“Chilly” Off the Presses: USDA Recommends Dry Ice for Emergency Situations
Happy winter, dry ice fans!
We’re excited to launch our newest feature, “Chilly” Off the Presses. Starting this month, we’ll be scouring the web for great news about dry ice and sharing it with you right here on the blog.
Yesterday, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued a press release with safety tips for consumers living in storm-prone areas of the U.S. Included in the list of recommendations is a great piece of advice for every consumer: always know where you can purchase dry ice!
As we’ve noted in previous posts, freezing your food with dry ice keeps it colder, longer—preventing food from spoiling if there’s a power outage. If you stock up on dry ice before a storm hits, you won’t have to worry about all the food in your fridge rotting.
It’s just another great, simple use for dry ice. Luckily, we’ve created a handy store locator to help you find a retailer in your area! Keep this great tip and other dry ice emergency uses in mind, just in case stormy weather comes your way this season.
Safe and Happy Chilling,
How to Use Dry Ice to Loosen Asphalt Floor Tiles
You ‘do-it-yourself’-ers never cease to impress us with your ideas! Case in point; we’re excited to share our latest user-submitted dry ice idea from Chris L.:
How to use dry ice to loosen asphalt floor tiles:
1. Place dry ice on the tiles that need to come up—be sure to use a good pair of gloves when handling the dry ice. You will want to place a few pieces of dry ice in the center of the tile. The dry ice will start to create a frost on the tiles.
2. After the tiles become frosted, remove any dry ice that has not yet sublimated. If you leave the dry ice on the tile too long, the extreme cold could cause the tile to crack.
3. Use a hammer to tap the floor tile lightly. Do not tap too hard because, again, you have the potential to crack the tile. Tapping lightly on the tile will break the bond and knock the tile loose.
4. After tapping the tiles with a hammer, use a flat head screw driver to pry up the tiles. The bond should be loosened by this point, and dry ice should make prying up the tiles pretty easy.
This is a great idea, and perfect for anyone using this time during the winter to make some home improvements.
Thanks Chris! You’ve earned yourself a Penguin Brand® Dry Ice vintage t-shirt. You can get one too if you submit your own dry ice photo, video or idea!
Read MoreNewlyweds: Preserve Your Wedding Cake with Dry Ice!
It’s almost springtime, which means wedding season is right around the corner. Amidst all the flower decisions, ceremony arrangements and reception details, don’t forget an important piece of the puzzle – your wedding cake!
One popular tradition has become standard in nearly all wedding celebrations: saving the top tier of your wedding cake and eating it on your first anniversary.
But without the help of Penguin Brand® Dry Ice, your frozen wedding cake could end up tasting less like a delicious, sugary treat and more like old cardboard. A handy tip is to flash-freeze your wedding cake with dry ice before you place it in the freezer. It’s simple!
All you need is a 5-7 lb. chunk of dry ice purchased from your local grocery store to get started. Then, simply freeze the cake following the instructions on our Safe Uses and Handling Guide. When the cake is completely frozen, place it in your regular freezer.
On your first anniversary, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious, moist cake just like the day you got married.
Happy Chilling, lovebirds!
Image Courtesy of comedy_nose
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