Frequently Asked Questions about Silica Gel

As everyone knows, reading a fact sheet doesn't always clear everything about a subject up. For this reason, FAQ pages are useful. If you have a question that didn't get answered and you'd like me to put it up on this page, drop me an email at crowdish@yahoo.com

Q: Have you eaten Silica Gel?
A: As bad of an influence as I know I'm about to be... yes, I have. Although I explained that it probably will not hurt you, as it did not hurt me, I would not reccomend it. (For the record, I ate about 3 kernels, so I didn't figure I was in much danger)

Q: What does Silica Gel taste like?
A: As I assumed it would before I tried it, it has no taste. It's kinda easy to figure really, knowing what it's made of. However, I suppose if it absorbed something with a taste, it would taste like that.

Q: Where can I get some Silica Gel?
A: This depends. If you just want a little packet to have for novelty, look in some of the things you buy like shoe boxes, leather coat pockets, and purses. If you want a large amount that you'd like to use for something, you can order it online here, or search on Google for other vendors.

Q: Who invented Silica Gel?
A: Update on this question. I had it up here for a while that silica gel was a naturally occuring substance. I apologize, because this was incorrect. Due to two emails (from Jonathan and Kevin) I now know that it was patented by Dr. Walter A Patrick of Johns Hopkins University. I also was able to piece together the following facts. Davidson Chemical was the first plant to produce silica gel, but it wasn't widely celebrated until WWII where it was used to protect military equipment and some other stuff too. Thanks for the tip off on that!

Q: Please give me more information on recharging Silica Gel packets.
A: That's not really a question, but I will be happy to oblige. The thing that makes it hard is that I get loads of emails that just say they want to recharge their Silica Gel but don't tell me any information on it - how much, how long had they been using it, what kind of container it was in. Without this I can't really give information that is entirely accurate, so I generally don't give any information to these inquiries at all. I don't want to blow up anybody's stove. I hate that I'm not really being much of a help, but I can't really cater to individual needs on this question. I would try Google if you need specific information on that.

Q: My dog/cat/infant/toddler/teenager/grandmother ate a small amount of Silica Gel. What do I do?
A: This is the most common thing I get. If it truly was a very small amount of gel, I honestly wouldn't worry too much about it. Still, I can't vouch for each situation personally and I'm not a doctor, so if you're still worried, I would go to someone who is a real doctor. You could always try calling Poison Control, too.

Q: Is Silica Gel flammable?
A: No. The first time I got this question, I didn't really know what to do. I couldn't find the information on the web, but it was a matter of pride for me to be able to give an answer to the person who had emailed me with it. So... I tried it. I pulled out an old packet from my collection, ripped it open, grabbed a lighter and attempted to light it on fire. Despite my best efforts, it did not work. Silica Gel is not flammable.

Q: I'm sending you some various thing in an email. Will you put it on your website?
A: Maybe. If I like it, I'll probably put it up eventually. I don't update very often. In fact, I haven't updated in about a million years but I hope to change that. In order to clear things up, I've decided to put a little date on the main page saying when was the last time I've updated.

Q: Why didn't you reply to my email?
A: Believe it or not, this site is getting pretty popular. I actually found out just the other day that if you type "silica gel" into Google and hit "I'm Feeling Lucky", my site comes up. That makes me a celebrity, y'see. And I do have a life, I'm actually in high school. So I try to respond to my emails, but I get an awful lot of them. I try to answer questions and stuff but I'd say I probably only get around to about half of them as of right now. I'm sorry, and I'll try to do better in the future.

Q: I like your website!
A: Thank you!

More questions coming as soon as I get emails with questions!

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