6 Unexpected Uses for Those Baggies of Silica Beads From Your New Shoes

Despite the warning labels that come on silica gel packets, these babies are actually pretty useful for keeping things dry!

If you don’t purchase new shoes often, you can order them online ($7.99). You can even reuse your old silica packets if they get damp: place them in the oven at 275ºF/135ºC on an aluminum foil-lined baking tray for about an hour to dry out.

1. Save your phone if it gets wet by sticking it in a baggie with a few packets.

Don’t waste your nice basmati rice on this annoying project: silica gel packets work much better.

2. Tuck a packet in your salt to keep it from clumping up.

3. Keep chips from going stale by taping it to the inside of the bag.

A bunch of food—like jerky and Asian snacks—actually come with these inside.

4. Store photos and other paper memorabilia with a packet to keep everything dry.