If you do not have rubbing alcohol on hand, consider alternative ingredients to make an ice pack, such as dish soap (on its own, no water necessary) or corn syrup. Be careful to keep your materials and ingredients away from infants and small children. Rubbing alcohol is dangerous if consumed in large enough quantities and it can also cause irritation to the eyes. Plastic bags also pose a suffocation risk to babies and small children.
Gel icepacks can mold to the contours of your body, which may provide better relief than a traditional ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables.
As a simpler alternative, just wrap the ice pack in a thin kitchen towel or paper towel before placing it on your skin. [3] X Research source
A benefit of making a rice ice pack is that you can also use it as a moist heat pack by microwaving it for 1 to 3 minutes. [4] X Research source
You can substitute dried beans for rice, if needed.
After a few hours in the freezer, the rice should feel just as cold as water ice. Unlike ice, it will simply warm up slowly instead of melting. [6] X Research source
To protect your skin from ice burns, wrap a thin towel around the bag before putting the ice pack on your body.
