How to store ice at home and how long it keeps
Ice you buy is not always used straight away. A few simple habits let you keep it until you need it without losing its shape or quality.
The freezer is best, with a few conditions
Ice melts once its temperature rises above 0 °C, so the safest place is an ordinary home freezer at around -18 °C. Packaging matters most: ice should never sit open next to meat, fish or other food, because it absorbs odours and you taste them in a drink straight away. Tie the ice bag tightly or place it in a second clean bag, and nothing will harm it.
Prepare the space in advance. A 10 kg bag of ice is bulky and may not fit in the freezer compartment of a standard fridge. Check how much free room you have before ordering, or use a separate chest freezer.
Why ice clumps together
Cubes stick together when the surface melts slightly and refreezes. It happens when the bag is carried through warm air, opened often or left near the freezer door, where the temperature swings. To limit it, keep ice at the back of the freezer rather than in the door shelf, and do not open the bag unnecessarily. If the cubes have fused, a gentle knock of the bag on the floor or a table will separate them. This applies especially to crushed ice: it has far more surface area, so it clumps faster and can turn into one dense block in the freezer. It is best used soon after delivery.
Thermo box and cooler box without a freezer
If there is no room in the freezer, ice can be kept in an insulated box. A thermo box with ice is made for exactly this: thick walls slow melting considerably, and the box can stand in a cool room, a garage or on a balcony in the shade. Keep it closed and out of direct sun. If you need ice for longer or want to move it around, a 24 l cooler box can be filled with ice and used as a portable fridge.
Remember that even the best box will not keep ice forever. It melts gradually, and meltwater inside speeds up the melting of what is left. If water collects in the box, pour it off and keep the ice, and it will last longer.
Can you refreeze melted ice
It is not recommended. Ice that has melted and frozen again becomes a dense, fused mass, and from a hygiene point of view it is less safe if the water has stood in the warm for long. Order drinks ice in the amount you plan to use, and use any leftover for cooling rather than in drinks. Our guide on how much ice you need includes a calculator to help.
Quick checklist
- Keep ice in closed, clean packaging, away from food.
- In the freezer, choose the deepest spot, not the door shelf.
- Use crushed ice as soon as possible.
- Without a freezer, use a thermo box and keep it closed.
If you plan a delivery, our manager agrees timing and terms, and you can read the details in how to order ice with delivery.
