How to store 3D printer filament?

The majority of materials used in FDM 3D printing can be considered hygroscopic, meaning that they absorb water molecules rather than repel them. If you let your filament sit out in the open air on a humid day, your print quality will go down. Even what we might consider relatively low ambient humidity can be detrimental to filament through cumulative exposure.

Keeping filament in an airtight container is a must to prevent the absorption of humidity from the air, and using vacuum-sealed containers or ones with desiccant is even better.

It’s natural that dust and particulates settle on spools of filament when they’re left out in the open. These tiny nuisances can lead to decreased print quality, even clogging the nozzle during printing.

Cleaning and changing nozzles can be a pain, so preventing the dust from getting on the filament in the first place is an easy choice. This can be accomplished by simply storing the filament in closed containers or places otherwise secluded from airborne particulates. Another line of prevention is the dust filter that the filament slides through during the printing process, which wipes away any potential contaminants before they reach the hot end.

Many of the filament storage solutions require the use of desiccants. A desiccant is something that is so hygroscopic that it’ll preferentially absorb all of the ambient moisture in a space. Desiccants are most commonly found in small pouches, but can also be purchased as beads.