Let’s talk about those little silica gel packets you get in your new shoes and bag.
I used to wonder what the hell those things were doing in my packages (bags and shoes to be precise) and the fact that it read ‘Throw away, do not eat’ just escalated my curiosity. I mean why didn’t they toss them themselves. Why put trash in my new heels.
The packets are full of small grains of silicon dioxide in solid form. The technical name is silica xerogel, but no one is here to try to sound cute. So silica gel it is.
I decided to find out what they are used for. And my oh my. If this a moment of new info for you, you will love this. Maybe next time you won’t follow the instructions on it. Of course, with the exception of eating. Please don’t eat them.
The gel is a desiccant, which means it absorbs and holds water. The gel packs suck up water vapor from the air and keep our new products dry and fresh. Here are some ways you can use them.
Dry Your Swimsuit/Bikini While Traveling
Who else has been caught up in this mess. You have to travel, you don’t want to travel with dirty bikini so you decide to wash it but by the time you are leaving it’s still a little wet and no time to let it air dry? That is annoying as hell. And gross, can’t forget gross.
Well fix this with Silica gel packs. Throw your swimsuit/bikini in a large zip-top bag filled with silica gel packs (Be generous with it). Seal the bag tightly and let the silica wick away all the moisture from your bikini.
Freshen a Gym Bag
Since we are on the subject of wet and gross swimsuit, how about a funky gym bag. In most cases you just throw your sweaty workout clothes and sneakers in the bag. Now, with the moisture, comes sweat and of course bacteria. Next time just keep a few silica gel packs in the bag and they will wick away some of that moisture.
Save a Water damaged cell Phone
I won’t talk about phone dropping in the toilet. What business does a dump got to do with your phone? We are not going to take multitasking to this level. Seriously Stop the obsession with those little gadgets. Now for any other reason, don’t panic, dry it, remove the sim card fill a plastic bag with the packs and slip your phone in it. Seal the bag and let the gel suck all the moisture from your phone.
*Disclaimer* Don’t be quick to turn on the phone. This could cause an electrical short and ruin your phone. Leave it for few hours preferably 48 hours or more.
Protect your jewelry From Tarnishing
Now you can save your dull silver jewelry make it shiny and wear it a little bit longer thanks to a packet of silica gel. When you notice your jewelry starts tarnishing, humidity has played a role. And the answer is right in front of you. keep a few silica gel packs in your jewelry box or drawer.
Defog a Windscreen
Clear your foggy windscreen. Easy fix, Pop a few on the dashboard to prevent moisture build-up that causes condensation on the inside of the windscreen. The packs will absorb some of the excess moisture caused by humidity and keep your windshields less foggy.
Dry Flowers Faster
Received special flowers and want to preserve them in a vase? I mean you could let them dry out which sometimes backfires or you can speed up the process. Place a bouquet in a plastic bag with silica gel packs,
Stop Camera Condensation
Cameras are hugely owned nowadays. With the increase in blogging, vlogging and photographers’, the cameras are the next phones. Nothing’s more frustrating than a foggy camera lens caused by condensation. Remove your battery, memory card, and lens and place them into a bowl of silica gel packs to suck up all that excess moisture.
Preserve Razor Blades
Razor blades tend to oxidize so quickly. This could be due to storing your razors in the open air, which then exposes them to moisture. Next time after shaving, just keep the wet blades in a jar filled with silica gel packs.
Keep important documents safe.
Moisture can damage important documents such as birth certificates, school certs, title deed, social security cards, etc) store them in folders in a desk, cabinet, box, or envelopes, then add a few packets of silica gel to keep them protected.
Protect your make-up
Putting a pack or two in your makeup bag will stop your powder-based makeup from going claggy and difficult to apply.
Bonus tip on reusing – regenerate the packs in a 200-degree oven for about two hours and store them in an airtight Ziploc bag until you need them.
These are just a few. there are so many different ways to reuse silica gel packets, Do you have any more ideas about how to use them? Leave a suggestion or tip below!
Ref: style caster
ELEKSIE PLATFORMS
Web www.eleksie.co.ke | Instagram @eleksie_africa | Facebook: @elexyfashiontalk
