimental to the cache health. I hardly trade anymore, but I do sometimes carry trade items to leave, if a cache needs stocking up.

I take out rocks, pine cones, dirt, water, bottlecaps, used lottery tickets, expired coupns, etc....

you forgot the biggie: SOAP BUBBLES! you know the ones that the cap ALWAYS pops off making a mess of everything.

1.9k · January 17, 2012

I generally ignore things that are in caches, as long as they aren't gross or dangerous. However, things that I generally remove: Unwrapped gum. Soaked-through tampons. Batteries sitting and rusting in the bottom of a damp container. Sexually related materials in caches that would likely be found with kids. the rest of the junk just gets ignored. We usually put something cool in, just to present and upgrade from the rubberbands and bandaids that seem to fill caches nowadays.

I don't think i've *ever* found GOOD batteries in a cache!

2.6k · January 20, 2012

I'm asking because in the short time that I've been caching I've seen some things which I would find to be questionable, but I'm not sure whether or not it's acceptable to simply dispose of the item in question.

One day I realized that I was better off ignoring everything in the cache except the log book and visiting trackables. Since that day, I have found geocaching to be much more enjoyable.

That's pretty much what I do now. I'll clean out the leaves and litter but the rest a hardly notice.

*** Edit to say: I will remove food, fireworks, blah blah blah, of course. The rest stays. ***

Edited January 20, 2012 by Totem Clan

March 5, 2012

I don't do a lot of item trading but I think looking through the swag is fun -- I get to see what kinds of things other folks thought were cool or no longer wanted. And occasionally I do find something really neat and get to take it home.

Within the realm of "allowed" items, business cards do annoy me. The last thing I want to see after a successful hunt is someone saying "look how cool I am, come visit my business/website/etc." I'm the kind of person who feels a hole burning in my wallet every time I set foot in a mall, and geocaching is a nice way for me to get out without that happening. So yeah, not cool IMO! Sometimes I send the business card owner an e-mail saying "hey, I didn't appreciate this," but I hardly think I'm getting my panties in a bunch. If enough folks took 30 seconds to do that, people might even stop leaving them.

19k · March 5, 2012

I would like to thank the person that thoughtfully left a tube of superglue in one of my caches. I was glad that the stuff that leaked out of it had set up before the next cacher reached in to grab something, though.

18.9k · March 5, 2012

Best we can really hope to do is trade up or at least trade equal - set an example of what should be there for others to follow.

March 5, 2012

I attend a lot of conferences and nowadays, instead of giving out binders with conference materials they give out little USB sticks. I literally have dozens of them. I thought about deleting the conference material off them and leaving them in caches, I mean, wouldn't a kid find a 4g USB stick useful for something? I mentioned this to a colleague who said "ya but what if someone puts one in there with porn on it or a virus or something" - so that scared me and I haven't done it - do you all agree it's a bad idea?

March 6, 2012

@StarBrand: I agree.

@C&JCanuck: I think it would be cool to find a USB stick in a cache, especially if it has something interesting on it (like photos of someone's caching adventures or something). But I would be wary and scan the thing first. If someone did put pornography on a USB stick that would be a problem, but if you are not going to do that, is it still bad? I don't think so, personally.

1.1k · March 6, 2012

no old golf balls (they are not funny),

(snip)

I don't think anyone likes to find old dirty golf balls so I remove them too.

I love old golf balls. Leave em. I need all I can get.

Why I like golf balls

March 6, 2012

Recently, we found a pair of blue underpants in a cache.... men's briefs to be exact. I have to wonder what he traded for......

2.6k · March 6, 2012

Recently, we found a pair of blue underpants in a cache.... men's briefs to be exact. I have to wonder what he traded for......

A thong. :unsure:

Items that shouldn't be in a cache

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