Good dice can last a lifetime, but only if you look after them. Resin can fade, metal can tarnish, and gemstone can chip, and a few simple habits prevent all of it. This guide covers exactly how to clean, store, travel with and protect every type of dice so your favourite set still rolls true years from now, plus how to revive a set that has seen better days.
General rules that apply to every set
Whatever your dice are made of, three habits do most of the work: keep them dry, keep them out of direct sunlight, and roll them on a soft surface. Heat, moisture and hard impacts are the three things that age dice fastest. Avoid leaving them in a hot car or on a sunny windowsill, never soak them, and resist the urge to roll metal or gemstone onto bare wood or stone. Get these basics right and the material-specific tips below are just fine-tuning.
How often should you clean your dice?
For most players, a quick wipe every few sessions is plenty, dice mainly pick up skin oils, table grime and the occasional crumb. If you notice a set looking dull or feeling tacky, that is the moment to clean it. There is no need to deep-clean dice on a schedule; gentle, occasional care beats aggressive scrubbing every time.
Caring for resin dice
Resin is low-maintenance. To clean, wipe with a soft, dry or very slightly damp microfibre cloth. Avoid harsh chemicals, alcohol and abrasive cloths, which can dull the polish or strip the inked numbers. Prolonged UV exposure can fade bright colours over months, so store them out of direct sun, that gorgeous translucent set will thank you. Store resin sets in a dice bag or padded case so the sharp edges do not scuff against each other. If a die feels sticky, a barely-damp cloth followed by a dry buff usually sorts it.
Caring for metal dice
Metal dice are tough but not maintenance-free, their main enemy is moisture, which can cause tarnish or spotting on the finish. Keep them dry, and if they get wet, dry them immediately with a soft cloth. Because metal dice are hard, they will scratch each other (and any softer resin dice) if they rattle around loose, so store them in a lined case or a dedicated compartment. A quick buff with a dry microfibre cloth keeps the engraving gleaming, and a tiny amount of metal polish on a cloth can revive a dull set (keep it off the inked numbers). Our metal sets are backed by a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, so if something fails in the metal itself, we will sort it out.
Caring for gemstone dice
Gemstone is the most delicate material because it is natural stone, it can chip or crack if dropped onto a hard surface. Always roll gemstone dice in a dice tower or on a soft tray, never onto bare wood or stone. Clean with a dry cloth only; avoid water and chemicals, which can affect porous stones. Store each set padded and separate so pieces do not knock together in a bag. Treat them like the small works of art they are, and remember that natural veins and inclusions are features, not flaws.
Protect every roll with a tray or tower
The single best upgrade for the longevity of any dice is a rolling tray or dice tower. It cushions every roll, keeps dice on the table (and off the floor), and guarantees a fair, random result. For metal and gemstone especially, a felt-lined surface is the difference between dice that look new for years and dice that pick up dings in a month. It is the cheapest insurance you can buy for a collection.
Travelling with your dice
Dice live dangerous lives in bags, loose dice get scratched, lost, or crushed against keys and chargers. For travel, keep each set in its own padded dice bag or a compartmentalised case, and keep hard metal sets separate from softer resin and gemstone. If you are flying to a convention, pack dice in your carry-on (a heavy bag of metal dice in checked luggage can raise eyebrows and risks loss). A small zip pouch inside your main bag keeps everything together and protected.
Reviving old or faded dice
Inherited a tired old set, or rediscovered your first dice in a drawer? Most can be brought back. Start with a gentle wipe to remove grime. For resin with worn ink, some hobbyists carefully re-ink the numbers with an acrylic paint pen, fill the recess, then wipe the excess off the raised surface before it dries. For dull metal, a light buff with a microfibre cloth (and a touch of metal polish if needed) restores the shine. Faded resin from sun damage usually cannot be reversed, which is the best argument for storing dice out of direct light in the first place.
Storing and displaying your collection
As your collection grows, give it a proper home. A dice bag is perfect for a set or two on the go, while a display case or shelf keeps a larger collection organised, protected and on show, half the joy of collecting is seeing them lined up. Keep sets separated by material so hard metal and soft resin are not rubbing together in the same pocket, and store away from heat and sunlight. A simple foam-lined drawer insert works wonders for a growing armoury.
Building a simple dice care kit
You do not need much to keep a whole collection in top shape, just a few inexpensive items kept together in a small pouch. The essentials are a soft microfibre cloth (the single most useful tool, gentle enough for any material), a padded bag or compartmentalised case to store sets separately, and a rolling tray or dice tower to protect every roll. For collectors who like to restore older sets, add an acrylic paint pen for re-inking worn numbers and, optionally, a little metal polish for reviving dull metal dice. That is genuinely all it takes. Assembling this kit once means you can clean, restore and protect any set in minutes, and it pays for itself the first time it saves a treasured die from a chip or a faded number. Keep it near where you game and good dice habits become effortless.
Re-inking faded or worn numbers
The numbers on dice are recessed and filled with paint or ink, and on a well-loved set that ink can wear thin over years of handling. Re-inking is the most satisfying bit of dice maintenance and it transforms a tired set. The method is simple: clean and dry the die, run an acrylic paint pen (or a fine brush with model paint) along the recessed number so it fills, then immediately wipe the flat, raised surface with a clean cloth or your fingertip, this lifts the excess off the surface while leaving the recess full. Let it cure, and your numbers look factory-fresh. Choose a high-contrast colour for readability, and work one face at a time so nothing smudges.
What to do if a die gets damaged
Accidents happen, a die takes a chip, a number flakes, or a metal set picks up a spot of tarnish. For minor cosmetic damage, the fixes above (re-inking, a gentle polish) handle most cases. For genuine manufacturing defects, this is where buying from a maker that backs its products pays off: our metal sets carry a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects, so if the fault is in the die itself rather than wear and tear, reach out and we will make it right. Keeping dice on a soft surface and stored properly prevents the large majority of damage in the first place.
Quick do's and don'ts
- Do wipe with a soft, dry cloth and store padded.
- Do roll on a tray or in a tower, especially metal and gemstone.
- Do keep sets separated by material.
- Don't soak dice, use alcohol or harsh cleaners, or leave them in heat or direct sun.
- Don't store hard and soft dice loose together, or roll stone and metal on bare surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash my dice with water? A barely-damp cloth is fine for resin and the occasional wipe; never soak any dice, and keep water away from gemstone and metal where possible.
Why have my dice faded? Usually prolonged sunlight or UV exposure. Store them out of direct light to prevent it; sadly fading cannot be reversed.
How do I stop metal dice scratching my other dice? Store them separately in a lined compartment or their own bag so they do not rub against softer sets.
Do I really need a dice tray? You can play without one, but a tray or tower protects your dice and table and keeps rolls fair, it is the best small upgrade you can make.
Follow these simple habits and your dice will keep rolling true for years. Browse towers and trays and dice bags to protect your collection. Gear up. Roll to win.
