The silica gel packets you find in the pockets of your clothes after a shopping day or within the bag of your beef jerky snack come with a stern, scary warning: “Throw away. Do not eat.” But as long as you don’t eat them, you actually don’t need to throw them away. Instead, you can reuse the silica packets. They contain desiccant, a drying agent, used by manufacturers to help keep moisture from damaging clothing or electronics during shipping. They’re also found in packaged foods since they help keep your favorite snack fresh. It turns out these little packets aren’t just for one-time use, either. They actually can be used indefinitely with a few simple steps. If you think indefinite uses sounds like a stretch, think again. These packets can be used a number of ways right inside your own home. A lesson in sustainability TikTok creator @trash.dates recently posted a series of videos explaining why you shouldn’t throw out those silica packets. They also showed off their impressive stash. In the video, they shared that the packets absorb moisture in the air and described how to make them reusable. By putting the packets in the sun to dry out, you can endlessly reuse them. Some are even color-coded to let you know when the packets are full of moisture and need to be dried out, and when they’re ready for use again. In this video, orange beads signify the packet is dry. When they’re blue, they’re full of moisture. @trash.dates Hating our wasteful nature #fyp #savetheplanet #reuse #silicagel #reducewaste ♬ a punk – 3 minute audios There is one caveat the creator points out: the powerful drying agent in the packet can irritate your eyes, nose, throat, or skin. So, you’ll want to be careful not to handle a broken packet, or, as the warning says, eat them. The internet had hacks, too While some TikTok users had more questions than answers about how to use these silica packets (more on that below), others weighed in with their own hacks for reusing the product. “I put them in my car to prevent mold and prevent the fog condensation in the morning,” one user wrote.  “A tip from a silversmith: these can also be put in your jewelry box to reduce moisture & keep your pieces from tarnishing!!! Especially sterling silver,” another added. “I use them for everything … if you live in a humid environment don’t forget to put them near your makeup powders,” said another user.  “I toss these behind the books on my bookshelf to keep the pages from getting moldy,” one another added. More uses than you think The popularity of the first video and a comment section filled with people learning about this hack for the first time prompted trash.dates to make a follow-up. This one features a handful of ways to use these “forbidden packets.” Unfortunately, using rice to dry out your moisture-logged phone may be a myth. But, the drying agent in these silica packets can actually help. Simply place a few of them in a bag with your phone or your laptop after you spill your morning coffee on it. The video also suggests using them to help seeds, spices, and food stay fresh longer.  Storing foods with silica gel packets can help preserve freshness. Photo credit: Flickr. Practical practices Drying flowers using the packets also has a different result than hanging them to dry. According to the video, the silica packets help preserve the color of the flowers and prevent them from looking crunchy. Like some users mentioned on the previous video, the silica packets can also help keep your jewelry from oxidizing. They’re also great for keeping metal, like silverware or tools, from rusting. Have some funky-smelling sneakers, a gym bag, or sports equipment? Stick these babies in there. Camping gear in your garage? You guessed it—these will help keep your sleeping bag and tent dry and mold-free when you aren’t using them. Good for prevention For people who live in cold climates, silica packets can help reduce condensation and freezing on the inside of your windshield. Those annoying winter drives just got a lot easier to navigate. They’re also great for preventing mold and mildew in household places like under sinks, in storage tote bins, and in the laundry room, according to the creator. You may also keep them with important documents to reduce the risk of water damage. @trash.dates I truly didn’t expect so many of you to have already saved and found incredible use for silica gel! list compiled below! -saving wet electronics -storing seeds -keeping the inside of your car from fogging/FREEZING -drying flowers (beads only) -keeps jewelry from oxidizing -keeps food fresh longer -keeps books from molding -keeps silverware & other metal from RUSTING -fights funky bacteria in gym/sports bags -prevents mold in camping gear -keeping laundry rooms & under sinks dryer -keeping storage items from bad moisture buildup -fights moisture in any humid environment -keeps inside of shoes/skates/blades/boots fresher -keeps important documents safer -all around great to fight/prevent water damage -keeping products from clumping Did we forget anything?? Drop a comment below! PS: DO NOT ASK CHAT. Chat knows NOTHING of the human experience. #reduce #reuse #recycle #fyp #silicagel ♬ Reduce Reuse Recycle – Blake Rules & Netherfriends Don’t forget to recharge While using the silica packets to keep your prized possessions dry and tarnish-free is relatively simple, there’s one step you might not realize you need to do. Every so often, you’ll need to dry them out so they can absorb more moisture, a process trash.dates calls “recharging.” Even those who already save and reuse the packets didn’t know this. “I’ve been using them in my linen closet, but didn’t realize I needed to ‘recharge’ them in the sunlight, thank you!” said one user. One final video in this mini-series shows the two best ways to “recharge” a packet. First, you can let them dry in the sun as mentioned. Second, you can spread them out on a paper towel, add another paper towel on top of them, and place a regular plate on top of that to hold them in place. Then, pop them in the microwave for two-minute intervals until they are dry and ready to store. @trash.dates Just a girl and her microwave #reuse #silicagel #sustainability #fyp ♬ Fresh Affiliate – DJ BAI “This is information I’m going to share with everyone at work tomorrow. thanks for using your brain and other people’s help to put this list together,” one user said. So, the next time you’re about to head to the garbage can with these silica packets in tow, don’t. Instead, save them up and use—and reuse—them to help cut down on moisture and its pesky effects around your home. The post Those silica gel packets are actually endlessly reusable, and so useful appeared first on Upworthy.