Halloween Fog - Special Effects with Dry Ice

Spooky Crawling Bubbles

For this Halloween party spectacular, you need a sort of tall, clear plastic cylinder-shaped vase, warm water, dry ice, a little liquid dishwashing detergent, and some food coloring.

CAUTION: Dry ice is very cold and will freeze your skin instantly. Never let dry ice touch any part of your body. Use only heavy gloves or tongs to handle dry ice. See our dry ice safety page for more safety information.

Fill the vase with warm water, add a few drops of detergent and food coloring, and carefully drop a piece of dry ice into the water. The dry ice will turn into a gas underwater and make colorful bubbles that will crawl up out of the vase and "pop" with a little cloud of carbon dioxide fog as they climb out of the vase.

Fog Effect

Fill a metal or plastic container half full with hot water, add a few pieces of dry ice every five to ten minutes. As the water cools, it will be necessary to start over with hot water to maintain the fog effect.

Witch's Brew

CAUTION: DO NOT let the dry ice come in contact with the punch! If the dry ice comes into contact with the punch, tiny chips may flake off and burn the throats of those drinking the punch. Be careful!

Place a smaller metal or plastic container half full with hot water and a few pieces of dry ice into a larger punch bowl. Then add punch to the punch bowl making sure that the dry ice does NOT come into contact with the punch. Again, as the water cools, it will be necessary to start over with hot water to maintain the fog effect.

As a rule of thumb, one pound of dry ice will create two to three minutes of fog effect. The hotter the water, the more fog but the quicker dissipation of the dry ice.

CAUTION: DRY ICE (solid carbon dioxide)

• Dry ice is extremely cold (-109 F) (-78.5 C).
• Avoid contact with skin, eyes, mouth, and clothing - may cause cold burns.
• Asphyxiant - liberates heavy gas that may cause suffocation.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Do not eat or put into drinks.
• Do no seal in glass or other closed containers.
• Do not enter areas where used or stored until properly ventilated.
• Use heavy gloves when handling.
• Visit our dry ice safety page for more information.

Call Continental Carbonic toll-free at 800-DRY-ICE2 to buy dry ice. Visit our News Archive to find out about more ways to use dry ice.