How to Make a Homemade Ice Pack

Medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Last Updated: April 23, 2022 References

A homemade ice pack is a good way to soothe a minor injury or cool down on a sweltering day. Making a flexible, ready-to-go ice pack using household items is quick and simple. Make a Ziploc ice pack with rubbing alcohol and water, dish soap, or corn syrup. Alternatively, make a rice-filled ice pack. Customize your new cold compress with touches like a homemade ice pack cover, food coloring, or scented oil.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Ziploc Ice Pack

1
Fill a Ziploc bag with 2 parts water and 1 part rubbing alcohol. Pour a 2:1 mixture of water and rubbing alcohol into a Ziploc freezer bag until it is 3/4 full. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to customize the color of your homemade ice pack. Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag tightly; put it into a second Ziploc freezer bag to ensure that the liquid doesn’t leak out.^{[1]
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- If you do not have rubbing alcohol on hand, consider alternative ingredients to make an ice pack, such as dish soap (on its own, no water necessary) or corn syrup.
- Be careful to keep your materials and ingredients away from infants and small children. Rubbing alcohol is dangerous if consumed in large enough quantities and it can also cause irritation to the eyes. Plastic bags also pose a suffocation risk to babies and small children.
2
Freeze the bag. Place the liquid-filled Ziploc bag in the freezer. Leave it there for 1 to 2 hours to freeze. Because of the different freezing points of water and alcohol, the solution will develop into a flexible gel or slush instead of freezing solid.^{[2]
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- Gel icepacks can mold to the contours of your body, which may provide better relief than a traditional ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables.
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3
Make a cloth ice pack cover to protect your skin. Before applying your homemade ice pack, you should cover it to avoid direct contact with your skin. Find some thick, comfortable material (e.g., from an old flannel shirt) and cut out a piece that is 1 inch (2.5 cm) wider than your ice pack, and twice the length of the ice pack, plus 1 inch (2.5 cm). Fold the material by bringing the ends to meet (and overlap) in the middle. Sew together the top and bottom, lengthwise. Leave the middle part open to easily insert and remove the ice pack.
- As a simpler alternative, just wrap the ice pack in a thin kitchen towel or paper towel before placing it on your skin.^{[3]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Rice Ice Pack

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Choose a cloth cover for your ice pack. Customize your ice pack by choosing the material and dimensions. For an easy option, choose an old, clean sock. Pillowcases and other pouches are also good options, provided that the material is tightly knit and the sides are closed up. You can also purchase material and sew something yourself.
- A benefit of making a rice ice pack is that you can also use it as a moist heat pack by microwaving it for 1 to 3 minutes.^{[4]
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2
Fill up the pouch with uncooked rice. Fill the container approximately 3/4 full so that the filling will disperse evenly when applied to your skin while maintaining its density. Add a few drops of essential oil if you like to give your pack a nice aroma (e.g., lavender oil, to enhance relaxation).^{[5]
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- You can substitute dried beans for rice, if needed.
3
Seal the pouch and freeze it. Sew up the end of the ice pack. Make sure that all of the edges are shut tightly, and that there are no small holes in the material where the rice might fall out. Freeze the ice pack for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is chilled.
- After a few hours in the freezer, the rice should feel just as cold as water ice. Unlike ice, it will simply warm up slowly instead of melting.^{[6]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sponge Ice Pack

1
Soak a soft sponge in water. Choose a clean, thick sponge large enough to cover the area you want to apply a cold compress to. Opt for a sponge without an abrasive side for scrubbing. To cover a greater area, use a second sponge as well. Run the sponge under water until it is soaked through.^{[7]
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2
Seal the sponge in a zip-top freezer bag. Place the wet sponge (or sponges) in a freezer bag to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the freezer. Remove excess air from the freezer bag by gently squeezing it. Seal the bag tightly and place it in the freezer.^{[8]
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3
Freeze the sponge and use it as needed. Freeze the pack for several hours. The pack will be stiff when you first remove it from the freezer, so thaw it for a few minutes if you want it to be flexible when you use it. The sponge will soften gradually as it warms up.^{[9]
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- To protect your skin from ice burns, wrap a thin towel around the bag before putting the ice pack on your body.

Expert Q&A

Question

Which one works the best?

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner
Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006.

Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Expert Answer

The point of an ice pack is to provide comfort and cooling. All of the above-mentioned homemade ice packs will do the job. The choice might be a matter of a personal preference and availability of materials.