Use dry ice to add spooky smoke to your jack-o’-lantern

All you need to get the biggest creepy factor out of your jack-o-lantern this year is a little smoke creeping out of a cold, dead jack-o-lantern mouthHowever, candles don’t produce enough to be worth it here. Also, it would be difficult to fit a small fog machine inside all the carved pumpkins.That’s where dry ice comes in.

Here’s how to use dry ice to create a smoky effect without putting yourself or others at risk.

Safe use of dry ice

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. It’s typically used to keep food and other perishables cool for long journeys, but it can also be used decoratively as it creates a foggy effect when combined with hot salt water.Funky and useful, but dangerous There is also. The average temperature of dry ice is 109 degrees Fahrenheit. This means you can get burned. I once tried to remove a cake from a box, not realizing it was clogged with dry ice, and put my forearm under the cake, burning the entire length from my elbow to my wrist. It hurt terribly. My skin touched the material for maybe a second or so.

According to Dry Ice, Protective gloves should always be worn or a cloth barrier used when handling to avoid frostbite and other skin damage. It should also be used in a well-ventilated area, as solid carbon dioxide sublimates to a gas, increasing carbon dioxide levels in the surrounding breathable air, which can be suffocating.

Store dry ice in thick, insulated containers to prevent sublimation, but do not use closed containers that can explode if gas accumulates inside.

How to use dry ice for Halloween this year

With that in mind, use dry ice to decorate for the spookiest holiday of the year. It works best in jack-o’-lanterns because it’s much harder to accidentally touch it when it’s in a pumpkin shell. Recommended by Dry Ice Fill a large glass about halfway with hot water and salt, put it in the pumpkin, drop a few large pieces of dry ice into the water, and close the pumpkin.

Remember to use gloves or another barrier when working with dry ice. Also note that carbon dioxide sinks. That’s why more flows out through the bottom of the jack-o-lantern design. Using taller glass allows the mist to float through the top hole. To keep the mist flowing, keep adding hot water until the water in the glass cools.

HGTV also proposed Place a small serving bowl in the large punch bowl and add dry ice between the two. Place the punch in the small inner bowl, pour a little hot water over the dry ice, and let the mist enliven your dinner party.

You may also see cocktail recipes that require you to add a small amount of dry ice to each glass, but we recommend doing so. No Do this: Taking a sip after the chunk has sunk to the bottom is fine, as long as the dry ice itself isn’t consumed, but it’s too risky, especially if it contains alcohol and your guests are feeling the effects. Store dry ice only in the interior.