Seven 広大な／多数の／重要な things to do with those gel packets you always throw away

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You thought those little packets of silica gel that come in purses, handbags and shoeboxes were pointless at best and annoying at worst.

In fact, you せねばならない 持つ／拘留する の上に them, as they have a multitude of uses.?Silica gel is a desiccant, which means that it 吸収するs and 持つ／拘留するs water vapour from the surrounding 空気／公表する.

Our writer asked scientist and 製品 実験（する）ing 専門家 Dr David Elks, 研究室／実験室 経営者／支配人 at 製品 実験（する）ing 専門家s Intertek UK, for his 専門家 判決. From 乾燥した，日照りのing out a wet swimsuit to 延長するing the life of old かみそり blades, some of the uses might surprise you.

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Because silica gel is a desiccant and can 吸収する and 持つ／拘留する water vapour from the surroundi ng 空気／公表する there are lots of ways it can be used to 改善する things around the house

FRESHEN SMELLY GYM BAGS

A few silica gel packets in your gym 捕らえる、獲得する or locker can 減ずる damp and wipe out odour-creating bacteria. Pop them in your shoes to banish whiffy smells.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘Bacteria need several things to grow and moisture is one of them. Silica gel 奪うs the bacteria of the moisture they need, so they will become 活動停止中の rather than destroyed.’

DRY OUT YOUR MAKE-UP BAG

It’s so annoying when you 小衝突 your teeth and splash water into the make-up 捕らえる、獲得する by the 沈む.

But can silica gel help?

井戸／弁護士席, it can 吸収する 20 to 40 per cent of its own 負わせる. The gel is 十分な of tiny pores, which take in the moisture.

So a 10g 捕らえる、獲得する (the size you might find in ordinary 消費者 goods) can 吸収する up to four grams of water. You are ありそうもない to 流出／こぼす that much into your make-up 捕らえる、獲得する.

If you throw a few silica gel packets in your gym 捕らえる、獲得する or locker it will 減ずる damp and wipe out an odour-creating bacteria (picture 提起する／ポーズをとるd by model)?

You can also use silica gel packets to 吸収する any extra moisture inside your make-up 捕らえる、獲得する that may have been created by 流出／こぼすs or splashes?

EXPERT SAYS: ‘Silica gel will ce rtainly 乾燥した，日照りの water droplets. This will depend on the time 許すd and how small the droplets are,’ says Dr Elks.

‘The best way to get successful results might be to wipe the inside of the wash 捕らえる、獲得する first and then pop in the silica gel to soak up the residue.

‘Regenerate the silica periodically, because once it is saturated it will not 除去する any more water. This can be done on a radiator, in a microwave or in a 冷静な／正味の oven.’

PRESERVE BOUQUETS OF FLOWERS

Silica gel is a 井戸／弁護士席-known way of quickly 乾燥した，日照りのing out flowers, so you can keep a memento of a special occasion. Pop flowers into a plastic 捕らえる、獲得する with a few packets of silica gel.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘The moisture content of flowers might be high and so the desiccant 活動／戦闘 may be too slow,’ says Dr Elks.

乾燥した，日照りのing-out flowers is a 広大な／多数の／重要な way to keep a memento of a special occasion and it's even easier if you put the flowers into a plastic 捕らえる、獲得する with a few packets of silica gel?

‘This means decomposition kicks in and the flowers start to change 外見 やめる 劇的な.

‘Using more silica gel might help 速度(を上げる） up the 過程 and 改善する the 質 ― I would 示唆する trying four packets.’

DEAL WITH WET BIKINIS

Some recommend that if you’re packing wet 着せる／賦与するs, just throw a few packets of silica gel into the スーツケース to 吸収する the moisture.

Often, I get 支援する from holiday with a スーツケース 十分な of clean 着せる／賦与するs 加える a couple of wet bikinis that have infused the entire 事例／患者 with dampness.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘My thinking is, yes, throw the wet swimsuits into the 事例／患者, but if possible, pop them in plastic 捕らえる、獲得するs with the silica gel.

‘Remember, the silica gel does not have infinite 乾燥した，日照りのing capacity, so you should try to 限界 its 負担.’

いつかs when you're packing up after your holiday in a hurry you have to put in wet swimwear, throw a few packets of?silica gel into the スーツケース to 吸収する the moisture

The （名声などを）汚す that can appear on silverware is 現実に a 層 of corrosion, keep silver wrapped up with silica gel to 吸収する moisture and stop your silver turning 黒人／ボイコット

PROTECT SILVER FROM TARNISH

（名声などを）汚す is a 層 of corrosion that appears on silver に引き続いて a reaction between it and 化学製品s in the 空気／公表する. 湿度 急いでs the 過程 that turns your favourite pieces slowly from shiny to 黒人／ボイコット.

It’s 示唆するd that you keep silver wrapped up with a silica gel packet to 吸収する any 空気／公表する moisture.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘Keeping moisture away from silverware is best 達成するd by limitin g its （危険などに）さらす to damp 空気／公表する,’ says Dr Elks. ‘Plastic 捕らえる、獲得するs work 井戸／弁護士席 ― but then you can’t enjoy the sight of your finest silver!’

LOSE THE MUSTY SMELL OF OLD BOOKS

While a lot of people might love the musty smell of an old tome, some find it a turn-off.

Damp is the main 原因（となる） of that 独特の old smell. 簡単に pop your 調書をとる／予約する into a 捕らえる、獲得する with a few packets of silica gel and let them work their 魔法.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘Decomposition of paper is a コンビナート／複合体 化学製品 sequence. 限界ing the dampness may slow 負かす／撃墜する some of the 過程, but it is ありそうもない to 逆転する it 完全に,’ says Dr Elks.?

Some people love the smell of a dusty old 調書をとる／予約する, but not everyone. Put the 感情を害する／違反するing 調書をとる／予約する in a 捕らえる、獲得する with a few packets of silica gel and the smell will disappear

EXTEND THE LIFE OF RAZOR BLADES

Here, the theory is that the silica gel 乾燥した，日照りのs out the metal かみそり blade more 速く, so that it doesn’t rust and therefore lasts longer.

によれば the internet, this trick, along with a かみそり sharpener, will make old blades last for years. The 普通の／平均（する） life of a かみそり blade is, at best, around five weeks.

EXPERT SAYS: ‘Place the silica gel and かみそり in an airtight 捕らえる、獲得する. This will certainly work a few times, but you will have to regenerate the silica 水晶s to 除去する the water they have 吸収するd from the blade over time,’ says Dr Elks.?

The idea is that the silica gel will 乾燥した，日照りの out the metal かみそり blade more 速く so that it doesn't rust, just put the かみそり in an airtight 捕らえる、獲得する with the gel to 除去する 超過 moisture