How to Clean and Care for 3D Printed PLA Decor, Frames and Keychains
PLA wall art and keychains last for years indoors if you keep them away from heat and clean them the right way. A short care guide from the studio that prints them.
Everything we sell, from a Customizable name keychain to a Lord Ram multilayer wall art, is printed in PLA. PLA is a rigid, plant-based plastic made from corn starch. It is one of the most eco-friendly 3D printing materials and it keeps its colour and shape for years indoors. It has two weaknesses, heat and harsh chemicals, and this guide is mostly about avoiding those.
The one rule: keep it under 50 degrees C
PLA starts to soften around 50 to 60 degrees C. Indoors in India that is never a problem on a wall. It becomes a problem in three places:
- A parked car. A dashboard in May can cross 70 degrees C. A keychain left on the dash will warp. Keep keychains with your keys, not on the dashboard.
- Direct afternoon sun through glass. A frame that gets hours of direct sun can fade and, over a summer, bow slightly. Hang wall art on a wall that gets indirect light.
- Next to a diya, candle or stove. Devotional frames are decorative, not consecrated murtis. Hang them above or beside the pooja shelf, not directly over the flame.
Cleaning
- Regular dusting: a dry microfibre cloth or a soft paintbrush. Multilayer frames such as the Lord Jagannath Puri temple wall art have stepped edges where dust settles; a soft brush gets into them.
- Deeper cleaning: a cloth dampened with room-temperature water and a drop of mild dish soap. Wipe, then dry.
- Never: hot water, dishwasher, acetone, nail polish remover, thinner or alcohol-based cleaners. These will dull or dissolve the surface.
- Textured pieces like the Playing Cats wall decor: use the brush, not a cloth, so fibres do not snag.
Hanging wall art
Our frames are light. One nail, a picture hook or a 3M adhesive hook is enough. If you are renting and cannot drill, adhesive hooks rated for 1 kg hold any frame we sell. Let adhesive cure for the time on the packet before hanging.
LED versions
LED frames are USB powered. Use any 5V phone adapter or a power bank. Do not leave the LED on continuously in a closed cabinet; give it airflow. If a strip stops lighting, message us on the contact page with a photo and your order number.
Keychains and fidget toys
- PLA keychains take normal daily knocks. Avoid using them to pry things open; a thin edge can chip.
- Articulated toys like the Fidget Morf Worm and the Sturdy Infinity Cube are designed to flex at the joints. If a joint feels stiff at first, work it slowly; do not force it.
- Clickers like the Batman logo mechanical clicker have a small mechanism inside. Keep them dry.
Storage between festivals
Wrap frames in the paper they came in and store them flat, not leaning, somewhere cool. A cupboard is fine. A loft under a tin roof is not.
If something arrives damaged
Photograph the piece and the packaging and report it within 7 days of delivery. We replace shipping damage and manufacturing defects free of charge. See the returns policy page and the Help Center for the full policy.
Looking for something new for the wall? Start with the Wall Art and Hindu Wall Decor collections.
