Whether you’ve purchased shoes or dried food, we’ve all seen those silica gel packs that come inside the package. They’re meant to help keep out moisture and maintain a food’s freshness. Most of the time, those packs end up straight in the garbage because we don’t find any use for them. As it turns out it can be used for a lot of things!Here are 50+ super nifty and clever ways to use silica gel packs around the home.
You’ll definitely want to start hanging on to them from now on.
1) Maintain and preserve your photos
Photo albums and scrapbooks are wonderful ways to preserve memories. But if they sit in a humid or moisture-prone area, the photos can start to curl or disintegrate. Before storing your photo albums or scrapbooks, place silica gel packs in between the pages. They’ll help absorb any moisture, keeping your photos in pristine condition.
2) Keep important documents intact
Many of us have storage bins or file storage where we keep our important documents. We usually don’t have to access the documents very often, so they usually sit in a garage or attic being exposed to moist air. Throw in a few silica gel packs to the storage bin to keep the documents protected and safe.
3) Preserve Christmas ornaments
Since you only take out your holiday decor one time a year, keep them preserved nicely with some silica gel packs. Just throw a couple inside the storage boxes and you can be assured your special ornaments will be kept in pristine condition.
4) Reuse them time and time again
“We save our silica gel packets too! They will collect moisture and quit working, though, so we regenerate them in a 200 degree oven for about 2 hours and store them in an airtight Ziploc bag until we need them,” says the Feral Turtle.
5) Help absorb odor from dirty clothes
Keep a few silica gel packs at the bottom of your hamper to help absorb and eliminate odors from stinky, dirty clothes. They’ll stay nice and stink-free until you have time to do the laundry.
6) Store them with hearing aids
If you wear hearing aids, be sure to store them with some silica gel packs when you’re not wearing them. The packets will help absorb any moisture on the hearing aids, keeping them operating efficiently for as long as possible.
7) Another way to ‘recharge’ them
Another way to bring silica gel packs back to life is to place them in the hot sun on a sunny, dry day. Be sure to leave them out for a few hours and they’ll ‘recharge’ and be as good as new.
8) Put them in your gun safe
Another place to keep silica gel packs is your gun safe. By placing them in the storage unit with your guns and ammo, they’ll help prevent any rusting from taking place.
9) Protect your silver jewelry
Wherever you keep your silver jewelry, place a few silica gel packs alongside your jewelry pieces. By doing this, it will help prevent the silver from tarnishing, saving you time in the future by not having to polish them so often.
10) Store them with Polaroids
Polaroid photos were popular a couple of decades ago and now they’re making a comeback. Over time, Polaroid photos can lose their clarity and vibrancy. Keep them looking beautiful by storing them with silica gel packs.
11) Keep geocache items moisture-free
Geocaching is becoming a more and more popular hobby around the world. But often times, the hidden geocache containers can sit outside for days, weeks, or even months! Keep the items moisture-free by storing them with some silica gel packs.
12) Preserve your craft supplies
Keep all of your crafting supplies in perfect condition by keeping out moisture. Place a few silica gel packets inside the bins where you store delicate fabrics or papers to keep them from becoming damaged by moisture.
13) Keep some in your medicine cabinet
Be sure to keep a few silica gel packs in your medicine cabinet–especially if your medicine cabinet is located in your bathroom. They’ll keep your medicine and vitamins preserved and fresh for longer by absorbing any moisture in the area.
14) Keep them near your sewing station
Do you like to sew? Silica gel packs can help prevent your sewing needles and supplies from rusting. Keep a few of them near or on your pin cushions to maintain the integrity of your sewing supplies.
15) Store them with guitars
Humidity is horrible for guitars made out of wood. After playing guitar, place the instrument inside a case with some silica gel packs. They’ll help absorb any moisture, keeping the wood and strings of the guitar in a perfect moisture-free condition.
16) Place some in your tackle box
Toss a few silica gel packs in your fishing tackle box. The packets will absorb moisture and humidity which will prevent your hooks and lures from rusting.
17) Prevent rusted nails in a toolbox
Your tackle box isn’t just a great place to keep silica gel packets, but your toolbox is another perfect place for them. They’ll prevent your nails and screws from rusting–this is a wonderful tip if you happen to live in a humid area.
18) Keep powdered laundry detergent from clumping
If you use powdered laundry detergent, you’ve probably noticed that after a while there are some big clumps in the box. Prevent this by tossing in a silica gel packs–the detergent will stay in its powdered form.
19) Help save over-watered plants
Did you accidentally pour too much water in that plant or flower pot? Don’t worry! Just place a couple of silica gel packets on top of the soil and place it outside in the sun. The packets will absorb the excess moisture in no time.
20) Prevent electric guitar deformations
When stored in humid conditions, electric guitars can become warped and deformed in their necks and bodies. Store them with silica gel packets to prevent that from happening.
21) Keep inside closets
No one likes clothes, towels, or linens that smell like musty mildew. Throw some silica gel packs in every closet of your home to prevent that from happening. Your belongings will stay odor- and moisture-free.
22) Preserve coin collections
Is coin collecting a pastime of yours? Preserve the condition of your coins by keeping them stored with silica gel packs. They’ll be kept in pristine condition for you to admire.
23) Keep silica packets in your makeup drawer
Here’s a super handy tip if you happen to live in a humid or wet area. Keep a few silica gel packets in your makeup drawer to extend the life of your makeup–especially powdered makeup like compacts, eyeshadows, bronzers, and blush.
24) Place multiple packets in an undriven car
Do you have a car that sits in your driveway or garage because it’s not driven very often? Prevent musty odors and moisture damage by placing a few silica packets in different areas of the car like the glove box, under seats, and in the trunk.
25) Preserve sensitive electronics
Keep your sensitive electronics in pristine working order by storing them with silica gel packs. As you know, water and moisture are the enemies of electrical equipment and the gel packs will prevent any moisture from accumulating on sensitive equipment.
26) Save your phone from water damage
If you’ve accidentally dropped your phone into water or a liquid, save it with some silica gel packs. Quickly remove the phone from the water, dry it off, remove the SIM card, and put it in a Ziplock bag with a few silica gel packets to draw out any remaining moisture.
27) Preserve important collectibles
Store important collectibles, like rare baseball cards, with some silica gel packets. The moisture-absorbing packets will preserve and extend the life of your collectibles, keeping them in great condition.
28) Toss some in your storage unit
Renting a storage unit to store furniture and unused items is a great way to keep them out of your home and preventing clutter. But sometimes, leaving these items untouched over time can leave them susceptible to moisture damage. Keep your items preserved and safe by tossing some large silica gel packets in your storage unit.
29) Restore and preserve books
Books, especially vintage or old books, can gather a musty smell over time. Remove the musty smell and prevent it from happening again by placing some silica gel packets inside the pages or covers, or behind them on a bookshelf.
30) Keep with embossing powders
If embossing powders are something that you use frequently, be sure to keep some silica gel packets on hand. They’ll prevent the powder from clumping and ensure that they stay free from moisture.
31) Make your own DIY silica gel packs
You can make your own silica gel packs by placing loose silica gel beads into an empty, dry tea bag or coffee filter. Want to learn how? Head over to Hunker for different tutorials on how to make them at home.
32) Keep them in your phone case
Place a small silica gel packet in between your phone and your phone case. This will prevent any moisture from gathering, keeping your phone in perfect working condition without any worry about water build-up.
33) Store them with gardening seeds
If you have an extra flower, veggie, or plant seeds, be sure to store them with some silica gel packs. They’ll absorb excess moisture and prevent the seeds from becoming moldy.
34) Dry out flowers
Dry out small flowers for arts and crafts projects with the help of silica gel packets. Place the flowers in a small bowl and empty out the silica beads inside the bowl. They’ll dehydrate the flowers while still helping maintain their color.
35) Add to your camera bag
Store some silica gel packets inside your camera bag. This will help protect your lenses and other equipment from unwanted moisture and humidity which can ruin photography equipment.
36) Store with camping gear
Protect and preserve your camping gear by storing it alongside a few large silica gel packets. Often times we fold up our tents or sleeping bags without realizing there is some trapped moisture. Silica gel packs will help get rid of that.
37) Place inside boots and shoes
Absorb odors and excess moisture from your boots and shoes by throwing a few silica gel packets inside them before storing. No more stinky, musty shoes sitting in the closet.
38) Prevent window condensation
If the windows in your home are prone to condensation, place a few silica gel packets in a bowl on the window sill. They’ll help absorb that excess moisture and prevent the condensation from occurring.
39) Preserve vintage or antique silverware
“Place them in the box with antique or family silver utensils and serving dishes to prevent them from tarnishing,” says Make Life Lovely. This will ensure you have the silverware for years to come.
40) Store with seasonal clothing
Prevent your seasonal clothing from becoming moldy and musty when they’re not in use by storing them with some silica gel packets. Perfect for storing wool sweaters or jackets during the warmer summer months.
41) Keep inside your computer case
Be sure to toss in a silica gel packet or two inside your computer or laptop case. This will prevent any unwanted moisture from accumulating and damaging your expensive computer.
42) Store with incense sticks or cones
Prevent your incense sticks or cones from becoming unusable due to moisture by storing them alongside silica gel packs. They’ll stay fresh and burnable for longer.
43) Prevent tin cans from rusting
Whether you hold onto tin cans for future use or have a tin flower or plant pots, prevent them from rusting by storing them with silica gel packets inside. They’ll stay rust-free for as long as you need them to.
44) Prevent clumpy dishwasher detergent
Much like powder laundry detergent, powder dishwasher detergent can become clumpy when exposed to moisture. Prevent that from happening by dropping a silica gel packet into the detergent container.
45) Keep welding rods dry
The last thing someone wants is for their welding rods to be exposed to moisture. Prevent this from happening by storing them with a large silica gel pack. No moisture and no rust.
46) Store in unused suitcases
When your luggage and suitcases aren’t in use, be sure to place a silica gel packet or two inside them before storing them away. This will help prevent any mold or musty smells from developing.
47) Place inside out-of-season purses
Do you have a purse that you store away during certain seasons? Place a few silica gel packets inside before storing in a bin or your closet. When it’s time to use it again, it will smell fresh, clean, and free from mold.
48) Keep some in your gym bag
Placing your sweaty gym clothes in your gym bag week after week can lead to a pretty stinky bag. Keep a few silica gel packets at the bottom of the bag to keep it smelling fresh by absorbing any stinky odors.
49) Place inside DVD cases
Living in a humid area can pose a lot of problems, including warped DVDs and CDs. Prevent this from happening by placing a silica gel pack inside each case before storing them.
50) Keep underwater cameras dry when stored
“Waterproof cameras are super 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 packets in the camera case or with the camera. It will dry all of the excess water out,” says My Thirty Spot.
51) Extend the life of razor blades
Moisture and oxidation are the two main reasons why razor blades dull quickly. To extend the life of your razor, keep a plastic container full of silica gel beads in your bathroom. After shaving, blot the razor dry and store inside the container.
52) Add to your beach bag
When changing out of your swimsuit after a day at the beach, place it in a bag with some silica gel packets. It will help absorb moisture, making it easier to fully dry once you get home. The more gel packs, the better.
53) Preserve bulk pet food
If you buy dry pet food in bulk, you might have noticed that it can get soggy over time depending on where you live and how you store it. Prevent this by placing some silica gel packets in the container or bag.
54) Keep on your dashboard
“Stash some packets away in your car, especially on your dashboard. This will help maintain a clear windshield and leave it less foggy during times of high humidity,” says My Thirty Spot.
55) Preserve your jack-o-lantern at Halloween
Carving pumpkins is one of the most fun pastimes during the Halloween season, but as you know, they can quickly become soggy and moldy, losing their fun jack-o-lantern shape. Keep them fresh by sticking a silica gel bead inside the interior flesh of the pumpkin. Use 3/4 grams of silica for every 100 cubic inches of pumpkin.
Who knew that those silica gel packets that come inside our vitamin containers could be so incredibly useful? Instead of tossing them out, be sure you hang out to them to use them around your home in so many clever ways!