If you place silica gel into water the silica gel should easily soak up the water within a few minutes.
Silica Gel beads are also used in disposable baby diapers as well as some adult disposable diapers to absorb the urine.
That is what makes those disposable baby diapers so absorbent now is the silica gel beads as when the kid pees in the diaper the silica gel beads which are also known as SAP or Super Absorbent Polymer soak up the urine and hold it away from the kids skin.
That is why diapers swell up when peed in.
You can also reuse silica gel beads by reactivating them using an oven or microwave. .
For the silica gel in the packets you can put them in the microwave to dry them out and reactive the silica gel beads.
So you do not have to throw out the silica gel packets and buy new ones when they have absorbed the moisture and cannot hold more moisture.
Just use the microwave and the silica gel for drying flowers will be reactivated.
For all other silica gel beads without the packet you can also use the oven for reactivating the silica gel but the ones in the packet should not go in the oven but instead can go in the microwave.
Silica Gel never expires and can be dried out and reused several times.
When you use Silica Gel to absorb moisture you can then dry those Silica Gel beads out and then they will again absorb more moisture.
The beads of the Silica Gel can easily be reactivated several times and used over and over and over again so you do not need to throw them out once they absorb the moisture.
You can dry out and reactivate Silica Gel using an oven or a microwave.
To Reactivate Silica Gel In The Oven Follow the below Steps.
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Step 2
Lay the silica gel packets flat on the foil-lined baking sheet.
For loose silica gel, spread the granules in a layer no more than 2 inches thick on the foil-lined baking sheet.
Step 3
Place the baking sheet inside the preheated oven and bake for several hours.
The amount of time varies between 1 to 12 hours depending on the thickness of the silica gel. A good general rule of thumb is baking for 1 ½ hours for every 30 ounces of silica gel.
To Reactivate the Silica Gel Beads in the Microwave Follow the Below Instructions.
Step 1
Place the silica gel in a microwave safe container.
Set the container inside the microwave.
Step 2
Heat the silica gel for three to five minutes on medium to medium high.
Step 3
Examine the silica gel for color change, which will occur when it is recharged or dry.
If it is not dry, stir with a spoon and place back into the microwave for an additional three to five minutes.
Step 4
Continue checking it for color change and microwaving for three to five minutes until the gel is dry.
Let the silica gel cool to room temperature in the microwave-safe container.