DIY Flexible Ice Pack

How To Make A Flexible Ice Pack

Everyone should have flexible ice packs available for quick injury treatments but at $10-$15 a pop, making a homemade ice pack is a much better proposition. They are super simple to make, and cost around $1.25 in materials. These homemade ice packs are soft, flexible, and comfortable for icing down body aches and pains. The other bonus is that you know the ingredients – no crazy chemicals, just a few common household items.

Flexible homemade alcohol water ice pack

·        2 cups water

·        1 cup rubbing alcohol, isopropyl or everclear 

·        Food coloring for the blue tint (optional)

·        2 zip-top bags – quart or gallon-size or vacuum sealer bags

Mix the water and alcohol together in one of your zip-top bags and add food coloring, if desired, until you get that perfect blue tint. Release as much air as possible and seal the bag. Double bagging for strength. (If you have a vacuum sealer use a vacuum seal bag for the outer layer to further prevent accidents.) Foodsaver works like a charm. 

Stick your new flexible homemade alcohol ice pack in the freezer for about 12 hours before using it for the first time. It will be icy, a little slushy, and perfectly flexible for any body injury that needs the cold treatment.

A few tips…

If you use a quart size zip-top bag, your ice pack will be more square shaped, and a gallon-size will give you a longer more narrow pack. Use whichever you prefer. The gallon size wraps around body parts better.

Different alcohols will give different results. Rubbing alcohol is around 70% alcohol, and the Everclear is about 95% alcohol. So, you may want to freeze the inner bag first to make sure you like the amount of flexibility before committing to permanent double-bagging. The general rule is – more alcohol = slushier ice pack.

*Cost savings breakdown

The savings for making your own homemade ice pack is significant. Flexible ice packs generally run between $10 and $14 apiece. The approximate material costs for the homemade pack are:

·        Water – $.02

·        Rubbing Alcohol – $.75

·        Gallon zip top bag – $.13

·        Food Vacuum Sealer Bag – $.38

Total Cost: – $1.28
Total Savings: – $8.72-$13.72, or 87%-91%.

The ice packs are reusable indefinitely (unless punctured) and can be used just as a commercial ice pack.

There you have it… a quick, easy, and inexpensive recipe for homemade ice packs. The project is fun and well worth the 15 minutes for a 90% savings.

Give away as a cool gift

Get it, a “cool” gift? Hee hee. This is a fun family project that yields a universally functional item that saves money and provides comfort with each use. What’s not to love?

found on http://www.diynatural.com/how-to-make-an-ice-pack/