You Should Never Eat Silica Gel, but Don’t Throw Them Away Either. Here Are 7 Uses for Silica Gel Packets.

It says it right on the package, "Do Not Eat." It must be poisonous. Well, not necessarily. Silica gel is used to maintain the quality of products by not allowing moisture to develop. So, what happens if you eat it? Here's what one website has to say:

While the contents of a silica gel packet are basically harmless, it would be a rather unpleasant experience to attempt to consume the silica crystals. The sole job of these tiny desiccants is to adsorb moisture. If you emptied a packet of the stuff into your mouth, the moisture would be whisked away from the sides and roof of your mouth, your gums and tongue -- giving an entirely new and all-too-accurate meaning of the phrase "dry mouth."

Okay, we won't eat it, but don't throw it away either. Those packets you find in shoe boxes can come in handy. According to a website called HealthyFoodHouse.com, here are seven ways to use silica gel packets around the house.

1. Put them between towels  to prevent them from getting damp and to avoid an unpleasant smell.  Put some in the towel cabinet too.
2. Save your old photos by putting a couple of the packets in the box where you store your photos to keep the dampness from ruining them.
3. Drop your cell phone in water? Throw it in a jar with some silica packets instead of rice. It's more effective.
4. Does your gym bag smell a little "ripe." Put a couple of silica packets in your bag to help get rid of the dampness and germs.  By doing this, you can eliminate the foul odor.
5. Use silica packets to keep your car windows from becoming foggy. Put a bunch of them on your dash and they will soak up the dampness.
6. Does your powdery make up curdle? Put some silica get packets in your make up bag.
7. Instead of leaving your razor in the shower, put it in a plastic container with a few silica bags and it will last longer.

Here are even more uses for silica packets.