Q&A for How to Reuse Silica Gel

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  • Question
    Where can I get this gel?
    Community Answer
    Have a look on Amazon or eBay or anywhere else on the internet. Just search for "Silica Gel" and you'll find some easily.
  • Question
    Where can I purchase additional silica gel packets?
    Community Answer
    You can buy silica gel packets online.
  • Question
    Can silica be added to the soil?
    Community Answer
    Of course! Silica gel can be used to keep your plant soil wet for a few days if you are unable to water your plant.
  • Question
    Can silica gel beads be put in soil?
    Community Answer
    Yes. The silica gel particles absorb and hold moisture. Adding silica gel to plant containers or hanging baskets and then watering your container, helps provide moisture to plants short term, for example, when you cannot do your regular watering for the day.
  • Question
    What are other ways to reactivate silica gel?
    Community Answer
    Putting them in the microwave or letting them dry under the sun for about 6 hours on a hot day are some other ways to reactivate silica gel.
  • Question
    How do you suggest the beads be reused, once they've been taken out of the packet and dried? I'm not sure where to start looking for suitable, resealable packets that wouldn't cost more than just buying new packs of silica gel.
    Community Answer
    You could always look at buying a few Organza gift bags. They're easy to open/close and not too expensive. You can buy them from Poundland, but there are plenty of places on Amazon selling packs of 100 for only a £1-2.
  • Question
    Will silica gel affect my lungs over a period of time using them all over the house?
    Community Answer
    If you just use packets of silica gel as described in the article, that should not cause any problems. Breathing in silica dust can be harmful, but the silica in those packets is not in the form of inhalable dust. The risk pertains mainly to people who work with silica in ways like drilling or stone cutting that can release such dust into the air.
  • Question
    How do I safely dispose of the silica water when the beads have already turned to water?
    Community Answer
    Either empty it in your backyard or put it in a plastic bottle and put it in your garbage bin. The silica water keeps the soil moist for a while, and does not hurt the plants in any way. Glass is made out of silicon dioxide, which is silica gel.
  • Question
    Can I dry silica gel in sunlight?
    Community Answer
    Depending on the ambient humidity in the air, technically yes. The likelihood of them being ~100% dry is highly unlikely.
  • Question
    What detergent will wash silica water from a car seat? Since the water spilled, the seat it is continually wet.
    Community Answer
    The silica gel should stop absorbing soon, and then you can spot-clean your seat.
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