• Nangijala@feddit.dk
    5·
    1 day ago

    I started saving these little silica packs. I think they might be useful for storage of books and paper. Maybe other things too. You never know when you need something to help keep moisture away from items. 🤷‍♀️

    • MycelialMass@lemmy.world
      7·
      1 day ago

      You can buy a large amount of reusable dessicant for cheap. We have these little balls that change color when they’re full of water. Just need to bake em on low for awile then they go back to useable again.

      • KairuByte@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        2·
        1 day ago

        Careful with the color changing ones. They tend to have not so safe chemicals in them. Even if you’re not using them with food or similar, if you “recharge” them in your stove/microwave you can be releasing some unfun stuff into areas meant for food.

      • Nangijala@feddit.dk
        3·
        1 day ago

        Thank you for the advise! For me it’s not so much that I need them here and now. It’s more a matter of lessening the waste that comes with packages when we buy something new for the home. I don’t have a lot of these little packets, but I save them in case I need them and to dimish my carbon footprint by a smidge. It’s not much, but I still think it counts for something.

      • Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        1 day ago

        Would a toaster or air fryer work? We don’t have a oven at home

        Edit: Saw the instructions on a Wisedry packet online- a Microwave Oven works too

    • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
      2·
      23 hours ago

      Books disintegrate when they are stored in an environment that is too dry. So only use those things when the environment is not dry already.

  • Diddlydee@feddit.ukEnglish
    61·
    1 day ago

    For info, it wouldn’t harm you. Silica isnt toxic unless it has cobalt chloride in it. Telling you not to eat it is solely because of choking risk for kids.

    • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
      15·
      2 days ago

      Sounds like it’d most-likely just pass through the system.

      https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-silica-gel

      Is Silica Gel Toxic?

      Silica gel is non-toxic but it is a choking hazard for young children.

      However, in some rare instances, manufacturers coat silica gel in cobalt chloride, a toxic compound. Eating cobalt chloride-coated silica gel will likely cause nausea and vomiting. Cobalt chloride is a moisture indicator that is dark blue when dry and pink when saturated with water. Cobalt chloride-coated silica gel isn’t usually used for consumer products.

      What Happens if You Eat Silica Gel?

      Children can mistake silica gel for food or candy and eat either the silica gel or the entire packet. Adults sometimes mistake silica gel packets for the salt or sugar packets commonly found in takeout food.

      Accidentally eating desiccant silica gel shouldn’t make you or your child sick because it’s chemically inert, which means that it won’t break down in the body and cause poisoning. Most of the time, silica gel will pass through your body without any harmful effects.‌

      But this doesn’t mean that eating silica gel is entirely without risk. Desiccant silica gel is a choking hazard. Also, if eaten in large quantities, desiccant silica gel may cause intestinal obstruction. This is why manufacturers often label the packets with “Do not eat” or “Throw away after using”.

      In rare cases, other toxic components (e.g., cobalt chloride and strong alkali) are present in the silica gel packets. Therefore, it is important to check for any symptoms (e.g., vomiting and stomach pains) after the silica gel has been eaten.