Silica packets: you'll never throw them away again when you see what they can do!

A wet phone, old photos, and next year's seeds

Dropped your phone in water? First aid comes before any packet: switch it off straight away, don't charge it, take off the case, and gently shake out the water with the charging port facing down. Then let it dry in a dry place with some air around it. A closed box with a handful of silica packets is a drier spot than a bag of rice. Apple advises against rice. But be honest with yourself: the packets don't suck water out of the inside of a phone. Wait at least a day, and if it still doesn't work, take it to a repair shop.

Moisture can damage old photos, letters, and important papers. Put one or two packets in the corner of the box or folder, not pressed against the prints, and they will stay flat and free of that musty smell for longer. A packet in your camera bag helps too: it keeps damp away from lenses, which can grow mould when they are stored in a humid cupboard.

Do you save seeds from your garden for next year? Let them dry completely, put them in a paper envelope, and store the envelope in a closed jar with a packet of silica gel. Dry seeds keep much better. And for your car, a clean sock filled with silica cat litter (the crystal kind) works as effectively on the dashboard, reducing a foggy windshield in the morning. The heater and air conditioning will do the rest of the work. But make sure the pack can't slide under the pedals. On the next page: how to make old packets work again, and the safety rules.