Woman finds clever hacks using silica gel packets: 'They're infinitely reusable'

A Redditor was looking for a way to reuse desiccants included in pill bottles, and found lots of useful answers in the r/Frugal community. 

The scoop

Silica gel is a common sight in packaging. It absorbs moisture that might be otherwise destructive to the products it's included with. They're small bags that feel like they have beads inside, often with warnings not to open or eat. 

As silica absorbs moisture, it's eventually saturated, like a full sponge. However, it's possible to dry out silica gel to reuse it. 

Silica manufacturer AGM has some recommendations for recharging silica gel. It said silica gel can be dried at temperatures between 212 degrees Fahrenheit and 266 degrees Fahrenheit. That said, desiccants may be unable to recharge and can emit toxic fumes if overheated. For that reason, they suggest letting professionals dry out silica. 

How it's helping

AGM says that the cost of silica is low enough that simply replacing it is favorable to recharging it, but silica production still has an environmental cost.

About 40% of silica gel manufacturing costs are in energy usage, according to a report from PW Consulting Chemical & Energy Research Center. Reheating used silica gel at home prevents the emissions associated with energy use in manufacturing.  

What everyone's saying

The Reddit comments were very helpful in nailing down creative ways to reuse this packaging material. 

"Best use is where you keep important documents and photos. Mildew will harm video tape," said one community member. 

"I have a food dehydrator. Whenever I'm drying a load of food, I throw in some spent packets to recharge them," said the top-voted reply. "Then I toss a packet or two in with the final dried product, to help keep it dry. They're also good for helping your seeds last longer, if you save seeds for gardening."

"I've been saving my packets to empty for this use for a while; once used, you can dry the beads back out in a low oven, or if you get very dry days, in a tray in the sun," said another commenter. "They're infinitely reusable."

What do you usually do with your old electronics? Store them at home 📦 Donate them 🙏 Trade them for cash 🤝 Throw them away 🗑️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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