Learn how to store polymer clay to increase the shelf life of whatever craft you make with them. Go through the article to learn more about polymer clay.
Polymer clay is a man-made modeling clay made with the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It consists of no natural clay but since it has similar characteristics to modeling clay, it is commonly known as polymer clay. You can mold the clay to make figurines, toys and bake it in an oven to make art and craft items for decoration. They are available in a variety of colors, even faux colors like granite, sand, walnut shades. Generally, the regular clays are not available in faux colors. Regardless of the color variation, if you don’t store polymer clay away from dust and sun, it will dry out and become brittle in no time. Learn how to store polymer clay by going through this article.
How to Store Polymer Clay
It is important to keep polymer clay away from dust, hair, and lint because any build-up of such particles will make the clay dirty and unenjoyable. If small particles like dust, hair, etc stick to the clay, it will be impossible to remove them without having to remove a layer of clay. Keeping them away from direct sunlight and excessive heat is very important or else they may dry and become brittle.
The best way to store polymer clay is to wrap it in wax paper and store it in plastic bags. However, it is not recommended to store them directly in plastic as polyvinyl chloride can react with plastic. You can store them in glass containers as well but do not store/place in any food-related container.
Since polymer clay doesn’t contain water that can evaporate and make it dry, you do not need to store the clay in air-tight containers. You can store it at room temperatures as you like, but storing polymer clay in cold temperatures increases its shelf life.
What to do with Polymer Clay:
1. Sculpting
The most common use of polymer clay is for creating art objects. Carefully model the polymer clay and bake the sculpture in an oven so that it hardens. You can then paint them with a range of colors and create decorative items. You can sculpt a variety of items using polymer clay such as:
- Jewelry
- Cake toppings
- Toys
- Models
- Figurines
- Charms
2. For Teaching
Kids love to play with polymer clay for modeling. Making various shapes, figures using polymer clay can be a unique teaching experience for kids. However, keep a close eye on your kids while they play with polymer clay to avoid accidental ingestion.
3. Sensory Experience
Available in a variety of colors, it is a fun activity for kids to play around and experience its gel-like properties. Kids can use it to create miniature items, or just enjoy the sensory experience of squeezing clay and molding.
4. Decoration
You can use polymer clay to embellish otherwise ordinary items. You can decorate spoons, coffee cups, phone covers, etc. All you need to do after decorating the items is to let the clay dry in the heat for hardening.
Now that you know how to store polymer clay, go ahead and take proper care of your clay to increase their shelf life.
