OTHER USES of dry ice

HOME MADE ROOT BEER

To make one gallon of root beer: One pound sugar One gallon water Two ounces root beer
extract Add 1 to 2 pounds of Food Grade Dry Ice to carbonate. Tip for carbonation: put in a
triple size plastic container (1/3 liquid and 2/3 air) and put the lid on tight. The pressure will
dissolve more into the mix and make it fizzier. Otherwise have Club soda to add for
carbonation. If you let the root beer fog too much you will loose the carbonation. Bring several
pounds extra dry ice and put in as you are serving in order to let the kids see the fog affect.
You must keep the root beer from freezing. Dry ice is -109.3F and it will freeze the liquid. Add
extra water if freezing starts. Do not ladle Dry Ice into cups. Put regular ice directly into cups
for additional cooling. For different ideas add dry ice to grape juice and pineapple juice for a
ghoulish witches brew.

CARBONATE LIQUIDS
When CO2 is added to plain water it will make sparkling mineral water. CO 2 is extensively
used throughout the world in the beverage industry for making soda pop.

DENTS & HAIL DAMAGE

Dry Ice will condense metal and thereby shrink small dents on your car. Place the Dry Ice on the inside
of the dent if possible. Use heavy gloves and press flat sheet against dent. If it is not possible to get on
the inside concave part of the dent, then using heavy gloves hold the Dry Ice so a corner can fit into the
bottom lowest part of the cratered dent. Hold the Dry Ice until the metal is frosted at least 2 inches
beyond the dent. Let the metal warm up (in the sun is the best) and repeat the procedure. Sometimes the
dent will pop out perfectly. More often it will not be possible to get a flat smooth finish, but the dent
will be reduced noticeably. Creased metal will still show the crease line but the dent will be far less
pronounced. I have not seen any paint damage, but I'm sure if the paint is not strongly adhered, it could
peel away.

FOOD STORAGE
Placing Dry Ice in the bottom of a dry food storage container is a very economical way to
fumigate and store dry goods for an extended amount of time. Make sure the Dry Ice is not
frost covered, as that will add moisture. Put one to two ounces of Dry Ice per five-gallon
storage container in the bottom and then pour in the dry food. As the Dry Ice sublimates it
replaces the oxygen in the container with CO2. Leave the lid on but not tightly sealed until the
Dry Ice completely sublimates. Then snap the lid tight. Without oxygen neither bugs nor
bacteria can grow. This process is good for seeds, grains, legumes, flower, powdered milk,
etc.

REMOVE FLOOR TILE

Dry Ice will loosen floor tile by freezing and slightly shrinking them allowing easier removal.
The cold temperature of the Dry Ice will break the bond of the adhesive. Place the Dry Ice
sheets centred on the tile to be removed and wait until it is completely frosted. If it has not
popped off, slight tapping with a hammer or prying with a screwdriver will allow it to be lifted
off easily. It is too time consuming to remove a whole floor, but is ideal for removing a few tiles
that need replacing.

GOPHER ERADICATION
Dry Ice is heavier than air so it will find its way to the bottom of gopher dwellings. Place 1 to 2
inch pieces as deep into each hole as can be reached and fill the front of the hole with dirt. If
you miss some holes the process may have to be repeated. Jerry Yamamoto of Hayward,
California reports that he successfully used Dry Ice to eradicate regular Argentine ants from
his front yard. Perhaps this could work on fire ants too.

PROTECT SPORT FISH AND GAME

Pack your trophy animal or fish in Dry Ice to minimize spoilage while transporting or shipping

it home. Do not let the Dry Ice touch the game directly as it may cause superficial damage.
Dry Ice can be added to regular ice to extend its cooling. For best results use an insulated
container.

BRANDING
Dry Ice is used to super cool alcohol for branding horses, cattle, and hunting dogs. The
alcohol must be 90% pure - not rubbing alcohol. Methyl alcohol is most commonly used.
Liquid Nitrogen is too cold to work properly. This is now the second most common way to
brand according to Tony Clark of Bassett, Nebraska.

MEDICAL
Doctors, to freeze skin for wart removal, use Dry Ice or liquid nitrogen. Many medical offices
ship biological specimens in Dry Ice for laboratory testing or further processing. Dry Ice is also
used to keep bone morrow frozen when it is shipped.

TRANSPORTING PLANTS
Dry Ice will keep flowers cool and delay blooming. Maintaining ready to flower plants at 34F
will retard blooming. Do not allow Dry Ice to get too close and freeze plants.

PLANT GROWTH
A small additional amount of Carbon Dioxide will increase the rate of plant growth.

CHEMICAL RETARDANT
Its low temperature slows or stops some chemical reactions. It is used to store and ship
special adhesives It is also a neutralizing agent for alkalis.

PRESSURIZING AGENT
When Dry Ice changes from a solid to a gas it absorbs heat and expands to over 800 times its
original volume.

INERTING MEDIUM
Dry Ice will replace oxygen in a container preventing or putting out fires. It is used to safely
remove underground gas storage tanks.

SHRINK FITTINGS
Dry Ice will shrink metal to slide on sleeves, bushings or bearings. Add Dry Ice to a 90% pure
alcohol bath to create a cold liquid near -109.3F. That can be used like liquid nitrogen.

DEFLASHING MOLDED PLASTICS AND RUBBER

Dry Ice will cool and shrink whatever it touches. Rubber parts are tumbled in a barrel with Dry
Ice, making them brittle for easy flash removal. It is used in cold grinding of Plexiglas, PVC
resins and vinyl's.

FRESH MEAT PROCESSING

Dry Ice will keep the temperature cold and reduce spoilage while processing meat. This is
used in industrial processing of ground meats and sausages.

MOSQUITOES
CO2 may attract mosquitoes away from animals and people. Place pieces of Dry Ice away
from areas where people are congregating. The theory is that mosquitoes find animals and
people by their CO2 exhaled during breathing. Melissa Palm reports that dry ice does attract
mosquitoes. "I use dry ice in some of my mosquito traps as bait and find that it works rather
well." The Clarke Family of Companies of Roselle IL., sells a mosquito trap designed for using
Dry Ice.

WELLS
Dry Ice combined with detergent, or alone, will improve porosity in irrigation wells. Bill Hayoz
of Reliant Dry Ice in New Mexico, explains that dry ice is used regularly by the ranchers to
improve water flow. He used about 60 pounds of dry ice in his windmill well, capped it off, and
waited several days before the water came back with a greater flow. The city of Mosquero
used 800 pounds of dry ice for their city wells. Most well men will use dry ice before drilling
deeper.

OIL INDUSTRY
Dex Welch reports "Dry Ice has been used in the oil fields for years to clean tank bottoms.
When paraffin, sludge, etc build up, a chemical is added along with Dry Ice to roll (stir up) the
tank bottom. This breaks out the liquids & separates water from oil in paraffin mixtures so that
water can be removed & the oil saved." Liquid CO2 is also used to crack and increase oil flow
in wells.

BAKING INDUSTRY
Dry Ice is used in mixing ingredients and retarding yeast growth until the proper time.

FREEZE FRESH STRAWBERRIES PERFECTLY

Karyn Gilbert writes: "I use Dry Ice to freeze my strawberries - fresh, washed ones, once a
year:
Wash fresh strawberries
Place directly on top of dry ice in cooler for about 20-30 minutes
Close cooler
Remove when solid
Place in freezer safe plastic bag, mark with date
Place in freezer - to thaw take out and set on plate at room temp (use within a year to be sure
freshness)
They will thaw almost like fresh - without being soggy like usual frozen strawberries are.
I suppose this might work for other fruits and veggies because of the quick freeze time, not
allowing them to get soggy..."

FUMIGATION - Powder-Post Beetles in Furniture

Jim Lockhart of Littleton Colorado writes: "After allowing the infected cabinet to spend 18
hours in the closed freezer with 30 lbs of dry ice at -25 deg F, I went ahead and removed the
dry ice, saving what was left of it in a small ice chest. I closed the freezer up again and
allowed the cabinet inside to slowly warm up to room temperature (another 12 hours) then
took it out. I checked for signs of life with a stethoscope in the places where the powder post
beetles could be heard and not a sound. I checked again for signs of life 24 hours later
still nothing. It would appear that the insects either froze, suffocated or both. Of course I have
no way to tell whether or not the freezing or lack of oxygen also killed any eggs only time
will tell. I am confident enough at this point that this worked and would recommend it to
anyone in a similar situation. Feel free to include any and/or all the info Ive given you on your
website. This is a much less toxic way of killing insects than the use of chemical sprays and
fumigants."
Jim writes one year later to update there is no sign of any beetle activity and "Ive been telling
fellow woodworkers about the idea and they too have met with success without doing any
damage to the wood or its finish."