Key Things You Need To Know Before Buying Dry Ice
Dry ice, which is the solid form of carbon dioxide, has a lot of different uses. You can use it to keep food cold or to make cool fog for a Halloween prank. Regardless of how you plan on using your dry ice, though, there are a few key things to know before you buy it.
It is incredibly cold
Dry ice may look like regular ice, but it is so much colder. Carbon dioxide freezes at -109.2 degrees. At this super-cold temperature, the dry ice is excellent at keeping anything near it cold. Of course, this also makes dry ice hazardous if you mishandle it. You never want to touch it directly, as it is cold enough to cause frostbite almost instantly. Wear gloves when handling dry ice.
You can buy it from many grocery stores
There's a common misconception that you can only buy dry ice from special suppliers. Indeed, some party stores and specialty stores do carry it. However, there are also many grocery stores that carry dry ice. Call the big grocery stores in your town, and there's a good chance you'll find one selling dry ice. You may, however, have to ask for it at customer service as it is generally kept in a special freezer that the public can't access for safety reasons.
Dry ice starts to evaporate immediately
The fog that comes off of dry ice is the solid carbon dioxide turning directly into carbon dioxide gas, via a process called sublimation. This process starts as soon as the dry ice is removed from the super-cold freezer. So, in order to make sure your dry ice lasts long enough to serve your desired purpose, you shouldn't buy it until just before you need it. If you buy it a day or two ahead, there won't be that much left by the time you need the dry ice.
Dry ice is not expensive
Dry ice is a bit of a special product that most people only buy on occasion. However, it does not come at a high price. You'll pay a couple of dollars for a pound or two of dry ice since, after all, it is only solid carbon dioxide.
With this knowledge in mind, you should have better luck buying and using dry ice. Once you use it successfully, you may find that it's a product you start relying on more often.
