Those little paper squares

[hesbeen2021]

You know those little square things you get inside new handbags and now in the trillions in my house from all the used lft tests?
Seems such a waste to chuck out ( also the cute little plastic bags which I've been informed by clients are good for weed!)
What could the little paper squares be used for? Do they collect water? Could they be used in drawers?

The little silica gel things?
Keep them in case you ever have to dry out a phone dropped down the loo

Lots of suggestions here:
www.makelifelovely.com/6-uses-for-silica-gel-packets-dont/

I particularly liked the idea of putting them in my gun safe to stop the gun from rusting.

I wondered if they could be used in soil in plant pots as a moisture retention aid? You can buy something like this from garden centres and I'm pretty sure they are the same thing. I could be wrong though.

I’ve put a load in my car, seems to stop it misting up so much!

I wish I'd thought to save the plastic bags.
I did put cash for each of my children in one at Christmas and was accused of being a drug dealer

I am freezing two peanut banana cookies in each plastic bag. Snack bag to take to work.
Such a waste of plastic.

Does anybody actually use the little plastic bags for their intended purpose?

I think my son puts them in his stinky trainers

I put them on my window bottom to soak up condensation.

Yes I'd been thinking along the lines of wardrobe/ drawers / my van.
Seems such an awful waste
And the plastic bags mine are just piling up and I don't deal weed so unsure what they can be used for
Maybe seed collection?

Our latest plastic bags have proved an ideal size to store Pokémon cards. I hadn't thought about using the silica bags though. I'll have to start saving them too.

That's a great idea actually my carpet fresher got a bit damp I wonder if it can help dry it out

Why is this in the Covid section ?

Why is this in the Covid section ?
Because I and my daughter need to do daily Covid testing, it's not hard to understand why I've put my query in the Covid section surely

I put them in my spice drawer to help stop the garlic and onions granules clumping together.

@mrsbyers

Why is this in the Covid section ?

Because the little sachets come in LFT packets? Which section do you want it in?

I've saved the little plastic bags but not sure why yet!

I put them inside my camera bag to keep the lenses nice and dry.

Are you meaning the little plastic bags or silca gel things?

@longtompot

I wondered if they could be used in soil in plant pots as a moisture retention aid? You can buy something like this from garden centres and I'm pretty sure they are the same thing. I could be wrong though.

No, you can't. They're not the same thing. You're thinking of the gel that Orbeez are made of. These are silica beads. I'm keeping them in an air-tight tub, to use for drying out sweaty footwear etc. They can be 'recharged' by leaving them in a warm place like an adoring cupboard or on a radiator.

The plastic bags have been very useful for party favours at Christmas, and for portioning out teabags, sugar and biscuits on long walks, or to have at work when we couldn't access the staff room because of bubbles.

I certainly never use them for the purpose prescribed! What I don't use go in carrier bag recycling at the supermarket.

@Dilbertian no, I wasn't thinking of the spheres but have had them in a floral arrangement so I know what you mean. There are water retaining granules which you add to soil and I wondered if they were the same thing, and on that you are correct. The silica in the little packets don't breakdown whereas the granules do over a few years.

We have a kitchen draw full of those little plastic bags, never actually used one with the tests, but they do come in handy, I keep my favourite lip balm in one in my handbag as it occasionally leaks, they're also useful for taking teabags to work or snacks for the kids when we go to the park.

I had an eye shadow and the lid was really difficult to open, so, I broke the lid off completely, and now keep the eye shadow and the little applicator in one of the Covid bags.
Just another use!

@Sloughsabigplace

Does anybody actually use the little plastic bags for their intended purpose?

No

I’ve shoved loads in an old sock to dry my running shoes.

Plastic bags usually save but don’t use. But in all the most recent boxes the individual kits (nozzle, test and swab) have come in the waste bag and then I tend to use it.

I keep them in my box of (handmade) soaps