When you bring a bag of ice home, it’s bound to melt a bit. If you empty that bag onto the ice tray in your freezer, the water from the melted ice will make it all morph together.

Later on, you’ll have to break the ice apart, which may cause shards to fly around your kitchen. However, per a TikTok hack, putting the unopened bag in the freezer first can help.

Leaving the bag of ice intact in the freezer for about an hour will refreeze the ice. Right before you want to use it, remove the bag, and break up the ice while it’s still inside.

Doing so will keep any shards contained within the bag. Consider putting the bag in a pillowcase to keep it from ripping while you punch down on it and further help prevent a mess.