20 Ways to Reuse Silica Gel Packs Instead of Throwing Them Away
Watch the video or read the article below – your choice. Either way – you’ll find 20 great ways to reuse silica gel packs. Also, are they toxic? (And 2 bonus tips too!).
You see silica gel packs all the time in boxes – with new shoes, some medicines, a camera.
But don’t throw them out (even though it says so on the pack).
What IS Silica Gel, Anyway?
Silica gel is a desiccant, which means that it absorbs and holds water vapor from the surrounding air. That makes these little packs really useful because they help to dry things out.
Reuse!
Here are 20 great ways to reuse them – and of course, re-using things is very green and eco friendly, and saves you money too!
1 Pet Food
Have you noticed that if you buy a big bag of pet food, it can get soggy? Store your crunchies in a bin, and tape some silica gel packs underneath the lid.
2 Silver
Moisture can lead to tarnish and corrosion on silver cutlery and jewellery. Slip a silica gel pack in with your cutlery, your silver chest or jewelry box to keep those items tarnish-free and looking great!
3 Old Photos
I bet you’ve got some precious old photos that you’re keeping. Problem is, they can really deteriorate – for example, they might stick together if they get damp. Then they’re permanently damaged, and you can’t get new ones! So, put old photos into a box with silica bags to protect them. The same goes for collectables (e.g. baseball cards), memorabilia, etc.
4 Documents
And what about important documents such as Birth Certificates, shares, policies and more? If you store them in a safe, put some silica gel packs inside with your documents. If they’re in an envelope or bag, pop some silica in with them too.
5 Phones
What happens if your phone gets wet? You can dry it with rice, but silica gel packs are even better. Remove the battery and cards, then store the phone in an airtight bag, jar or other container with several silica gel packs.
6 Cameras
Waterproof cameras are great fun but sometimes the condensation can end up damaging the camera or leave a fog streak across your lens. Stop this from happening by storing a packet or two of silica gel in the camera case or with the camera.
But even a normal camera can give problems – for example if you take it out into the cold and then bring it back into a warm room. If you get condensation, remove all removable parts and place it somewhere airtight with several silica gel packs.
7 Luggage
Keep a few silica packs in your luggage to keep it moisture- and odour-free. This can really help to extend the life of your luggage.
8 Sports Bags
Keep silica in your gym bag to stop mould from growing, and also help to eliminate smells. Same idea for your skate bag.
9 Shoes
Pop a pack into your shoes to banish smells.
10 Make-Up Bags
Use silica gel packs to absorb any extra moisture inside your make-up bag or travel bag that may have been created by spills or splashes.
11 Wet Clothes
At the end of a holiday, you may be faced with packing a wet bikini or swimsuit into your suitcase – that’s not ideal.
Put wet clothes into a plastic bag with several silica gel packs and they will remove some of the moisture (not all the moisture, but they will help).
12 Pills and Vitamins
You will often find Silica Gel packs enclosed with packets of dried foods, pills, and vitamins. This is because moisture can lead to mould and spoil these items. And where do we most often store tablets? In the bathroom – a very humid environment. Moisture can get into the container each time it is opened, which can lead to any coatings being prematurely dissolved. Silica gel packs can help preserve their freshness.
13 Crafts
Silica packs can help to dry flowers more quickly. If you like to sew, or if you use fabric for craft projects, keep a few of the silica packs with the fabric in a Ziplock bag or box to keep the moisture out.
14 Books
Got old books going musty? Pop them into an airtight container with a couple of silica packs and the smell will go. Any damage won’t be undone, but your books will be more pleasant to handle.
15 Razor Blades
Put your razor blades in an airtight container with some silica bags. The blades will dry out and so last longer. You save money, and it’s green when you make things last longer because you’re not buying as much new stuff. Keep an airtight container with silica gel nearby and after shaving, blot dry your razor and store the razor in the closed container.
16 Gardening
If you enjoy gardening and save your own seeds for planting next year, you need to make sure they don’t go moldy. Store different seeds in small envelopes and then put them all in an airtight container together with a silica gel pack. You only need one per shoe box-sized container.
17 Car De-Fogging
Put some silica bags on your car dashboard – they may help to save time de-misting / de-fogging your windscreen.
18 Windows
If you notice that the windows in your house seem to have formed some condensation in between panes, store some packs on the sill to help absorb that moisture. (Just be careful that children and pets won’t find them).
19 Tools
Add silica gel packs to tool box drawers to prevent rust on tools.
20 Stored Stuff
Use silica packs wherever you store stuff – from holiday decorations to garage or basement storage. Your items will keep better and last longer in good condition.
Are Silica Gel Packs Toxic?
A lot of people ask me if silica gel packs are toxic.
Well, on its own, silica is not toxic.
However, some manufacturers add extra ingredients to their packs, and you won’t always know what those ingredients are. And the packs can be a choking hazard.
So my advice is to use them responsibly and don’t leave them where kids or animals can get hold of them.
And to end, here are 2 useful Bonus Tips:
Bonus Tip 1: If you don’t have enough silica bags, try white chalk instead. It’s not quite as good, but better than nothing.
Bonus Tip 2: If your silica gel packets don’t seem to be working any more, put them on a cookie sheet / baking tray in the oven at 200 F or 100 C for about an hour. Then you can reuse them again! When you’re not using them, store in an airtight container such as a jar or zipseal bag until you need them.
So, never throw out your silica gel packs again!
And please spread the word about how useful they can be – quick sharing buttons below and right.
Do you use them for other things? Let me know in the Comments below!
Warm regards,
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