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Use this easy hack to cool off quickly when your air conditioning is on the fritz. 

Who doesn’t love summer? For kids, it means freedom from school, riding bikes and swimming in the pool. For grown-ups, it means backyard cookouts, relaxing in the sun and living your best life. But all that summer fun can turn downright miserable when your air conditioner dies and the temperature outside is pushing triple digits. If you’re in need of a quick fix to keep everyone from panting like dogs until the repairman gets there, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn how to cool a room quickly with dry ice.

Before you start, make sure to review our safety guidelines for handling dry ice and that you have all the necessary tools on hand. Dry ice is extremely cold at -109° F and can cause serious injury if mishandled, so it’s always a good idea to be extra cautious.

Now, let’s check out the materials you’ll need. You may have many of these items around your house already!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• Safety materials (thick gloves, eye protection and an insulated bin) 
• Penguin Dry Ice
• Rubber mallet or hammer 
• Kitchen towel
• Shallow plastic bowl 
• Electric fan

Now that you have your materials ready, here’s how you can (temporarily) cool off a room with dry ice.

Step 1: Using insulated gloves, wrap a chunk of dry ice in a kitchen towel and place on a solid, stable surface. Then, using your rubber mallet or hammer, break the dry ice into smaller chunks. You’ll want the chunks to be cubes approximately one inch in size.

Step 2: Still wearing insulated gloves, put three of the dry ice chunks into a shallow plastic bowl and place the bowl in front of your electric fan on a surface up and away from young children and animals.

Step 3: Turn on the fan and position it so air blows over the dry ice. The fan will push warm air into the dry ice, causing it to sublimate or ‘melt’ into carbon dioxide gas. The result — a much-needed blast of cool air!

Step 4: Cover the cooler — but do not seal it closed — and allow time for the produce to freeze. 

Safety Notes:  Only do this in an open, well-ventilated space. The buildup of CO₂ gas in a poorly ventilated area can potentially be dangerous. This is not intended to be a long-term substitute for an air conditioner. Do not store dry ice in an airtight container.

While you still have Penguin Dry Ice on-hand, why don’t you try some of our other uses for dry ice in the summertime? Check out our other blog posts:

How to Pack a Picnic Basket with Dry Ice

How Dry Ice Makes Festival Camping Easy

How to Freeze Fresh-Caught Fish with Dry Ice

Using Dry Ice to Keep Food Cold While Camping

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