Soft Orbeez Icepacks
Icepacks are #1 when you have kids, but for instance when you are getting ready for surgery, you might find you need even more. This is a cheap, long lasting and fantastic way to make icepacks that the kids won't pop easily, are easily moldable and work over and over again.
*Disclaimer: I use affiliate links to show the products I use. If you click on a link and buy something, I might earn a tiny amount that helps pay for me to write things like this for you*
You will need:
- Isopropyl alcohol (aka rubbing alcohol). I brought a 1/4 gallon bottle to make about 15 icepacks
- Water beads - Ok so I don't actually use orbeez! I use the dried version so they can soak up the alcohol mix - like these
- Water
- Bowl
- Sieve
- Strong zip lock bags
- Scissors
- Vacuum sealing machine and bags like this
What to do:
- In a empty bottle, mix 1/3 alcohol and 2/3's water. You can make it less strong with alcohol, but it will be firmer once frozen
- Then, in a medium sized bowl, mix the water beads (2 teaspoons) and a couple of inches of water/alcohol in the bowl - often about 1/8 to 1/4 gallon works well - you won't waste it even if you use too much. You can test a couple of beads in a cup of water too to see how big they can get. They won't grow to the same size with the water/alcohol mix, but it will be similar.
- Leaving this for 24 hours, check to see if it needs more water/alcohol mix.
- Once grown to the size you want, drain the mix into another bowl through the sieve EVEN if it looks like it's all used up.
- Put the beads into the strong zip lock bags. You want a single flat layer across the bottom of the bag with as little as possible extra alcohol in the bag to make the best flexible icepacks
- Place in the freezer overnight to freeze.
- Once frozen (it'll stay soft), you need to press as much air out of the bag as possible.
- Get the vacuum sealer ready to seal them in the vacuum seal bags (You want to put the zip lock IN the vacuum seal bags). Once ready, snip a tiny hole in the bottom of the zip lock bag and put it in hole first. Seal the bag as you normally would, making sure the alcohol doesn't suck out of the bag as it won't seal. It's important to freeze it first to make sure it vacuum seals properly.
- To test it's water-tightness, you can leave it out of the freezer to defrost fully then squish it a bit. In our experience, they are AMAZINGLY watertight!
Wonderful! Now you have a cold, flexible icepack much cheaper than you can buy them for, and much prettier for you and the children too!
If you are getting ready for surgery, for you or a kid... Here's a hospital packing list of things that might make your life much easier!
*Remember, there is alcohol in this, so don't leave the kids completely unattended with it, but by using the Orbeez, assuming they don't eat them, they won't get much if they pop a bag*