How to Buy Dry Ice

Dry ice is a frozen carbon dioxide compound commonly used in fog generators. It is called dry ice because it changes from a solid to a gaseous form. ^{[1] X Research Resources} If you want to buy dry ice, you should read this wikiHow article to learn how to buy and use it safely.

Table of Contents

Buy and ship dry ice

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Buy dry ice at the store. You can search for dry ice stores online.

Plan to buy dry ice as close to the time it needs to be used as possible. Dry ice continuously changes from solid to gaseous form and has a very short lifespan. Every 24 hours, 2.5 -5 kg of dry ice will melt into gas. ^{[2] X Research Source}
While almost anyone can buy dry ice, some stores require you to be 18 years old to sell.

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Buy dry ice in blocks. School performances and fog effects all require the use of dry ice cubes.

Dry ice also comes in pellet form, but is mainly used for cleaning surfaces or for medical use.
The selling price of dry ice ranges from 40,000 VND to 60,000 VND/kg. While prices can vary depending on quantity and place of sale, they are generally pretty cheap.

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Store dry ice in insulated containers such as plastic coolers/ice bins. Dry ice is much colder than a regular freezer (-78.5 degrees Celsius), so you cannot store it in a normal freezer or refrigerator.

The better insulated the cooler or cooler, the slower the dry ice will evaporate.
Try to open and close the cooler as little as possible to slow down the sublimation of the dry ice. You can also fill the empty space in the freezer with foam paper to slow the sublimation process. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
Storing dry ice in the freezer can turn off the freezer’s thermostat. Due to the extremely cold temperature of dry ice, the freezer compartment automatically turns off to keep food from over-freezing. ^{[4] X Research Source} So, if the freezer is having a problem but the food in it needs to be preserved, you can deal with it by putting dry ice in the freezer.

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Put the ice bucket in the car and roll the windows down. Remember that dry ice is a carbon dioxide compound and can be harmful if inhaled in large amounts.

Ventilation is especially important if you are transporting dry ice for more than 15 minutes. When you carry dry ice in an unventilated place, you can experience shortness of breath and headaches, even death if you inhale this substance for a long time. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Dry ice treatment

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Wear leather gloves and long sleeves when opening or emptying dry ice. While brief exposure to dry ice is harmless, prolonged exposure to dry ice can freeze cells and result in burns similar to fire burns.

Kitchen gloves or towels also work, but the protection is not as good as gloves. You need to handle dry ice like you would a hot pan and avoid contact with your skin.
Treat dry ice burns as you would a normal burn. The skin will heal quickly if it is only red. If the skin peels off or has blisters, you need to apply antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage. Call your doctor in case of severe burns. ^{[6] X Research Source}

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Store unused dry ice in a well-ventilated room. Dry ice stored in an airtight place in large quantities can cause oxygen deficiency in the room.

Locked sheds in the backyard generally have good air circulation and do not pose a suffocation risk to people or animals. If you can’t find a good place to store dry ice, ask your chemistry teacher if you can keep it in a chemistry lab.
Remember to keep dry ice out of the reach of small children and pets.

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Open doors and windows where dry ice pours out. Dry ice will continue to sublimate, but must readily dissolve into the air.

Dry ice is heavier than oxygen and will be concentrated in low areas when poured. Avoid close contact with low-lying areas or low and enclosed areas, as these will have the highest concentrations of carbon dioxide. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Leave the dry ice in a well-ventilated area at room temperature when you want to dispose of it. If there is any dry ice left over, remember that it will continue to sublimate and just let it sit until it evaporates.

The backyard hallway is a good place to destroy dry ice. Make sure others don’t go there for at least 24 hours.
You can also use a fume hood to destroy dry ice. A fume hood is a ventilation cabinet used to store harmful chemicals. Your school chemistry lab may have a fume hood where you can put leftover dry ice. Remember to ask your teacher’s permission before doing this.

Things we need to avoid

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Do not store dry ice in a completely sealed container. Sublimation of dry ice into carbon dioxide gas will cause the container to expand and possibly explode.

Dry ice can erupt violently if enclosed too tightly. Several people have been convicted of intentionally storing dry ice in a sealed container until it explodes, creating a dry ice “bomb”.
Do not store dry ice in metal or glass containers, as the explosion can create “shrapnel” that can sever skin or cause other serious injuries.

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Avoid storing dry ice in cellars, basements, cars, or other airtight areas. Carbon dioxide from dry ice will gradually displace oxygen and can cause suffocation. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Blow the air out of the place that used to hold dry ice before entering.

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Try not to leave dry ice unattended. Even if no one is around, dry ice can still drop or cause problems if you don’t supervise closely.

Do not leave ice to dry on paved surfaces or hard surfaces, as extreme cold can crack the surface.

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Do not throw dry ice down the drain, sink, toilet, or trash. ^{[9] X Research Source} This can cause the water in the tube to freeze and even break the tube.

The extreme tightness of the water pipe also causes dry ice to expand faster and can cause an explosion.

Steps

Buy and ship dry ice

Dry ice treatment

Things we need to avoid

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