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Stop ice from melting with aluminum foil, salt, & more helpful tricks
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Drinks are in the fridge, burgers are on the BBQ, and your party’s about to start—but the ice doesn’t fit in the freezer! Don’t panic—there are lots of easy ways to store ice without a freezer and keep it frozen for a long time. Read our list of tips to help keep ice from melting when you don’t have access to a freezer!

Tips for Keeping Ice Frozen Without a Freezer

  • Fill and cover a cooler or container with aluminum foil to repel heat.
  • Insulate the container with towels or foam to trap the cold air.
  • Sprinkle the ice with salt to make it colder and slow down melting.
1

Transfer the ice to a plastic bucket or cooler.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Store Ice Without a Freezer
    Grab a plastic cooler or a container with a lid and dump your ice inside. The extra barrier between the ice and air traps in the cold, preventing the ice from melting as quickly.[1]
    • Use a plastic cooler or container instead of a metal one, when possible. Metal transfers energy faster, so it melts your ice quickly.
    • Only open the cooler or container when you need ice or any items inside. Limiting how often you open the cooler helps keep the ice from melting.
    • A bucket can work in a pinch, but it’s not as insulating as a cooler.
    • Depending on the size and material of your cooler, your ice can stay frozen for up to 8 hours.
    • If you can’t transfer the ice to a cooler, bucket, or container, wrap the ice in aluminum foil. The foil acts as insulation to keep the ice cold.
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2

Cover and line the container with aluminum foil.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Store Ice Without a Freezer
    Before you pour your ice into a bucket or cooler, line it with a few sheets of aluminum foil. Cover the outside with a few sheets, too. The shiny foil keeps the ice cool on the inside while reflecting light and heat on the outside.[2]
    • Make sure the shiny side of the foil faces up when you cover the container. The shiny side reflects more light than the duller side.
3

Wrap the container in a towel.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Store Ice Without a Freezer
    Once your ice is in a bucket or a cooler, wrap it up in several towels or blankets. The fabric helps keep the chilly air from escaping the container, ensuring the ice stays frozen for longer.[3]
    • Wet the towel for extra cooling power. As the water evaporates on the towel, it cools the air around it which can help keep the cooler or container cold.[4]
    • Do this in conjunction with covering the container with aluminum foil. Just wrap the towel around the container first, then add the aluminum foil.
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4

Store your ice in the fridge if you’re in a pinch.

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  1. Wrap your ice in aluminum foil to help trap in the cold. Then, place the ice towards the back and bottom of your fridge, which is where the fridge is typically the coldest.[5]
    • While your fridge is too warm to keep your ice frozen, the cold temperatures can help it melt less quickly, giving you time to find a cooler or a bucket.
    • Don’t place the ice in the door of your fridge, as the doors tend to be warmer.
    • If you bought ice in a package from the store, don’t unwrap it! Leave it in the package so it stays colder longer.
6

Add salt to lower the freezing temperature.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Store Ice Without a Freezer
    Pour your ice into a container, then shake a liberal amount of sea salt all over. Salt lowers the freezing temperature of ice, preventing the ice from melting as fast and making the container cooler.[7]
    • You might even start to see new ice form as the old ice melts.
7

Drain the water as the ice melts.

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Store Ice Without a Freezer
    Check on your cooler or container every hour to see how much ice is melted. When you see a puddle of water at the bottom of the container, pour it out.[8]
    • Some coolers have a drainage plug on the side that you use to pour out the melted ice. Otherwise, just tip your container to the side and let the water drain out.
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8

Make larger ice cubes.

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9

Use a lot of ice so it keeps itself frozen.

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  1. While it might sound like a no-brainer, make sure you fill your entire cooler or container with ice. When ice is surrounded by ice, the temperature stays cold and the ice stays frozen for longer.[10]
    • Plus, it’s always better to have too much ice than not enough!
    • Don’t overpack the cooler or container so the lid no longer stays on. Simply take some of the ice out and use it in your drinks, instead.
    • Coolers, ice boxes, and containers typically stay colder when they’re full rather than partially filled.
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14

Stack the ice on top of dry ice.

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  1. If you need to store ice for an extended period of time, place dry ice in a cooler with your ice. While wearing insulated gloves, wrap about 10 lbs (4.5 kg) of dry ice in newspaper. Then, set it in a styrofoam tray at the bottom of the cooler and place your ice on top.[16]
    • Warning: Leave your cooler cracked open or unscrew the drainage cap so the dry ice can escape as it evaporates. Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide, so if the gas gets trapped, it can damage your cooler or potentially cause it to explode.[17]
    • Warning: Always wear insulated gloves when handling dry ice. Dry ice is around -109° F (-78° C), so touching it can lead to frostbite.
    • When you’re done with the dry ice, open the cooler in a well-ventilated area and let the ice melt.[18]
15

Bury your container in the ground if you can.

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  1. Before freezers, people stored ice in underground pits called ice houses because the ground is cooler than the air.[19] To make a quick ice house, dig a hole deep and wide enough to fit your cooler or container inside.[20]
    • This is a great method for camping or outdoor parties.
    • Keep the container or ice insulated by lining the hole with straw or sawdust.
    • For a quicker alternative, store the ice in your basement or cellar.
    • If you wrapped your container in a towel and lined it with foil, you might not need to bury it.
    • If the air outside is already pretty cold (say, below freezing), you don’t need to worry about burying your container.
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Tips

  • If you’re storing other things besides ice in your cooler, organizing it beforehand can also help the ice last longer. For instance, set items you need to grab often towards the top of the cooler.
  • Buy ice right before your party or camping trip so you don’t have to worry about keeping it cold for long.
  • Use the same tips as above to store ice cream without a freezer, too!


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Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about bartending and cocktails, check out our in-depth interview with Nathan Taylor.

About This Article

Nathan Taylor
Reviewed by:
Mixologist
This article was reviewed by Nathan Taylor and by wikiHow staff writer, Devin McSween. Nathan Taylor is a Mixologist and Owner of Cocktails Done Right based in Houston, TX. With over 25 years of experience, Nathan is passionate about providing first-class service and drinks, and training newer bartenders. Cocktails Done Right provides professional bartending services for special events, weddings, corporate events, and more. Their motto is “We mix the drinks, you mix the people”. His specialty is Vegas-style bartending with mind-blowing tricks and drinks. Nathan has 3 World Titles in Flair Bartending competitions, including one First Place Gold Shaker that he received while representing the US in Warsaw, Poland. He went to the Bartending School in 1993 and now works as an instructor at the Bartending and Mixology Academy. He is also a member of the United States Bartenders Guild. This article has been viewed 73,008 times.
3 votes - 53%
Co-authors: 10
Updated: October 28, 2024
Views: 73,008
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 73,008 times.

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