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Here are some of the most common questions our clients ask us when purchasing dry ice. If this page doesn’t answer your question, feel free to call us!

How do I handle dry ice?
Use any insulated gloves. Do not touch it with your bare hands! Dry ice can give you burns if handled directly, similar to frostbite. Seek medical treatment immediately if you sustain any dry ice burns.

Dry Ice International sells dry ice from 1kg to whatever quantities are required. We only deliver from 10kg onwards, though.

The quantities of dry ice required to maintain temperatures in a storage freezer or refrigerator will vary. Some guidelines for the desired quantities of dry ice are:

Refrigerator

A household refrigerator may require about 5kg of dry ice per day.

Dry ice may freeze food items. Place foods, especially fresh produce which may get damaged, as far as possible from dry ice.

Place ice on the bottom of a household refrigeration unit. Newspaper or other materials may be used as insulation on glass shelves to prevent cracking.

Freezer

A chest freezer may require 18-22kg of dry ice per day, placed on top of the food.

A household refrigerator/freezer combination unit with:

  • The freezer on the bottom: 7-12kg per day, placed on top of food.
  • The freezer on top: 9-14kg per day, placed on top of and around food.
  • A side-by-side freezer: 18-22kg per day, placed on top of and around food.
If you use an average size cooler box, you will need 5kg of dry ice to keep meat frozen for 4-5 days. For cooling purposes, use 2.5kg of dry ice for every two days. For cooling purposes, we suggest you use a Heat Buster Box (see our Products page) to regulate the flow of the cold air. This box is available on request and is unique to Dry Ice International. For larger size cooler boxes (25-40 litre), 7.5kg-10kg of dry ice must be used for the same results.
Dry ice should be purchased as close as possible to the time that you will need to use it.
The most effective way to store dry ice is to place it in a polystyrene container and place the whole container in a freezer. Try to fill up all cavities there might be with newspaper, as this will prolong the life of the dry ice even more.
If you have a good quality cooler box, it can last up to four days. Should you keep the dry ice separately in a DryIceTainer and just refill your cooler box as needed, you can keep it for up to 7 days.
The most effective way to pack dry ice is to place it at the top of the cooler box. If the cooler box is a large box then you can also pack the dry ice in the middle of the cooler box.
Place hot (not boiling) water in a container. Any container can be used. Then, depending on the size of the container, place the dry ice inside and you will have the smoke effect you are looking for. Do not use a container that is too small as the water will cool down very quickly and the smoke effect will stop. The smaller the container, the shorter the smoke effect and vice versa.
We deliver throughout South Africa. We also have retailers and depots throughout the country.
Dry ice can cause CO2 gas to accumulate and build up pressure. Do not dispose of dry ice in a sewer, garbage disposal, garbage chute, etc. Place surplus dry ice out in the open in a well-ventilated area.