How To Make a Homemade Ice Pack With Dawn Dish Soap & Rubbing Alcohol

Gel ice packs offer a comfortable and flexible alternative to those traditional rigid ones.
Today, we'll explore the straightforward process of creating your own homemade ice packs, with dish soap and rubbing alcohol playing the lead roles in this clever project.
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Tools and Materials:
- 2 cups Liquid dish soap
- 1 cup Rubbing alcohol
- Ziplock bags
- Duct tape
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1. Gather Your Materials
Begin by grabbing your preferred liquid dish soap. I used the orange Dawn antibacterial dishwashing liquid, and it worked perfectly.
Ensure you have rubbing alcohol, ziplock bags, and duct tape on hand.
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2. Cut Bags to Size
For added fun and convenience, consider creating different-sized ice packs.
To achieve this, cut larger ziplock bags down to your desired sizes.
Heat the blade of a knife over a gas stove, then run it down the plastic bag to separate and seal it simultaneously.
This process creates smaller bags.
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3. Mix the Solution
Achieve the optimal gel-like consistency by mixing 2 parts dish soap with 1 part rubbing alcohol. Adjust the quantities based on the size of the bags you're filling.
Pour the dish soap and rubbing alcohol into a container, thoroughly mixing the solution.
4. Fill and Seal
Fill each ziplock bag about ¾ full with the mixture.
Tip: If you are concerned about leaks use duct tape to seal the sides and double-bag the ice pack.
5. Freeze and Enjoy
Place your DIY gel ice pack in the freezer.
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Homemade Ice Pack With Dawn Dish Soap and Rubbing Alcohol
And there you have it – your very own DIY ice pack.
Thanks to the lower freezing points of dish soap and rubbing alcohol compared to water, the mixture maintains a slushy state, achieving that perfect gel-like consistency. This delightful feature ensures your dawn and alcohol ice pack effortlessly molds to your body for optimum comfort.
Have you dabbled in other DIY ice pack concoctions? We're all ears for your freezing innovations!
Enjoyed the project?
Comments
Join the conversation
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Kat168097354 on Jun 21, 2025
Zip lock bags are my love language. When I moved back and forth by car across the country I stored littje things like jewelry and papers in various sizes. That was decades ago. I still do this.
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Karen chinn on Jun 22, 2025
Another type of ice pack. If you have lower back issues like me this is great. Take a bathroom hand towel, wet it and then wring it out. Fold it to just a fraction smaller than a gallon freezer bag. Slip the wet trowel into the bag and seal. This is perfect size to put behind you back while driving a car, sitting on the couch, etc. I keep about four of these in my freezer all the time.
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
What purpose does the dish soap serve?