11 Uses For Silica Gel That Will Surprise You

You may not have heard of this product before, but find out that silica gel is present almost everywhere. For example, we can find it in most paper shopping bags or in shoe boxes. Discover below the main uses for silica gel.

If you don’t know the role of silica gel, you should definitely ignore it or just throw it in the trash. This product is a granular and porous form of silicon dioxide, made of sodium silicate, water and a glass compound.

Because the silica gel sachets are porous, they keep in perfect condition various products that can be destroyed if they are stored for too long. But the manufacturers recommend that we remove the silica gel as soon as we start using a purchased product, the sachets being fragile and can break easily.

Silica gel – a short history

Silica gel appeared around 1640 and is famous in the scientific community. However, although it has been used for various purposes since its invention, silica gel was patented only in 1919 by Prof. Walter A. Patrick.

This product was used in gas chambers during the Holocaust to absorb gases and vapors from those terrible rooms. Also, the silica gel was used in WWII to keep reserves penicillin optimally, helping to save millions of lives.

11 uses for silica gel

Silica gel is a drying agent that can be used for various purposes in the household. The gel itself is not toxic, but sometimes certain harmful compounds (such as cobalt chloride, for example) are added to the silica gel sachets to amplify the effects of the product.

The silica gel granules in the sachets are usually transparent or whitish and turn blue or pink when watered. Product toxicity information is written on the sachets. In the following we will present you some uses for silica gel that will surprise you.

Drying of flowers

Imagine that there is a certain flower that you want to keep longer for sentimental reasons or simply because it looks beautiful to you. For this purpose, you have the option of covering the flower with silica gel. Make sure it is completely covered and wait two to three days (maximum five) until it dries completely.

Polishing silver objects

As you well know, moisture destroys the luster of silver. You can avoid this problem by inserting a sachet of silica gel into the box in which you keep the object.

Protect old photos

As the years go by, the old photo paper may be damaged. To protect your photos, store them together with a silica gel sachet.

Preventing the unpleasant smell of wet clothes

When going to the pool, beach or gym, you may need to store wet clothes in your backpack or bag. To keep them from smelling bad, put a few sachets of silica gel in the bag or backpack in which you store them.

Preservation of metal parts

Moisture causes oxidation and rusting of iron, which can destroy tools and instruments made of this metal. Insert a silica gel sachet into your tool kit to avoid this problem.

Seed storage

Seeds can rot if exposed to moisture for long periods of time. You can avoid this by storing them with silica gel sachets.

Drying of mobile phones

Sometimes it can happen that our electronic devices get wet. In such cases, you can usually put the device in a bag of rice until it dries.

But this habit can be counterproductive, as the device is exposed to rice dust. Silica gel can perform the same function, absorbing the moisture to which the electronic device has been exposed.

Other uses for silica gel

• To prevent condensation from forming inside your car, place a sachet of silica gel under the seat.
• The litter sands for cats are made of silica gel, which is why they absorb the urine of these animals so well.
• You can use silica gel to keep your food in perfect condition. But be careful not to contain toxic additives and never consume it.
• Silica gel can protect cameras and their lenses from water damage.

There are many uses for silica gel, so you should never throw the envelopes in the trash. From time to time, this product can be a reliable ally.