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Home made thus frugal ice packs

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 10:34 am
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

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 12:38 pm
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.

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 6:59 pm
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/

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Posted: Wed May 06, 2020 8:38 pm
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

Re: Home made thus frugal ice packs

Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 10:21 pm
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!