5 Ways To Re-Use Those Pesky Silica Gel Packets

 So now that you know what this stuff is and are remembering how many times you have thrown them away…

1. The first thing these packets are great for is drying out a wet cell phone.  This one is all too often needed.  If your phone falls victim to a spill, pool or toilet bowl, these packets can help dry it out.  First thing is to power it off IMMEDIATELY.  Do NOT try to see if it will work.  (It probably will, BTW, for a few seconds, and then it will be permanently destroyed.)  So, turn it off, remove the battery and memory cards (if applicable) and then leave it in a bowl of silica packets at LEAST overnight before powering it back on.  Dry rice can also work for this but a combination of both, making sure the phone was covered on all sides would be more powerful.

2. Since oxidation on razor blades can cause premature dulling, it would make sense to keep the blades as dry as possible to extend the life of the blade.  After a shave, rinse and dry the razor and then store it in a container full of silica packets.

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3. If you bring your camera out in the cold, it can fight extreme condensation when you bring it back into a warm room.  Instead of leaving the camera to work all this out alone, take out the memory card and battery and the the camera snuggle in a container of silica packets while you warm your feet by the fire.

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4.  For the fishermen and ladies out there, this suggestion was submitted by popularmechanics.com reader:

“Being an avid fly fisherman, I use silica to dry out my flies when fishing on a favorite stream. I crush or ground the silica into powder form, then place it in a film canister. When my fly becomes waterlogged, I place it into the canister, put the cap on, shake it for a bit, and voilà—my fly is dry again.”

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5.  Manufacturers obviously use silica packets to keep packaged food fresh longer and you can do the same.  Keep some in your brown sugar, you spice drawer, your dried fruit, tea and and any other place you want your food to stay fresh longer.  Be sure of course, to make sure the packets are in good condition and sealed up completely.

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Have you known that you could re-use silica packets?  Where did you learn this?  What do you use them for?

Thanks to our article source at popularmechanics.com.