These beautiful and pliable cold packs are amazing. They are so easy and cheap to make you’ll almost look forward to your next sprained muscle so you can use one! (Just kidding.) You can also use them to help keep food cold in a lunch bag or just to help you cool off on a hot day. They require two basic ingredients: water and rubbing alcohol in a Ziploc bag. Takes 5 minutes. (Then at least 4 hours of freezer time.) 
If you want to make them uber cool add in some food coloring and Water Crystals. They make it even more pliable and look wonderful. They make them last much longer too.
You always want to wrap these in something even if its a washcloth so that the cold pack doesn’t go directly on your skin. I also show how to make a quick pouch to put them in. Sewing a pouch takes about 10 minutes. I’ll give you detailed instructions. Remember, you can make these with just water and alcohol in a pinch and they work great!
Supplies for Cold Packs
- Water (Plain water works but distilled water is the purest and will not discolor over time.)
- Rubbing Alcohol (Keeps it from freezing solid.)
- Ziploc Type Bags. Freezer type will of course last the longest.
- Food Coloring OPTIONAL
- Water Crystals OPTIONAL
- Iron and foil for sealing bag closed. OPTIONAL
- Material for Pouch OPTIONAL
NOTE: I actually used some unique storage baggies I had that were not for food as I loved the size. They were 6″ x 9″. You can buy these in a variety of sizes on Amazon adjusting the liquid as needed. Small ones would be great for kids. I posted a link to the baggies I personally used for this tutorial at the bottom plus a smaller size baggie (4 x 6).
About Water Crystals
These are totally optional but they sure make these things ultra awesome and extra pliable. Water Crystals can be found in the gardening section of most stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot. Miracle Gro is one brand. Walmart can also carry them during planting season. They are used to retain moisture in the soil as they can absorb many times their weight. The crystals technical name is polycrystalline and is used in other things like diapers and feminine pads. That’s how those diapers can hold SO much liquid!
I live in a small town so I had trouble finding them and just ordered mine on Amazon for $8.00. A 12oz bag goes a LONG way as you only need about 3 tsps of the crystals per bag. Make sure you buy JUST the crystals alone. You don’t want fertilizer mixed with them as happens sometimes. That would be gross.
Cold Packs Recipe
The ratio is two parts water to 1 part alcohol. For my size of baggie I used 1 Cup Water and 1/2 Cup Rubbing Alcohol. For every 1 cup of liquid use about 3 tsps of Water Crystals. (optional). Add as much food coloring as you like, again optional. Below is printable version of the recipe.
1 Quart Heavy Baggie, Zipper Type.
(Preferably freezer bags because they are heavier. (Any size works just adjust liquid as needed.)
1 Cup Water (preferably distilled)
1/2 Cup Rubbing Alcohol
3 tsp Water Crystals (optional)
Food coloring as desired (optional)
- 1 Quart Ziploc Baggies, preferably freezer. I used heavy non food storage baggies for mine.
- 1 Cup Water (preferably distilled)
- ½ Cup Rubbing Alcohol
- 3 tsp Water Crystals (optional)
- Food coloring as desired (optional)
- Pour the water into your baggie.
- Add the rubbing alcohol which keeps it from freezing solid.
- Add in food coloring until desired color. OPTIONAL
- Add in 3 tsp of water crystals. Squeeze bag a little to mix them. OPTIONAL
- Let sit for 15 minutes while the crystals absorb the liquid. OPTIONAL
- Place in freezer standing upward for at least 4 hours.
- Remove from freezer.
- Squeeze out the extra air as much as possible keeping the contents away from the zipper part. Seal the zip lock.
- Because you stood the bag on end when freezing that keeps the contents away from the open end of the bag for easier sealing/melting.
- Take a piece of foil to cover the end of your baggie above the part that zips shut.
- Use an iron on medium heat and run it over the foil to seal the baggie shut. (Practicing on an empty baggie first will help you adjust the time.)
- You can now squeeze the contents evenly throughout the bag.
- Always wrap your cold pack in a dishtowel or washcloth before placing on skin. You can also set a quick pouch cutting material about ¾ an inch wider than your pack and sewing the sides and hemming the top.
Visual Steps
These take about as long to make as it takes to pour liquid in a baggie but there are a few small hints that will help. I’ll clearly state the optional steps.
Pour your water and rubbing alcohol in your baggie. Add food coloring if desired.
If you choose to add the Water Crystals which are optional add them now. These make it extra pliable. 3 tsp per 1 cup water.
This is what it looks like immediately after adding everything including the crystals. Let this sit for 15 minutes while the crystals absorb the liquid. You can squeeze it a bit now and then to mix.
This is what it looks like after 15 minutes. 3 tsp of crystals does a lot! Place your bag in the freezer standing upward for at least 4 hours or overnight. I keep it standing up so that mixture stays away from the zipper end. This allows me to easily seal it with an iron. That part is however optional.
This is how the cold packs look after being in the freezer overnight. You can squeeze it as its still very pliable but if you’re sealing it with an iron don’t squeeze it much yet. At this point I lay the bag on the table and press out all the extra air that I can and zip lock the zipper part. I make sure to keep the contents away from the end because I also like to do the next step of added sealing.
This step is optional but I wanted an extra seal on mine in case I squeezed it too hard and end popped open. If you’re careful its not really necessary. Take a piece of foil and cover the end ABOVE the zipper part. Run an iron on medium heat over the end until it melts together a little. You may want to test this on an empty bag to get a feel for how long it takes.
You can now squeeze the contents evenly throughout the bag. If you did not choose to seal it with an iron you can do it right after taking it out of the freezer.
This smaller one shows what water and alcohol only looks like. (With food coloring.) I used 6 x 9 heavy bags I had. This one below is a 4 x 6 heavy bag. 
You do not need Water Crystals. They do make it a nicer, more even consistency and it lasts much longer, but its still very pliable without. Just a more slushy feel.
Sewing A Quick Pouch
You always want to wrap your cold pack in a cloth, dishtowel or washcloth before applying to the skin. You can also make a pouch in about 10 minutes.
Get a piece of fabric folded over that is larger than your cold pack.
Lay your baggie on top of it and cut it about 1/2 to 3/4 an inch wider also leaving that much on the top.
Hem the top of your pouch.
With the fabric inside out sew the sides of your pouch.
Completed pouch in 10 minutes!
Place your cold pack in the pouch for use.
You can make these any color you like or make a color for each member of the family!
I am scheduled for total knee replacement and I am so happy to find your instructions on how to make these ice packs. Thank you for easy to follow instructions!
I have been making these for years. Just an FYI, I use a vacuum sealer…last a long, long time & no worries about leaking.
Wow This is great idea. I was just looking on eBay for something thick to use on my knee after meniscus surgery on May2. The ones I see n eBay don’t seem that they would stay cold long enough numb my knee pain faster. I don’t like taking oxycodone and ibuprofen all the time but it does help.But I don’t want to damage my stomach with these chemical pain killers. I so glad you’re “”after your happens. Com”‘ page popped up when looking on eBay. I wasn’t impressed with the flimsy design on eBay. But wow using these crystals would thicken the bag and would last longer just what I was looking for. Thank you so much for his great idea good luck with your recovery should pray to God that I can control the pain.. it’s cost a whopping $18,000 thank God for Medicare. Bargain down the hospital Tupac $6,000 Medicare piece 80% and I would pay the 20%. Why so much ? It wasn’t that invasive surgery..They just trimed off the shattered edges like spurs..Doctor told me it was wearing away bone around the meniscus. I’m getting very depressed thinking I have to be limping the rest of my life or a complete knee replacement.. like my mom had. In 1990 it’s cost her $3,000 for a complete replacement. I wonder if the ice pack she’s going to mask the where in the weight of my knee bone that will only give me false hope while the bone it’s slowly been grind away when the bones rub.. what a thought. I got a small hard questions to these doctors I’m afraid to find the answer if they’re going to insist on a replacement.. All because I was a victim of a hate crime. I’m 69 years old no reason to be violently attacked thanks so much movies I did I can’t wait to make a few bags and strap them around my knee.. thank you all for this great web page..Well protect yourselves and family and others from this pandemic we are confronted with..best:George
Love the water crystal idea!! I have made these in the past minus the crystals, they are so much better with the crystals.
To help with the leaking issue after they are set up in the quart freezer bags I seal the freezer bag in a vacuum sealed bag. I bought the $20 vacuum sealer from Amazon for this purpose and used the bags that came with it. Works great!!
I’ve been using DIY ice packs for yrs for chronic intractable migraines and I love them! I always use gallon freezer bags and always made a cover for them out of dish towels. I absolutely love the idea of water crystals! I have never tried it before but will be very soon! Also I’ve never tried to deal the bags with a iron and always had issues of the bag leaking so this is another idea that I’ll be trying! Thank you so much for the awesome advice! I’m also a huge fan of DIY rice socks
Glad you liked the post Nadine. Thanks for visiting!
I just found your website. Was looking for a cold/hot pack and came across this. I love it. I am making them for myself and friends. Thank you so much
Can you also heat them?
No, these are just for cold. We do have some diy owl heating pads. You could make them in whatever shape you want though: https://craftyourhappiness.com/2014/12/22/quick-owl-hand-warmers/
When you say the bags with ice crystals last longer, do you mean they stay cold longer, or they take longer to wear out/develop leaks?
Hi Christen!
Sorry for the confusion… that means they stay colder longer.
Thanks for stopping by!
Great visual instructions! You made this tutorial is so easy to follow. I always wondered how to make the ice packs pliable. I love the fun colors. I have some water beads I want to use, I wonder if they will work as well as the water crystals. Thanks for sharing. Very helpful!
Thank you for sharing this excellent, easy to follow “tutorial!” 2 weeks and a few days out of Total Knee Arthroplasty—-these will make my life so much easier! God bless you, Ann
You’re welcome Ann. Wishing you a speedy recovery!
Pingback: 6 DIY Running Crafts for Runners | Fit Disney Mom
Pingback: 6 DIY Projects for Runners – Fit Disney Mom
I use these a lot with my family as we live in a very hot state and are extremely heat intolerant. We use them to keep us cool at night so we don’t have to turn the A/C quite so low, but we also do something very embarrassing and very effective with them- the girls in our family put them in our bras! It helps keep us cool when we take the dog out when it is actually too hot for us. The boys were envious until I explained that their lack of the female anatomy automatically kept them cooler!
lol! Those lucky guys. Ü I’ve never stood the heat well either though I can handle dry heat better than humidity! Thanks so much for stopping by Dawn and for commenting. Keep cool!
I’ve been looking for something like this for what seems like forever!
I’ve made these packs without the crystals for my migraines, but they melted way too fast – was looking for something that was flexible, but stayed colder longer and this sounds like it will be perfect!
I’m giving this 5 stars because the instructions and pics are very clear to understand and easy to follow.
The freezer bags are the best – the regular bags don’t hold up as well and tend to leak faster.
Thank you!
So glad you found it helpful! Appreciate your visiting and leaving such a nice comment. Ü
You’re very welcome!
Btw…I enjoyed browsing your website. 🙂