PLA, ABS, or Nylon? How to Store and Dry Each

3D printing is pretty amazing, right? You can bring your ideas to life right from your desk. But here’s the thing– if you’re not storing and handling your filaments in the right way, your printing experience can get pretty bad real quick. Moisture is one of those sneaky little problems that can turn a guaranteed good print into a total fail.

So, what’s the best way of taking care of your filaments? Well, that depends on what type it is! PLA, ABS, Nylon– they all need different care. Take PLA, for example. It’s very forgiving, and you can simply toss it into a basic airtight container with a bit of silica gel. But others, like ABS and especially Nylon, need a lot more of your attention. They can absorb moisture quickly and ruin your print quality fast.

In this guide, we’ll break it all down and give you all the tips you need to store, dry, and keep filaments in top shape to make sure your prints look as awesome as they should be. 

Why Moisture is a Big Problem for 3D Printing Filaments

Most 3D printing filaments are hygroscopic, which is just a fancy way of saying they absorb water from the air. This causes issues like:

• Hissing or popping sounds while printing
• Rough or uneven surface finishes
• Layer separation and weak adhesion
• Brittle prints that break easily

The type of plastic in your filament will affect how much moisture it absorbs and how badly it reacts to it. That’s why understanding your specific filament is the first step to preserve it. 

PLA: Easy to Use, But Still Needs Care

PLA (Polylactic Acid) is made for those who love no-hassle filaments. It’s biodegradable, prints at lower temperatures, and does not warp easily. Plus, it also doesn’t absorb much moisture, and you’ll find your months-old PLA filament performing perfectly fine as long as you store it correctly. 

How to Store PLA

• Using vacuum-sealed bags with packets of silica gel will prevent moisture from entering.
• Store spools in airtight containers or dry boxes, especially if you live in a humid area. You can even use your plastic cereal boxes for this! 
• If there’s any heat or sunlight in an area, keep your PLA as far from it as possible, as these elements can soften or deform your filament.

ABS: Strong, But Picks Up Moisture Fast

Need a tough and heat-resistant filament? ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) might just be what you need. But there’s a catch– it’s highly sensitive to environmental conditions. This material hates moisture, and even the tiniest bit can cause your print to crack or warp.

How to Store ABS

ABS absorbs moisture more easily than PLA, so it’s absolutely essential to store it in airtight containers. We also recommend adding fresh desiccant packs and changing them regularly to absorb any extra moisture in the container. And, if you’re storing ABS long-term, using vacuum bags or a dry cabinet is our top recommendation. 

Nylon, TPU, And PVA— The Most Demanding of Them All

If you often work on making durable, high-stress 3D parts, you might find yourself frequently working with Nylon– the strongest and most flexible filament. However, it, too, is extremely hygroscopic and can soak up moisture in just a few hours!

Similarly, TPU and PVA behave similarly to Nylon. 

• TPU is that rubbery, bendy filament that's our favorite for flexible prints, but it also pulls in moisture instantly. And once this happens, it causes your prints to come out messy and full of little holes.
• PVA, which is often used as a water-soluble support material, is even more sensitive. Just the tiniest bit of humidity can make it soft, sticky, or unusable before you can even load it into your printer.

How to Store Nylon, TPU, and PVA 

Keeping in mind the water-loving nature of these prints, we recommend storing them in the following ways:

• Keep humidity away from your filaments using airtight containers or dry boxes.
• Add silica gel or other desiccant packs inside your storage containers to get rid of any extra wetness.
• Need some extra protection? Vacuum seal your filaments as this removes excess air and water.
• Your filaments need a cool, dry place that’s as far away from sunlight, heat sources, and damp areas as possible.
• Once you’re done using your filament, you should always put it back into its storage container. Never make the mistake of leaving spools open on your desk!
• If you live in a humid area or print often, you should consider using a filament dryer before printing to remove any trapped moisture and prevent print quality issues.

Drying Your Filaments

Moisture can make its way into your 3D printing filaments despite your best efforts to prevent it. You may notice your filaments acting up– a little extra stringing or weird popping sounds when 3D printing can be signs of moisture damage.  Fortunately, you can still save your filament if you dry it in time. There are a few different ways you can dry your filaments, and we’ve mentioned the most common ones below. 

1. Using Your Oven 

This may come as a surprise, but you can use an item that’s easily available in your kitchen to dry your wet filaments– your oven! However, this can be a little tricky, and you must remain extra cautious, as too much heat can melt or damage the filament. 

To stop this from happening, you should be aware of the different drying temperatures for various filaments. We’ve mentioned the temperatures for commonly used filaments below:

• PLA: 40–50°C
• ABS: Around 80°C
• Nylon: Around 80°C
• TPU and PVA: 40°C-45°C 

Step-by-Step Guide to Oven Drying

1. Set the Right Temperature: Turn your oven on and set the temperature based on your filament.

2. Place the Spool Carefully: Put your filament spool on a heat-safe tray or pan.

3. Bake It Slowly: Let it sit in the oven for 4–6 hours.

4. Keep an Eye on It: Closely watch the temperature as higher ones will ruin your filament.

5. Let It Cool: After your filament is done drying, you need to let it cool completely before using it again.

And just like that—your filament is ready to be used!

Use a Filament Dryer

You may think that using an oven is the easiest way out. But we don’t highly recommend doing this. It’s easy for ovens to overheat, and this can lead to warped, brittle, or even melted filament. Plus, you can’t perfectly control the temperatures for most home ovens, which makes using them very risky, especially for sensitive filaments like PLA or Nylon.

That’s why we prefer using a filament dryer. It’s safer and built exactly for doing this. Some dryers work with just PLA or other specific filaments, while others are more advanced and can handle multiple types. Plus, some of them can even feed your filament directly into your printer.

One great example is the Chitu Systems FilaPartner E1 Filament Dryer. This compact, desktop-friendly unit is an absolute favorite for many 3D printers. It keeps the temperature steady while you're printing, so your filament stays dry from start to finish.

Food Dehydrators

Another popular and budget-friendly way to dry filament is using a food dehydrator. These work by blowing warm air inside a closed container to dry items such as fruit or meat, and they can work for filaments, too. 

They’ll probably cost you less than a special filament dryer. But, they have smaller drying spaces that aren’t the best for drying your big filament spools. All in all, if we consider their price and pros, it’s a pretty decent option for an affordable device that gets the job done. 

What Happens If You Don't Store Filaments Properly?

If you don’t store your filaments the right way, you can end up in big trouble. You may think moisture is harmless, but it can sneak in and cause lots of problems when you least expect it. It can lead to issues like:

• PLA becoming brittle and stringy, which leads to prints that are weak and messy.
• ABS may warp, crack, or end up with bubbles on the surface.
• Nylon is the worst of all three as it soaks up moisture like a sponge. If you print it while it’s wet, it makes a hissing sound, and your layers fall apart.

So, make sure to keep your filaments dry and stored perfectly to get top-quality prints.

Pro Tips for All Filament Types

• Label your spools with the date you opened them
• Use a cheap hygrometer to monitor humidity
• Rotate your spools—don’t forget about the old ones

To sum it up, you need to store and dry your filaments to get those amazing prints. You can keep them in airtight containers with silica gel packets or use a filament dryer to maintain the perfect temperature and dryness. Remember, in 3D printing, dry prints equal happier prints!

Best 3D Printing Software

Having looked at how to store and dry each filament, it’s also important to have a look at the best 3D printing software that you can use to create your 3D models and prepare them for 3D printing. There are many that are available, but we recommend using SelfCAD. It’s an easy-to-use 3D design software that comes with all the necessary tools to create both simple and complex 3D models.

Some of the tools of SelfCAD include freehand drawing and sketching, powerful 3D sculpting brushes, image to 3D model, easy-to-use selection modes, as well as an in-built online slicer that you can use to slice your files and generate the G-code to send to your 3D printer. The video below shows how to slice files in SelfCAD.

SelfCAD also comes with many interactive tutorials that you can use to learn how the software works without spending a lot of time.