You may have used dry ice at some point in your high school science class. However, this solid form of carbon dioxide has many purposes that go beyond scientific experiments. If you’re in the mood to explore different situations where dry ice comes in handy, check out these innovative uses of the versatile substance.
Keep Produce Fresh
Instead of placing your fruits and vegetables in the freezer, you can try keeping them fresh with dry ice. Using dry ice to freeze your produce is often a more effective method than storing them in a traditional freezer. This is because dry ice prevents fruits and veggies from becoming soggy and helps them maintain their original texture.
Before freezing your produce, make sure you’re using dry ice that comes in dangerous goods packaging to ensure optimal safety.
Guard Against Pests
Pests can be very annoying – and frustratingly difficult to get rid of. Pests are generally an issue for people living in older houses or apartments. However, even new homeowners can get them.
Therefore, if you have a pest problem at home, you can use dry ice to keep these unwanted bugs at bay. Usually, insects such as mosquitoes and bed bugs are attracted to the air we breathe. That air is richer in carbon monoxide. Because carbon dioxide tends to attract insects such as mosquitoes and bed bugs, you can force these critters to gravitate towards the dry ice instead of you and your family.
To effectively control a pest invasion, simply place a cloth bag filled with dry ice in the affected area and enjoy a home that is free of unwanted insects.
Inflate a Balloon
Believe it or not, you can even use dry ice to blow up a balloon. To accomplish this, all you need to do is place a small piece of dry ice inside a deflated balloon and watch the object fill up. How does that happen? It’s simple physics. The carbon dioxide that makes up the cold ice is heavier than normal air. As it “melts”, it fills up the balloon, stretching it out. This will make the balloon fill up.
When trying out this trick, be careful not to use a piece of dry ice that is too big. This may create too much pressure inside the balloon and cause it to pop.
Dry ice comes with plenty of unexpected uses and benefits. By using this form of carbon dioxide responsibly, you can cook up all kinds of magical creations.
As you can see, there are other ways of using dry ice, besides as fake fog for Halloween. Hopefully, this article will prove useful to you. If you want to learn more stuff, check out our other articles on different topics!