When you are a mom of four kids (or any kids for that matter), you get used to dealing with sprains, strains, and other minor injuries. Between football, basketball, longboarding, snowboarding, and dance, I’ve sat with one of my kids or another in many a doctor’s office waiting room and emergency room lobby over the years!
Somewhere along the line, I learned to use R.I.C.E. when dealing with “soft tissue” injuries. No, not that rice you keep in your pantry—the R.I.C.E. treatment they teach for first aid!
R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. These four conditions are recommended by doctors to help ease discomfort and speed up recovery for patients with minor injuries. And since us moms are often the “nurses” when our kids are the “patients,” speedy is the type of recovery we’re usually hoping for! :-)
The Importance Of Icing An Injury
Icing an injury with a cold pack in 20-minute sessions is an important part of the R.I.C.E. treatment, because it helps to reduce swelling and keep pain under control. And today’s post should make this part of the process easier, because I’ll be showing you how to make an ice pack using household items so you’re always prepared for an injury. (And so you don’t have to resort to a bag of frozen peas!)
How To Make A Homemade Ice Pack: 3 Easy Options
Option #1: Use Water And Alcohol
Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 1 part water in a ziplock freezer bag, then squeeze as much air out as possible. Zip it closed and put it in your freezer until icy. The rubbing alcohol will prevent the water from freezing solid, making it malleable enough to conform to any injured area.
Option #2: Use Dawn Dish Soap
As usual, there is very little you can’t accomplish with the help of Dawn! ;-) Fill a ziplock bag with dish soap until there’s enough to form a thick layer when it lies flat, then zip the bag closed and freeze it.
If you want it to be more flexible and gel like (like a blue gel ice pack), remove it from the freezer and apply to site of the injury after about 2 hours. If you leave it in your freezer too long, it will get much more firm and be less malleable (though it won’t solidify completely).
Option #3: Use Corn Syrup
Corn syrup makes another useful medium for a homemade ice pack. Just fill a ziplock freezer bag about halfway full of corn syrup, zip it closed, and stick it in your freezer until it firms up.
The “frozen” corn syrup stays slushy and flexible, so this is a great choice if you’re making one to keep in your freezer just in case. (One obvious drawback is that the corn syrup would create an incredibly sticky mess if the bag got ripped or punctured, so I would double-bag this one to be safe!)
Which Homemade Ice Pack Is Best?
I think all three options have their merits, so I say just go with the method you have the supplies to make! If you’re in need of an ice pack ASAP and time is a factor, I’d suggest Option #2, since it only needs to be in the freezer for a couple of hours before it’s ready to use.
If you’re making an ice pack to keep in your freezer just in case, you can’t go wrong with Option #1 or Option #3. They’ll stay more malleable than the dish soap, so you can wrap them around ankles, knees, or wrists right away without having to wait for them to thaw out first.
When To Use Your Homemade Ice Pack
After a minor injury occurs, apply an ice pack as soon as possible. Applying ice early and often for the first 24-48 hours will help minimize swelling and reduce pain, both of which will help the recovery process.
Cold packs can also be useful for chronic conditions, such as injuries from overuse in athletes. In these cases, icing the affected area after activity can help control inflammation and speed up recovery.
Keep in mind that ice isn’t the answer for every injury! For instance, you should NOT use ice to treat stiffness in muscles or joints, or if you have poor circulation. In these cases, heat therapy (like a heating pad) would be a better choice.
4 Bonus Ice Pack Tips
1. Don’t Apply Directly To Skin
You always want to wrap an ice pack in a kitchen towel before applying it to an injury. Placing ice or something frozen directly against skin can cause damage to the skin and tissues. (You’re trying to cool the injured area, not freeze it!)
2. Guard Against Leaks
To avoid major messes, it’s a good idea to take additional measures to avoid your ice pack from leaking. If you’re using a ziplock bag, choose freezer bags (which are thicker) and put one inside another for an added layer of protection.
If you have a FoodSaver or other type of vacuum sealer, use it to seal your homemade ice pack. The seal will be quite sturdy, and the vacuum bag will likely be much stronger than standard ziplock bags to begin with.
3. Make It Distinctive
You don’t want to accidentally mistake your ice pack for frozen food, or vice versa! Make sure your ice pack is easy to identify by labelling the bag clearly before you fill it. You could also add a few drops of vivid food coloring to make it visually distinctive from other things in your freezer, but that’s totally optional.
4. Make Different Sizes
Not every injury is going to require a gallon-sized ice pack, so you may want to consider making a couple homemade ice packs of different size if you’re going to keep them on hand. Gallon ziplock ice packs work well for ankles and wrists, while a quart ziplock would be a more appropriate size for sprained fingers or toes.
What’s your best tip or trick for minor injuries?
How to Make An Ice Pack (Step by Step)
Equipment
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Ziplock Bag
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups rubbing alcohol
- 1.5 cups Dawn dish soap
- 2 cups corn syrup
Instructions
Using Water and Alcohol
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Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 1 part water in a ziplock freezer bag, then squeeze as much air out as possible. Zip it closed and put it in your freezer until icy. The rubbing alcohol will prevent the water from freezing solid, making it malleable enough to conform to any injured area.
Using Dawn Dish Soap
-
Fill a ziplock bag with dish soap until there’s enough to form a thick layer when it lies flat, let as much air out as possible, then zip the bag closed and freeze it. If you want it to be more flexible and gel like (like a blue gel ice pack), remove it from the freezer and apply to site of the injury after about 2 hours. If you leave it in your freezer too long, it will get much more firm and be less malleable (though it won’t solidify completely).
Using Corn Syrup
-
Just fill a ziplock freezer bag about halfway full of corn syrup, let as much air out as possible, zip it closed, and stick it in your freezer until it firms up.
Notes
- Don’t Apply Directly To Skin
- Make Different Sizes
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