Homemade Heating Pad

Make your own heating pad at home in two minutes!

I often strain my neck after staring at a computer for many hours.  A couple weeks ago I strained my neck really bad and couldn't go into work for a couple days.  Jason gave me the idea to make an at home heating pad.

Step 1 Materials

1 Pair of Socks
1 1/2 cups of Rice

Comments

[Lithium Rain]

>ahem<
>ahem<
>hack<
>sniff<
>hack<
>cough<
>cough<


 Sorry, it's my throat...

[ktyrel]

i hurt my shoulder last year i cheerleading and this feels great on it. it probably inst going to heal but it feels a little better. and btw. i didnt want to cheerlead...ever but my mom made me.
GREAT POST!!!!!! THANKS!!!!

[SIRJAMES09]

and if you do not want a round pad, cut some material in the shape you wish, & sew it up after filling it with rice...OR, do this & have 2 or more heating pads. :)

This is just great!! Thank you for sharing Ma'am.

[PRockGirlScout]

I love making these for gifts. The sock thing is great adhoc solution but I sew rectangular shaped ones out of just basic cotton broadcloth (cut up flat sheets from the clearance rack work great). I sew channels every few inches to keep the rice from bunching up on one side.

Then I make decorative covers out of flannel using a sham closure so they are easily removed for washing. I usually embroider the recipient's name on the edge of the closure. Here's a sham closure for anyone who is interested:

http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/living/2010/10/07/how-to-make-a-pillow-sham/

[SIRJAMES09]

TY Ma'am for sharing this website..

I stumbled across this instructable looking for something about making pillows...

TY Again. B0)

[Mike73]

Cool idea and easy to make. Maybe I make some, too. My wife always needs more than one of the pads we already have to warm up ;-)

[kwthemale]

If only my microwave worked...

[The Laughing Man]

Made these with dried corn once, called em "Corn Bags" sowed them up like bean bags made you hungry for popcorn. Pop em in the freezer and they are great cold packs too.

[hmaulana1]

waw...
cantik

[sanjay117]

CARLEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
are you married?
i am ready to marry you for this!
joke apart!
great idea!

[doxsys]

You forgot Step 4: Get foot massage from significant other. :)

[jjinyancey]

I have fibromyalgia and neck problems, so this is a great help to me! I've been using my same rice sock for over a year......just reheat it when I need it, but NEVER for that long! I can only heat mine for 1 1/2 min., but then my microwave IS a big, built-in one; probably has higher watts. But good grief, PLEEEZ use a new, clean sock! I made mine out of a long, white tube sock and filled it about 2/3 full of plain, long-grain white rice before I put a simple knot in the end of it. Then, I wrote "1 1/2 min." on it with a perm. marker so if my husband needs to use it, he will remember how!

[rxtrekker]

beans also work as a filling. (the dried ones, not the green ones!)

[twighahn]

add heerbs and spices to make it smell good

[rwhorton]

Should you wash the socks first??

[BtheBike]

what ? don't want athletes foot on the nape =D .

My Mom made 2 of these with dollar store river rocks.
White rice started to powerize .

[peacenique]

Of all the things you can use to fill these, I wonder which keeps heat the longest.

[mmaunder]

My understanding is that you must have some moisture in the microwave whenever you use it, so adding a bit of water is essential

[Anianna]

No need to add water. We've never had to add water even in the winter with very low humidity. Rice is great at absorbing ambient humidity and will retain some moisture anyway.

It is this property that makes rice work well in salt shakers, for example. If you keep a few grains of dry rice in your salt shaker, the salt won't absorb moisture and clump up. The rice absorbs any moisture and keeps the salt dry.

[Anianna]

I used my first rice sock when I was pregnant. A sock is the best size and shape for the lower back and for using under that heavy baby-filled belly! If you have a sock with a hole in the toe, you can tie off or sew both ends, so it's a great way to recycle some socks that aren't really good to wear anymore.

Good 'ible.

[sebgonz]

I love these projects. I've been wanting to make these with cherry pits since they hold their heat better. I'll post it once I do. You can never have too many of these to choose from.

[Anianna]

I like to use cherry pits because a heat wrap with cherry pits is machine washable. ;)

The problem with pits is they are more expensive and harder to get hold of unless you have your own cherry tree. Rice is great because it is relatively inexpensive and when it starts getting funky, you can empty your wrap into the compost heap, wash your sock, and put some fresh rice in.

[loveiscoolandgood]

Very creative. Good-luck

[Bryan Smith]

I have one that has field corn in it. I use it as a bed warmer and it keeps the heat for a couple of hours.

[yasirafzal]

good one. Thanks for sharing.

[dimpap]

WOW ! Nice .. PADs ! :)

[mikchil]

popcorn works good and adds a great smell.

[davidsona]

I'd be afraid the popcorn would pop!

[poppet2]

My daughter and I used to make heating pads to sell in our store. We sewed rectangles and long, thin (about like the sock idea only longer) pieces. Recently I bought one that has buckwheat and goes over shoulders, covering back, shoulders and chest...kind of like a filled shawl. It's nice, but it doesn't hold the heat well, and rice would be quite heavy, even tucked into smaller, sewn "quilted" areas. Field corn, however, is a good compromise, being lighter, but holding the heat well. You can scent these with oils, according to your choice.
But this was a great idea, so simple and everything right at hand. I'd keep one handy in the freezer and one out for the microwave. If you like these, don't put off doing this. They're more than worth the trouble, and this was done so nicely and simply.

[kevinice16]

you are very cute ^^

[momofmedo]

I use lentil peas, and add dried lavender which gives a relaxing aroma

[gijoebob]

You can also add pumpkin pie spice for a different aroma. Great job!

[jsager]

My wife has been doing this for sometime but she uses flax seed instead of rice.

[gangsan1996]

ur bras showing

[bmohr]

We do this too. You can also keep a sock of rice in the freezer. Since you are really only supposed to ice a sore muscle for less than 20 min, it works out well as the rice warms up in about 10-12. Then put the sock in the microwave for the heat. The icing reduces inflammation and the heat then promotes blood flow. Both help to interrupt the pain signals to the brain. I like heat better though :)

[Neon Panda]

Brilliant going to try this later, My dog keeps on eating my socks so i have hundreds of lonley socks! How long do u heat it for? ^^

[Carleyy]

2-3 minutes should last for 30 minutes of heating your neck, if you heat it for too long it will smell a little burnt.

[saunacoh17]

NICE POST!!!!

[boudewijnchill]

this is an easy but realy handy project. love it!

[eclombardo]

You can add a few drops of essential oils like lavender, peppermint, vanilla, etc. to the rice for a lovely relaxing scent - there are SO many to choose from, but lavendar, lilac, vanilla, these are relaxing scents whereas peppermint, lemon, orange - these are invigorating scents, just FYI. You can always mix them in the pad for your own custom mix.

I recommend lightly sprinkling some water drops (LIGHTLY!!) before putting in the microwave. It will create a warm moisture that's so beneficial to the muscles, and it will release the delicious scents of the oils if you've added them. You could also wrap the pad in damp paper towels and then heat instead of using water drops, just make sure to take the paper towels off before using the pad on yourself.