Has anyone ever made a heating pad with rice?

[billwendy]

Hi,

has anyone ever made one of those heating pads with rice that you can microwave? i looked and some say use rice and some say use flaxseed.....what is your experience? is there a way to make it smell nice? how long will it last?

thanks, hoping to make some CHristmas gifts!!
Wendy

 

[piratesmate]

I have a small one for warming my hands at the computer. I don't much care for the smell of it - because the rice smell is overpowering. Last Christmas my sister (MsSocks) made some for other people. I'll see if I can get her to answer.

DH just bought something similar for DD for Christmas, but I don't think it actually has rice in it. It has tea leaves & I can smell mint & lavendar in it.

Deb

ETA: I just talked to her. She said a good place to get info on this is recipe goldmine - in their crafts section. HTH

 

[sk8bug72]

I use cow corn (not regular corn) to make fleece heating pads. It doesn't have much of a smell and lasts for atleast a few years.

 

[Jackie H.]

My mother made us 3. She just sewed together some material (something that the rice would not come out of) and filled it with raw rice.

I keep them in the freezer...they are GREAT cold or hot. If we need an ice bag or something cold, we just grab a rice bag. If it needs to be hot, we pop it into the microwave.

COLD: great! It stays cold for hours but it doesn't get so cold you can't stand it like an ice bag will. No smell at all.

HOT: It stays hot for hours as well...but it definately smells like rice cooking.

We've had ours for years and still use them. The only thing I can think of that would need doing is washing it - which of course would mean you would have to take the rice out first.

 

[bubbasmom99]

I have made one in a pinch by putting some rice in a sock and tying off the top in a knot.... It was small enough that it didn't smell like rice. That's a great crafty idea for a gift though!

 

[Feralpeg]

I was given one to keep by the hospital when I had my hysterectomy. I love it. The hospital volunteers make them to be given to patients.

 

[JulianneCP]

Oh perfect DH hurt his back again and I can't find our heating pad. how long to do you microwave it?? I have tons of old socks and could make him one quick.

 

[Feralpeg]

I microwave mine for 3 minutes. Be careful. It will be hot!

 

[JulianneCP]

wow thanks that was a fast reply!!!

 

[Boo'sMom]

I made these last year to go into Xmas baskets. What I used was cow corn, and sewed these into a muslin bag (reinforced stitches on all sides) then I made a cover of scrap polarfleece that had vecro on one end. This allows the outer shell to be washable, without losing the inside

Good Luck, Everyone LOVED these in my family.

 

[mssocks]

I made the socks with rice a few different ways. The first ones I used a drop of oil to make them smell good. Lavender, CleanCotton, etc ( I used my Glade plugin bottle ). Later I bought eucalyptus at the craft store, peppermint leaves and lavender buds at the spice store. That really smelled nice but only use the eucalyptus leaves not the sticks broken up like I did! They take about 2 minutes to heat up and do last a while.

Any soothing smell will do. Just be careful using oil as one drop in plenty!

Recipegoldmine.com does have great crafts - I also made the Bath and Body Works Jelly Jars ( since they are now discontinued ) from that site. Another reason for raiding the Glade Plugins!

 

[becky7953]

I had one and didn't use it because of the smell.

 

[faireygod mother]

Try using field corn or cherry pitts. They both smell great. The field corn smells like popcorn when it is warmed and the cherry pitts smell like cherry pie when warmed.

Special note. You can only use Field/feed corn

 

[billwendy]

hi,

i am concerned about the smell,,,,where do you buy field corn?

thanks everyone!!

wendy

 

[JulianneCP]

Well the rice in the sock did the trick! My DH hurt his back again (Elven days before we head to Disney) but anyhow he has been flat on his back using the homemade heating pad for the past three days and he has had some reflief. he had surgery 6 years ago and was told it would not be his last one, years of football have caught up with him. We have used so many heating pads in the past and they wear out and get dirty. the sock is great!! it fits the arch of his back perfect! The smell is okay Smells like bread baking a little. Much better then icy hot!!! I think I will make him another one tomorow with my glad plug in. good idea!

 

[billwendy]

okay,,
my DH is ready to kick me out of the house!! the rice really didnt smell good at all, neither of us could take it,,,then i tried black beans mixed with some peppermint oil,,,thought it was better at first, but when i mixed the oil in, i took a sniff, and it was soooo powerful, it burnt my sinusus!!! my DH came running, looked in the bowl, and the oil was so powerful, it made his eyes tear up!!!! its a funny scene here!!! anyway, when i tried to reheat the beans mixed with oil, the beans started poppping,,,,yikes,,,,,what am i going to do!!

wendy

 

[saucymb]

I make something similar out of deer corn. Walmart has it in the hunting/camping section, and you can find it in feed stores, etc. They stay warm for hours, in fact when I woke up this morning, mine was still slightly warm (in the foot of my bed, 9 hours later!).

 

[christinadei]

I've always heard to use flaxseed All the ones i can find online use flaxseed as well. I'm sure it's more expensive, but it doesn't stink and is supposed to last much longer. I'd think that you could buy flaxseed in the bulk bins at any heathfood store. I need to figure out what I'd want to sue for scent. I'd love lavender and chamomile. Any suggestions? Oil or dried? Where to findt hat stuff? I think that I'll have my MIL make me one I'll go buy the stuff and have her sew it. We did just buy her a sewing machine.......

Here is a picture of the one I want. It has channels to keep the seeds even and not all fall to the side.

 

[mtblujeans]

My MIL made us rice bags a few years back and I am going to make new ones this winter as the old ones are finally wearing out. They are sized more for putting around your neck or feet. We just use a strip of flannel about 10.5" X 15.5" and fold it in half lengthwise, sewing the side and bottom shut. Pour the rice in and sew the top shut.

She explained to me that you just use cheap rice as it usually has a good "moisture content" that can stand being re-heated.

I like the idea of making a cover with a velcro closure so it can be washed!