Home made thus frugal ice packs

Come brag about your latest DIY, or teach us how to do something new.
Post Reply
Grannysewstoys
Posts: 4155
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:37 pm

Home made thus frugal ice packs

Post by Grannysewstoys »

I take kitchen sponges and wet them slightly more than the barely damp they are in the package. I put them in zipper type freezer bags, the slider bags would hurt to lay on. I squeeze the excess air out. When they are frozen you just need to wrap them in a dish towel or a small flannel blanket about the size of a baby receiving blanket. I use very old ones folded in half. I need them under my upper back and neck at this time. I have also used them on my lower back.

They stay frozen about 20 minutes and gradually get warmer so it is safe to sleep on them.

If I wake up during the night sometimes I need to replace it. I have 4 I keep on the upper shelf on the door of the refrigerator freezer.


Penny
gaylejackson2
Posts: 3172
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:13 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Post by gaylejackson2 »

itspennyc wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 10:34 am I take kitchen sponges and wet them slightly more than the barely damp they are in the package. I put them in zipper type freezer bags, the slider bags would hurt to lay on. I squeeze the excess air out. When they are frozen you just need to wrap them in a dish towel or a small flannel blanket about the size of a baby receiving blanket. I use very old ones folded in half. I need them under my upper back and neck at this time. I have also used them on my lower back.

They stay frozen about 20 minutes and gradually get warmer so it is safe to sleep on them.

If I wake up during the night sometimes I need to replace it. I have 4 I keep on the upper shelf on the door of the refrigerator freezer.


Penny
Good idea Penny.

I like an ice pack under the side of my bad (left) foot sometimes when it is really sore, at night so I can sleep. I might just try your idea.
ohjodi
Posts: 1444
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2015 3:57 pm

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Post by ohjodi »

If you add rubbing alcohol or salt to water, an ice pack will stay flexible. You could try wetting your sponge with salt water before freezing, if the frozen sponge is otherwise too hard.

https://www.themakeyourownzone.com/5-ways-to-make-homemade-ice-packs/
ohjodi
Grannysewstoys
Posts: 4155
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:37 pm

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Post by Grannysewstoys »

by ohjodi » Wed May 06, 2020 5:59 pm

If you add rubbing alcohol or salt to water, an ice pack will stay flexible. You could try wetting your sponge with salt water before freezing, if the frozen sponge is otherwise too hard.

https://www.themakeyourownzone.com/5-ways-to-make-homemade-ice-packs/
But if you add alcohol or salt to the water the temperature of the pack is actually lower and lasts cold longer. This is not something you want if you want in an ice pack you can lay on and not worry about falling asleep before you need to remove it.

I am able to use these ice packs and not worry about falling asleep while using it.

Penny
HappyDaze
Posts: 4186
Joined: Tue Oct 15, 2019 11:11 am

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Post by HappyDaze »

Penny, I wish I had your tip back when my knee was recovering from that terrible injury. There were nights I had intense pain and needed ice packs for relief - but I either had melting ice all over the place or the kind that stay too cold for too long. I'm going to remember this for future use!
"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. After all, he was only human. He wasn't a dog."

Charles M. Schultz
Post Reply