Sarah Biren

Sarah Biren

October 14, 2020

Why you should never throw these little packets away

When you buy new bags, shoes, vitamins, or even beef jerky, they come with strange little silica gel packets. Most of us toss them away as instructed. We don’t know anything about these packets, aside from the warning “do not ingest” written on them.  However, they can actually be extremely useful.

Here are 17 ways to reuse silica gel packets 

Silica gels
Source: Shutterstock

Silica gel is a desiccant, which means the packet absorbs water vapor. Manufacturers use these gel packets to prevent their products from becoming musty or spoiling. And they give them to their customers for free with their new bags and shoes, ready to be recycled in many creative ways. 

Read More: Firefighters Want Everyone To Know What They Should Never Plug Into A Power Strip

Camera Bag Moisture Prevention

Professional photography equipment in backpack on turquoise background, top view. Space for text
Source: Shutterstock

Place them in a camera bag to keep out moisture and prevent the lens from fogging or streaking. 

Window De-fogger

Condensation water on window glass on the inside of the house
Source: Shutterstock

De-fog windows by placing silica on the sill. 

Battery Drier

Bangkok Thailand.October 31 2022 Interior shot of iPhone 12 Pro with device, battery, board and key components on a white background.
Source: Shutterstock

Remove the battery and memory card from a wet phone and place them in a bag with a couple of silica packets to draw out the moisture. Let it sit for at least overnight. (Remember: Do not try turning on the phone before it dries out.) 

Must Preventer

Open suitcase with travelling accessories and winter clothes on carpet, top view
Source: Shutterstock

If you’re concerned about your luggage getting damp, pack some silica to keep out the mustiness. 

Razor Life Extender

Close-up of safety razor 50s style and male cosmetic products and supplies used by men to shave. Safety razor, shaving brush and foam on beige towel background. Eco friendly tools for men shaving.
Source: Shutterstock

To extend the life of razors, store them in a sealed container with a silica packet.  

Prevent Humidity

Paper documents stacked in archive. folders with documents on the shelves of archive room. Office shelves in the closet full of files
Source: Shutterstock

Keep a packet where you store documents to save them from humidity.  

Photo Protector

York. United Kingdom. 04.28.15. Genealogy and family history. Collection of old family photographs dating from around 1890 up to about 1950.
Source: Shutterstock

To keep old photos in good condition, tuck some silica in the bin where they are kept. You can also use a packet to protect framed pictures on the wall.  

Keep Your Yoga Mat Dry

Cropped image of beautiful sports girl unrolling a yoga mat for training at home
Source: Shutterstock

Keep your yoga mat dry by packing some silica into your gym bag. [1] 

Prevent Rust

Close up of african american man in casual clothes taking pliers out of box at home. Focus on plastic black container with variety of modern tools for housework.
Source: Shutterstock

Place some packets in a toolbox to prevent rust. 

Dry Flowers

Beautiful dried flower arrangement in a stylish pink vase. In the flower bunch is pink King Proteas, Banksia, Eucalyptus leaves and golden Palm frond photographed on a white background.
Source: Shutterstock

Use the packs to speed up the drying of flowers. 

Prevent Seed Mold

Microgreen seeds in paper bags and microgreen sowing equipment on the table. Healthy food.
Source: Shutterstock

To prevent the molding of seeds, add a packet to the container. 

Keep Spice Rack Dry

Farms vintage Spice Rack or Storage Cabinet: Wall Mount - Display Shelf, Six Glass Bottleson rural background village life
Source: Shutterstock

Tape a pack into your spice cabinet to prevent humidity and molding. 

Prevent Silver Tarnishing

closed wooden box.empty wooden box white background.wooden box isolated white background.wood box.Wood chest of jewelry.Thai handmade wood chest.
Source: Shutterstock

Slow the process of silver tarnishing by placing a silica pack in your jewelry box and silverware drawer. 

Keep Pet Food Dry

White female hand scooping up a portion of brown dog food kibble with a small bright pink measuring cup spoon from a plastic container to feed pet toy poodles
Source: Shutterstock

Keep pet food dry by placing it in a container with a silica packet taped to the lid. 

Keep Storage Dry

A smiling woman folds her clothes and puts them in metal and jute baskets. The concept of space organization and storage.
Source: Shutterstock

Place some silica packets wherever you store leather coats, purses, and shoes to keep them fresh while in storage. 

Read More: The 4-Inch Kitchen Space You Keep Neglecting but Should Really Use for Storage

Keep Video Tapes Dry

VHS video tape
Source: Shutterstock

If you collect video tapes, keep a few packets nearby to keep them dry. 

Keep Car Humidity Away

Driver view to the speedometer at 59 kmh or 59 mph, on a road blurred in motion, night fall view from inside a car of driver POV of the road landscape.
Source: Shutterstock

Keep some silica packs on the dashboard in your car to keep the windshield and fog-free on humid days. [2] 

How to “recharge” silica packets  

Silica gel, many desiccant bags
Source: Shutterstock

Unfortunately, silica packets are limited in their water-absorbing abilities. The good news is when they become ineffective, they could be “recharged” in the oven or microwave and be ready for use again. Here’s how: 

Using an Oven  

Cropped view of woman hand open glass door on electric oven, cooking food at home. Concept of household appliance, baking equipment at kitchen. Female using microwave to heat meal
Source: Shutterstock

Step 1:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.  

Step 2:

Place the silica gel packets onto the foil-lined baking pan. For loose silica gel, spread the granules across the sheet, but ensure the layer is no more than two inches thick. 

Step 3:

Place the baking sheet inside the preheated oven and bake for several hours. The baking time can range from 1 to 12 hours depending on the thickness of the silica gel. The general rule is baking for 1 ½ hours for every 30 ounces of silica gel. 

Step 4:

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Allow the silica gel to cool to room temperature on the baking sheet. DO NOT touch the gel until they are completely cool as they are hot enough to burn when they come out of the oven. 

Step 5:

Store the cooled and now moisture-free silica gel packet in an airtight container until they are needed. 

Using a Microwave  

Modern Stainless Steel Microwave Oven:This high-quality stock photo captures a sleek, modern microwave oven made of stainless steel. The image highlights the minimalist design and digital control pane
Source: Shutterstock

Step 1:

Place the silica gel into a microwave-safe container and place it into the microwave. 

Step 2:

Heat the silica gel for three to five minutes on medium to medium-high heat. 

Step 3:

Examine the silica gel for some color change, which is a sign that the gel is recharged or dry. If it is not dry, stir the gel with a spoon (careful not to touch the hot silica) and place the container back into the microwave for another three to five minutes. 

Step 4:

Continue checking the gel for that color change and microwaving for another three to five minutes until the gel is completely dry. Let the silica gel cool to room temperature before use.  

Step 5:

Store the cooled and now moisture-free silica gel packet in an airtight container until they are ready for use. 

Read More: This Woman DIY’ed a Floor Out of 7,500 Pennies and It’s Stunning

Sources

  1. “4 surprising things you never knew you could do with silica gel packets.” Christina Poletto. Today. December 21, 2016 
  2. ” How to Reuse Silica Gel Packets.” Cy Tottleben. Tree Hugger. May 29, 2020 
  3. ” How to Recharge Silica Gel.” Amanda Flanigan. EHow. August 31, 2017