The　silica　aerogels　were　prepared　via　a　sol-gel　technique　and　ambient　pressure　drying　by　using　industrial　solid　wastes,　dislodged　sludges,　as　raw　materials.　A　strategy　was　put　forward　to　reduce　the　corrosion　of　equipment　during　the　drying　procedure.　The　pore　structure,　hydrophobicity,　and　thermal　insulation　property　of　the　obtained　samples　were　investigated　in　detail.　The　results　show　that　the　corrosion　can　be　effectively　avoided　by　using　an　equimolar　mixture　of　trimethylchlorosilane　(TMCS)　and　hexamethyldisilazane　(HMDS)　as　silylation　agents.　At　a　Si:TMCS:HMDS　molar　ratio　of　1:0.375:0.375,　the　silica　aerogels　possess　a　desirable　pore　structure　with　a　pore　volume　of　3.3　+/-　0.1　cm(3)/g　and　a　most　probable　pore　size　of　18.5　nm,　a　high　hydrophobicity　with　a　water　contact　angle　of　144.2　+/-　1.1　degrees,　and　a　low　thermal　conductivity　of　0.031　+/-　0.001　W/(m.K).