Six ways to use sachets with silica gel

When you buy shoes or packaged goods, you may find small white bags of granules at the bottom of the box. These are silica gel, a super absorbent.

Don't throw these bags away because they can provide you with services you don't even know you need. This was written by Sante Plus.

Read also: Six washing mistakes that make clothes smell bad

What is silica gel?

Silica gel is a mineral-based material sold in various forms: granules, pearls or balls. It is used for its dehydrating and absorbing properties. Its role is to absorb moisture from the environment to protect various products during transport or storage. That's why it can be found in the packaging of shoes, clothing, high-tech items, as well as in boxes of medicines and cosmetics or in museum display cases.

Please note that there are 2 types of silica gel to choose from depending on the application:

• industrial silica gel for objects;
• food grade silica gel for food or pharmaceutical products.

Silica gel can be white or coloured, but this does not change its absorbency. Coloured gel simply changes colour when it becomes saturated and needs to be renewed. Silica gel is non-toxic and not dangerous, but it is best to leave it in its packaging, wash your hands after work and, of course, do not swallow it.

Read also: Five ways to preserve the colour of your clothes in the machine

How to reuse silica gel

1. Rescue a wet mobile phone. If you drop your phone into water or spill something on the device, first switch it off, wipe it clean and use silica gel.

After you have wiped the phone, remove the case, dry the connectors with an absorbent cloth, and if possible, remove the battery, SIM card, and memory card, drying them separately.

Place your smartphone in an airtight bag or box, completely covering it with a large amount of silica gel granules for 48 hours. Be careful not to let the granules get stuck in the connectors. The gel, thanks to its absorbency, can save your phone. This method is much more effective than the rice method.

2. Dry clothes. If you come back from the beach or the pool and your clothes are still wet, don't worry. Put them in a bag with a few sachets of silica gel, and your clothes will dry safely. There will be no smell of moisture or mould.

3. Eliminate unpleasant odours. If your bag or sports shoes emit an unpleasant sweat smell, or if your locker or closet smells musty, take action. A few silica sachets placed inside will absorb all the moisture and eliminate unwanted odours.

4. Fighting rust and oxidation. By absorbing ambient moisture, silica gel prevents metal objects from oxidising. This way, you can protect your jewellery, silverware and even tools, not to mention razor blades that will last longer.

5. Eliminate windscreen fogging. What could be more unpleasant than driving with a foggy windscreen? To solve this problem, simply place silica gel sachets on the dashboard along the windscreen.

6. Protect your photos and collections. If you have collections of stamps, photographs or old books, silica gel will be a valuable ally to help keep them dry in good conditions.

We would like to remind you that you can remove the unpleasant smell in your car with the help of simple things that are in every kitchen.

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