How to Store and Handle Dry Ice

Dry ice is the frozen form of carbon dioxide, and it has to be kept extremely cold—around −109 °F (−78 °C)—to prevent it from sublimating, or turning back into a gas. The combination of those extreme temperatures and the buildup of carbon dioxide can be dangerous. To help you stay safe, we’re sharing everything you need to know about how to safely store and handle dry ice, plus tips on how to make it last longer.

Safely Storing Dry Ice: Quick Guide

Place dry ice in an insulated, ventilated container, like a Styrofoam cooler.
Keep the dry ice in a well-ventilated room.
Wear insulated gloves and use tongs when handling dry ice.
Ventilate your vehicle when transporting dry ice.
Keep dry ice out of the reach of children and pets.

Section 1 of 5:

Storing Dry Ice

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Keep the dry ice in a well-insulated, ventilated container. Dry ice doesn’t melt, it sublimates—which means it changes directly from a frozen solid to a gas. To help slow the sublimation process, store the dry ice in an insulated container with thick walls. Good options include a thick Styrofoam cooler, an insulated ice chest, or a container specifically made for storing dry ice.^{[1]
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- Do not store dry ice in a rigid, air-tight plastic or glass container. As the dry ice sublimates, it releases carbon dioxide. The buildup of gas may cause the container to burst.^{[2]
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- Also, do not put dry ice in a container with a screw-top lid, like a Thermos.
- Open the drain hole at the bottom of a regular ice chest to allow excess gas to escape.
- To prevent damage to your cooler, consider lining it with cardboard before adding the dry ice.
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Keep it in a ventilated area. Dry ice releases carbon dioxide, and breathing in too high a concentration of carbon dioxide can lead to asphyxiation. Keep the dry ice outdoors or in a ventilated space like a garage, if possible. If you have to keep it indoors, place it in a room with good ventilation—turn on fans and open the windows if you can.^{[3]
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- Remember, a closed car is an unventilated area, especially if the air is not on.
- Do not store the dry ice in an enclosed area like a fridge, freezer, closet, small storage room, or walk-in cooler. Also, do not store it near sleeping areas.^{[4]
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Don't put dry ice in the refrigerator or freezer. If you try to put dry ice in a regular freezer or refrigerator, you could destroy the system, as the thermostats are not made to handle those kinds of temperatures. The dry ice could also damage the interior of the appliance.^{[5]
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- Additionally, the air-tight seal on a freezer door could allow excess carbon dioxide buildup. This could damage the seals on the freezer, or it could potentially even lead to an explosion if the pressure builds up enough.

Section 2 of 5:

Safely Handling Dry Ice

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Use insulated, cryogenic gloves and tongs when handling dry ice. Dry ice is around −109 °F (−78 °C), and it can quickly cause burns or frostbite because of the extreme temperature. Wear cryogenic gloves and use tongs to pick up the dry ice. This will protect your hands from frostbite. It’s also a good idea to wear long sleeves to protect your arms.^{[6]
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- Try to handle dry ice as little as possible to minimize potential injury. This will also help the dry ice last longer.
- Dry ice can cause extensive damage to your mouth and throat, so never attempt to eat or drink it. Also, do not consume anything made with dry ice.^{[7]
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Put on safety goggles and a face shield to break up ice. If you plan on breaking up a block of dry ice, wear safety goggles and a face shield. Otherwise, shards of ice can fly into your eyes and cause burns.^{[8]
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- To safely break up dry ice: Leave it in its plastic wrap, then wrap it in a towel. Hit the block of ice with a rubber mallet (or a regular mallet wrapped in a towel). This will help minimize how much dry ice debris flies around the room.
Carbon dioxide tends to sink, as it is heavier than air. Therefore, it will collect in low areas. Don't intentionally stick your head into the bottom of a container, and avoid getting low on the floor in a room where dry ice is sublimating.^{[9]
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Dry ice can damage many surfaces due to its extreme temperatures. For instance, you can crack tile or other countertop surfaces by placing dry ice on them.^{[10]
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Dry ice can be a great way to get kids excited about science, but it’s still a dangerous substance, and it should be treated like it. Always supervise children around dry ice, and make sure they have appropriate safety gear and an understanding of the risks.^{[11]
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If you have a light burn that only causes redness, the burn should heal on its own. Apply antibiotic ointment and a bandage if needed. However, if the burn blisters or your skin starts peeling, go to the doctor.^{[12]
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Get to an area with fresh air if you start to feel lightheaded or nauseous. If too much oxygen in the air is replaced by carbon dioxide, you may start to notice ill effects like difficulty breathing, headache, nausea, dizziness, or lightheadedness. If you notice any of these while you’re working with dry ice, stop immediately and move to an area with fresh air. If you don’t, you could lose consciousness or even asphyxiate.^{[13]
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- Open the door to the room where the dry ice is contained and allow it to ventilate for at least 5 minutes before you go back in.^{[14]
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Section 3 of 5:

Transporting Dry Ice

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Ventilate your vehicle while you’re driving with dry ice. When you’re transporting dry ice, open the windows or set the air conditioner to bring in fresh air. In addition, keep it outside of the main cab of the vehicle if possible—for instance, you might place it in the trunk or the bed of a truck.^{[15]
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- If you’re transporting dry ice, pull over immediately if you start to feel nauseous, dizzy, or lightheaded, or if you get a headache. Get out of the car and get some fresh air, and roll down your windows before you start driving again.
- Don't leave dry ice in a parked, closed car, as the buildup of carbon dioxide can be dangerous.

Section 4 of 5:

Disposing of Dry Ice

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Dispose of dry ice by allowing it to sublimate in a ventilated area. The best way to get rid of unused dry ice is to let it sublimate into carbon dioxide. Leave the lid of the container open to speed up the process, and give it about 24 hours to fully dissipate. Just make sure the area is well-ventilated.^{[16]
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- Never put dry ice down a sink, toilet, or other drain—the sudden temperature change and expansion of gas could lead to an explosion.
- Do not put dry ice in a trash can, garbage chute, or sewer.

Section 5 of 5:

How to Make Dry Ice Last Longer

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Purchase the dry ice close to when you want to use it. You'll typically lose around 5–10 lb (2.3–4.5 kg) pounds of dry ice in a day to sublimation, even when the dry ice is stored well.^{[17]
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- If you know you’ll be storing the dry ice for a while before you use it, consider buying 2–3 times more than you need to account for the sublimation process.
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Add crumpled paper to the container to slow sublimation. After you add the dry ice to the cooler, fill up the rest of the container with crumpled paper. This process will help slow down the sublimation, as it lessens how much dead space is in the container.^{[18]
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- You can also use balled-up towels if you prefer.
The more you open the container, the more warm air you let in. Warm air increases the sublimation process, meaning your dry ice evaporates more quickly.^{[19]
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If you’re buying dry ice from a vendor that offers it in multiple forms, go for the blocks instead of smaller pieces. Blocks will sublimate more slowly, extending how long you can keep them. And, you can always break up the block later if you need it in smaller chunks.

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Can you keep dry ice in the freezer?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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No, dry ice must never be kept in a home refrigerator freezer. This is because the warmer temperature of the freezer will cause the dry ice to transform into a gas (sublimate) and the initial extremely cold temperature of the dry ice can cause the freezer thermostat to shut down (and potentially break). Moreover, if the dry ice is inside an airtight container, when it turns into a gas because the warmer temperature melts it, then it may cause the container to explode inside the freezer.

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How long can you keep dry ice in a cooler?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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You can keep dry ice in a Styrofoam cooler until it sublimates, which will usually take about 18 to 24 hours, depending on the external temperature. This time can be extended by keeping the external temperature cooler around it, packing the edges around the ice in the cooler with wads of newspaper and lining the cooler with additional Styrofoam.

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How long can you keep dry ice in the freezer?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Dry ice should not be kept in a home freezer. You can keep dry ice in a Styrofoam container, such as a cooler, that is not airtight. It can be kept in there until it sublimates (turns into a gas), usually within 18 to 24 hours.

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