10 Brilliant Uses for Ice
Updated: Apr. 19, 2024
From eliminating wrinkles to cleaning up messes, these ice tricks will help you in so many ways around the house.
Get Wrinkles Out of Your Laundry
Ditch the time-consuming iron or handheld steamer to get wrinkles out of a shirt or slacks. Throw a few ice cubes or a wet washcloth in the dryer with your wrinkled clothes. As the ice melts and the water turns to steam, it will remove the wrinkles.
This trick isn’t as effective with heavier clothing but works great for lighter fabrics. The best part? It only takes 10 minutes or so to work.
Make An Ice Pack
Ice packs are a great way to keep your lunch cool, but can be costly if you tend to lose them. This DIY ice pack hack can be reused so it’s good for the environment as well.
First, purchase an inexpensive pack of sponges or just find some old ones around the house. Fill a big bowl with water and let the sponges soak up as much liquid as possible. Then put each sponge in a small sandwich bag with a zip close.
As the ice melts, the bag holds the water. The thawing sponge then reabsorbs the water in the bag. Freeze the wet and bagged sponges overnight, and in the morning toss the ice pack into your lunch container again.
Deodorize Your Garbage Disposal
Your garbage disposal can smell rather unpleasant if not cleared properly. However, this TikTok hack will help cure that. Pour ice into your sink, turn on the disposal and then dump hot water into the sink. Voilà!
Remove Furniture Dents in Carpet
First, place an ice cube in the carpet dent. If the dent is large or long, you may need several to fill the spot. The cubes will slowly melt. After 12 hours, blot up any wet spots with an absorbent towel or sponge. Finally, use the edge of a spoon to push the carpet fibers back into an upright position. A coin will also work.
Ice Cube Caulk Tool
Here’s an easy way to tool caulk: Take an ice cube and run it down the caulk line, applying steady pressure. The film of water that forms between the cube and the caulk makes a smooth, professional finish. You can melt the cube in your hand to get any bead shape you want.
Ice Trays
It might be time to upgrade the old coffee can containing your lifetime collection of screws, washers and other hardware. Take 10 minutes to organize the miscellany in ice cube trays. Nail together a case from scrap plywood and carry it right to the job at hand.
Remove Chewing Gum
Chewing gum is one of the most dreaded things to remove, whether it’s beneath your kitchen table, in your kid’s hair or on your carpet. To remove gum from your carpet, place ice on the gum for five to 10 minutes. It will harden and loosen its grip on the fibers, allowing you to scrape it off.
Hydrating Plants Without Watering
Tired of water draining too quickly through hanging baskets? Try ice cubes. They’ll melt slowly enough so plants can absorb as much water as they need.
Ice Saves Money
A couple of days without power can cost you a few hundred bucks for the spoiled food in your refrigerator and freezer. After the power goes out you could run out and buy a few bags of ice, but that’s what everyone else will be doing.
Here’s a better idea: Get in the habit of filling locking freezer bags with water and keeping them in the freezer. During a blackout, they’ll help the freezer stay cold longer. Or you can transfer them to the fridge or a cooler. When they thaw, you’ve got drinking water.
Shingle Cooler
Replacing some damaged shingles on a hot summer day and struggling to break through the sealant strip? Here’s a cool trick that will make the job easier. Rest an ice bag on the shingle for a couple of minutes before trying to break the sealant strip. The hot, sticky adhesive will cool down and pop up with ease.
Originally Published: April 28, 2022
