Homemade Reusable Ice Pack & Wrap

Homemade Ice Packs & Wraps. THIS IS SO EASY! Learn how to make reusable ice packs and a wrap to hold them in. This is a really quick and inexpensive project. #icepack #householdtips #frugaltips

I have all different shapes and sizes of ice packs in my freezer, all of which are for keeping lunches cold. It wasn’t until I needed one for my eye that I realized that I didn’t have any that were flexible enough to use on bumps and bruises.

Because it was vital that I get and keep ice on my eye, I tried using one of those hard ice packs. Ummm, it didn’t work very well!

So, I decided to use crushed ice, it was more flexible, however it turned out to be quite a mess when the baggie leaked.

I would have used a bag of peas, but no one in my house likes peas, so my freezers were pealess. .

After getting so flustered that none of these options were working my husband decided to go purchase one. This worked a lot better than what I had tried, however, what he paid for it definitely added to my fluster.

As I was sitting there with my expensive ice pack, wrapped in a towel, I remembered that my grandmother had something in her Household Tips journal about this. I went back through all of my Frugal Living Tips from WWII and found just what I was looking for, using Rubbing Alcohol.

I didn’t need a huge ice pack for my eye so I decided to use the snack sized bags. These were perfect. You could use any size baggie that you want, this size just worked well for my eye.

To keep from making a huge mess I placed the baggies in jars so that they would stand up right and make it easier to pour the rubbing alcohol and water into.

The mixture is 1 part Isopropyl Alcohol and 3 parts water. For the snack bag size, I used 9 tablespoons water (1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) and 3 tablespoons alcohol. This ratio keeps the water from completely freezing which make the ice more flexible.

Once you’ve filled the baggie, remove as much air as possible before sealing. Then store in your freezer until needed.

I double bagged the ice packs before freezing, so that there was less of a chance of them leaking. I also labeled the baggies just in case I ever forget what’s in them, I tend to be forgetful sometimes.

**I chose to use the Wintergreen Isopropyl Alcohol because the green color would make it easier to find in the freezer and because it’s prettier than just plain ole’, clear ice. 

I can’t handle placing an ice pack directly on my skin, I always have to have some kind of a barrier, like a towel. I found that an 8×8 wash cloth was the perfect size for these snack sized ice packs. I just ran a needle and thread along two of the sides, then added a button to hold the ice pack in place.

Besides the wash cloth being a barrier between the ice pack and the skin, it also helps to absorb any extra moisture and can easily be tossed in the washer when it gets soiled.

I found that if you get the wash cloth wrap wet and wring it out before using it, it helps disperse the cold without getting it so cold that you can’t stand it.

Do you ever have those moments when you’re making something and you are struck with a brilliant idea of how you can make it better? I love those moments, I had one when I was making these Ice Packs. I have a little experimenting to do and if it works out the way that I think it will I will be sharing it with you soon. It will put these ice packs to shame!