Corrugated cardboard boxes are the most common packaging material for any item including liquids and other hazardous items. While it’s strong enough to withstand a significant amount of weight and is able to be used to stack over other boxes for large-scale shipping however, cardboard boxes aren’t resistant to damage. In the end, they’re made of paper. It can be broken, crumpled, damaged or be damaged by extreme weather conditions.
For logistic businesses The most frequent damage is at the location of storage or during transport. Damage can occur at home due to termites, water, or items that are stored in. Preventing or protecting cardboard boxes is a bit of work and focus on the contents inside. In this post, I’ve discussed how cardboard boxes can be damaged and how they is prevented.
Table of Contents
How can cardboard boxes be damaged in your home?
The primary mistake homeowners make is that they keep their possessions in cardboard boxes that are used, or those that came with their furniture, electronic equipment or food items. These boxes have been damaged in some way. They have already suffered damage and is likely to have lost the majority of its structural strength. If you are planning to make use of cardboard boxes for storage of things, we recommend you purchase of a brand new one at the shop.
Recycle old cardboard boxes:
The boxes you receive with your items were not used immediately after the boxes were minted fresh by the manufacturer. The manufacturers of your products utilize cardboard boxes that have been anchored in their warehouses for a certain duration. The box has been exposed to the elements like heat, moisture and heat. Additionally, it has begun to weaken and when it gets to your residence the box will have lost the majority it’s strength. The structure which holds the box is likely to have become flat. Thus, a used cardboard box should be taken away for recycling.
Avoid bugs and pests:
In the home, most boxes are destroyed from bugs and pests. People are foolishly stacking cardboard boxes that contain food items, which makes it highly vulnerable to pests like rodents, mice, spiders bugs termites, crickets etc. It not only damages the box, it also destroys the food items it stored inside.
The danger of moisture is hidden:
There’s also the threat of water. If you have water leakage in your home, you’ll discover that your box has been turned into a pulp. If you’ve stored clothes which were wet the box is likely to be sprayed with mildew and mold and may be damaged. There are some liquid items that you store could spill or leak, causing damage to the box.
Overstock box with an object that is heavy:
A lot of people are guilty of accumulating cardboard boxes making a mess and losing storage space. The cardboard boxes are a magnet for termites, bedbugs, cockroaches,, and other insects, contaminating your home with peststhat should not have happened. Overstacking boxes that have heavy objects inside will cause destruction to cardboard boxes, starting with the one in the middle.
How can cardboard boxes be damaged when shipping?
If you own an online retailer based in your home and you continue to receive complaints regarding damaged packaging and poor it isn’t just you. Items that have been packaged aren’t always delivered in good state to their clients. If you’re using a service for shipping that is always working on making sure that the items are delivered in time. generally have a strict time frame.
The majority of package handlers working for shipping industry will not handle your package any differently. The packages travel to several depots and will be handled several times across multiple locations until it is delivered to your clients. Here are some of the most common reasons that cause cardboard boxes to become damaged during transport.
Road conditions
Transporters who drive on roads are not rare. They typically travel at high speeds. Because of their bulky size the trucks can moving, bounce and vibrate. Accidents can occur at any time such as animals, reckless drivers, speed bumps that are not marked or speed bumps that are not marked. In some instances, poor road conditions could result in the boxes within the rucks to tip over or bounce off, slide or collision with other boxes. While on roads, this parcel has already sustained significant damage.
Weather-related damages
It’s possible that the box could be placed on the ground or subjected to rain when loading. A change in the climate when you ship internationally can result in the growth of mildew and mold. If the box has been soaked with water, the container may break under pressure. Extreme cold or extreme heat can weaken the structural integrity of the box, causing it to break.
Warehouse damaged by damage
Natural disasters are not common, however they can be a major cause of damage to cardboard packages. Flood, fire boxes falling over and over, you can think of it. The wrong handling or attempt to break in can also cause damage to the packaging. It is possible that you have done the right thing when packing your items however you shouldn’t expect perfection from anyone else. In the warehouse, there are some other boxes deformed with larger objects that can also harm the cardboard box.
When loading or unloading
Trucks are fully full of all kinds of boxes, not only cardboard boxes. However, there may be wooden boxes too and the person handling your package may throw your box away like it’s made of wood. In the truck or on the air, the packages are all tossed out until the final destination of the cargo. They typically aren’t as efficient and need to unload or load many packages, which means they can’t really take their time with boxes, even if they is marked with the word “Fragile” on the box. Additionally, due to the way that boxes are placed inside the truck, it can slide about or fall during transport.
Other packages that are heavier
The item may be correctly put inside the cardboard box, however others might not. With the box, there may be heavier items that are not properly packed, which can fall onto your box and then break it. If liquids are contained in other packaging and the seal was not sealed properly the liquid could leak out and ruin the box.
Packaging mistakes
If you’ve ever used a small cardboard box for larger objects, or reused cardboard boxes from the past that you have used, they are likely to be damaged before it gets to the customer. Sometimes, bad packaging may be the reason. Heavy objects like electronic products should be packed with appropriate bubble warps or fillers, or styrofoam packaging. When the product is left unattended inside the container, it might harm the box while it is in transit or when handling.
How do you protect your cardboard box from being damaged?
The cardboard boxes you keep at home should be protected
If it’s a used box, take it off and you’re done! If you’ve bought some new cardboard boxes at the market and you want to put your possessions inside There are some ways to avoid the damage.
The first step is to locate an area that is dry in your home. Don’t put it up where there’s water leakage. Don’t store it in shade or close to the window , where it could become charred by the heat. Be sure that there isn’t an windows that are open near the cardboard box. Take away any box with food items inside. Remove boxes when you notice food-related staining or glue marks, as they could attract pests.
The cardboard boxes are a great source of cellulose to termites. Therefore, it is advised to treat the area to control termite activity. It is also important to examine the boxes you use for cardboard from time time to see if there is any infestation. Keep the box off the floor because it can draw cockroaches and mice. If it’s placed on shelves, be sure that there’s no spiders nests nearby.
The largest box should be placed at the bottom, and then place lighter boxes on the top. Secure your belongings and keep a mothball in case you’re storing clothing. If you’re transporting things ensure that it’s placed in a manner that it does not fall to be distorted.
Make sure your boxes are away from cats, as they are known to smash cardboard boxes. The most important thing is to not ignore the things you store in them.
If you’re keeping valuable objects and wish to avoid the moisture from entering, you can apply lamination all around or apply a coating of rubber to shield cardboard boxes against water-damaged damage.
The cardboard boxes should be secured during transporting
Start by choosing the appropriate corrugated cardboard container. Pick a double wall or triple wall cardboard box even when you’re shipping smaller objects. Cover the item with the container made of polyethylene or plastic to ensure that, even if it is damaged by water, it will not get the product. To stop the growth of mildew and mold or moisture accumulation, utilize sheets to absorb moisture.
If you’re carrying heavy objects, you should use foam inserts to ensure it does not explode from the edges. For items with unusual shapes, make use of balloon wraps or air pockets, or peanut fillers to ensure they don’t move during transport.
Bubble wrap or shrink cover the box with bubble wrap to stop any water leakage. The box could be exposed to the harsh weather conditions when loading or unloading it.
Label your package in accordance with the item that you’re carrying as well as the weight capacity that the container can hold. If you are able, consider using the box inside of the packaging to protect valuable items.
If you’re sending several packages, it is possible to pack the entire package in one piece with shrink wraps or any other equipment for tying.
How do you fix or restore damaged cardboard boxes?
It is advised to dispose of the damaged boxes made of cardboard, but if you insist to fix the box, there are several options. However, you must remember think that this is an interim fix. You need to purchase new boxes later.
Edges that are rubbed
The edges that are ripped are fairly simple to repair, but they’re not able to hold for very long. You can use duct tape as well as use packing tapes on the inside and the outside of the box. The same applies to the ripped flaps.
Uneven flap ends
If you’ve had something take a bite from the flaps you can create an alternative using the duct tape. Simply put one-half of the tape along the flap’s ends and wrap the tape around the edge to adhere it on the opposite side. If a large portion of the flap disappears it is possible to cut the cardboard from another box and glue it to the flaps.
Base damaged
If the base is damaged You could apply layers of duct tape over the base from inside to outside. It is also possible to apply hot glue to fix the flaps.
Sides that are crumpled
If your cardboard box has a an unflattened side You could try to flatten it with weight. Lay the crumpled side down and then place a weight in the box. A few books could suffice to provide the required tension and also weight. Some may even moisten the surface with water, and then apply pressure. Let it sit for a while and examine if the surface has gotten been flattened.
How do you recycle damaged cardboard boxes?
A lot of people have a bad habit of accumulating cardboard boxes, particularly women. Even if they’ve ripped it off and made into pulp, there are some who can’t eliminate it. When they get the Amazon parcel, they don’t only save the items in it, but also the box. It is not known that cardboard boxes used in packaging are intended to be recycled instead of being reused. But , they do break in pieces, and this is when people choose to reuse it.
The cardboard boxes can be recycled more than seven times, however not all boxes are suitable for recycling. For instance, pizza boxes. when you’ve finished your pizza and the box remains with the stains of cheese, grease and so on. making the box unfit to be recycled. There are some actions you can take to reuse the cardboard boxes you have.
Step 1.
Clean out your container by removing the styrofoam, filler and peanuts. If you do have crumpled paper, it could be recycled too. You can remove the labels and tape in your container, since it is removed during recycle. It’s not a big deal, but it’s still worth anyone to take it off.
Step 2.
Verify that the box is clean and dry with no food stain or spots of liquid. It’s okay if the box is damaged, ripped or bent. However, oil and food stains are not recyclable.
Step 3.
If your boxes are wet, make sure to dry it off prior to donating it for recycling. If you notice grease or oil stains within the box, it is possible to take out the areas that are stained with either a blade or a pair of scissors in order for the box to be reused.
Step 4:
Make sure you flatten the cardboard boxes or cut them into pieces. Keep only tidy boxes for recycling. Some cardboard boxes cannot be recycled. You should inquire with your local municipal office for regulations and guidelines for recycling pizza boxes, juice bottles and more.
Step 5:
Collect all your cardboard boxes and wrap them together for simple handling. Put the damaged boxes outside to collect. You can also search online to find a list of municipal curbside programs as well as drop-off sites.
Step 6:
Then, put the boxes next to the bin, not directly in the bin itself. The cardboard box placed near the recycling bin aids the cleaning agents recycle the boxes in a proper manner.
Conclusion
Carton Box are durable enough to allow you to safely move your belongings from one location to the next. Because they are made from paper, they are not a perfect material for destruction. The majority of the time, a fresh cardboard container is utilized to pack items , but before it gets to its destination, it is already damaged. Even if you purchase and keep new boxes in your home, there is always the possibility of pest infestation particularly termites and water damage. Furthermore, these boxes don’t really make the best storage solution. If you’re keeping clothes that fade, or is colored by the container. If you keep food items in the box there will be an odor at some point. If you’re storing electronic products, you run the possibility of moisture. The cardboard boxes will suffer damage. If you are determined, you can use the tips above to protect your boxes at least for a while.
