Homemade heating pads

[chelsknits]

From a very young age, I remember my mother always making homemade heating pads. She sews fabric like you would for a pillow, leaving a small hole on one corner. Then you put a funnel in the hole and put cow feed into it and sew up the hole. These can be thrown in the microwave and make AMAZING heating pads! They can also be put in the freezer, which is great too. I use them whenever I have aches and pains. Typically I keep one in the freezer and have one that I can throw in the microwave whenever I need it. They're super cheap to make too, especially if you buy scraps at a craft store. And they also make amazing gifts!

 

[rz3300]

That sounds like a wonderful idea and great thing to have on hand. I suppose the only issue would be where to find some cow feed. I am going to go ahead and assume I will never have access to cow feed, so it does make me wonder if there are other alternatives out there that I could use. My heating pad could probably stand to be replaces here pretty soon, so I might have to look more into this.

 

[Corzhens]

I have a heating pad like that which I bought in the mall several years ago. It's still working and being used until now although it had a torn part so we had to sew it before the grains would all get out. I don't know what kind of grains they put inside but after 2 minutes in the microwave, it emits a delicious aroma like popcorn or nuts. But it's a good heating pad although we don't use it for cold compress. If you have read about a bulge on my leg, that hot compress is my usual treatment.

 

[chelsknits]

That sounds like a wonderful idea and great thing to have on hand. I suppose the only issue would be where to find some cow feed. I am going to go ahead and assume I will never have access to cow feed, so it does make me wonder if there are other alternatives out there that I could use. My heating pad could probably stand to be replaces here pretty soon, so I might have to look more into this.

Dry rice works just as good! We've just always lived near rural areas where cow feed was easy to get and to buy in bulk, so it was what we used most often for them. The rice ones are more of a moist heat but at times that's even better. Especially if you add some dried lavender in with them, then they have an aromatherapy aspect to them as well.

 

[chelsknits]

I have a heating pad like that which I bought in the mall several years ago. It's still working and being used until now although it had a torn part so we had to sew it before the grains would all get out. I don't know what kind of grains they put inside but after 2 minutes in the microwave, it emits a delicious aroma like popcorn or nuts. But it's a good heating pad although we don't use it for cold compress. If you have read about a bulge on my leg, that hot compress is my usual treatment.

It's probably the same thing we make ours with because ours smell like popcorn when you microwave them as well. It's a really great smell but eventually, after reusing them a bunch of times, it starts to smell more like burnt popcorn. I don't mind that smell either but my mother couldn't stand it so she would always throw them away and make more at that point.

 

[CrankyThunder]

It's probably the same thing we make ours with because ours smell like popcorn when you microwave them as well. It's a really great smell but eventually, after reusing them a bunch of times, it starts to smell more like burnt popcorn. I don't mind that smell either but my mother couldn't stand it so she would always throw them away and make more at that point.

I make mine out of kernel corn. easily available and smells good too.

 

[chelsknits]

I make mine out of kernel corn. easily available and smells good too.

Where do you get it? I've never heard of it called that but the cow feed I'm talking about is just dried corn kernels so it's probably the same thing.

 

[amelia88]

I make these too! I love them - for all sorts of aches and pains they're amazing. Add some lavender oil and they're even better - to me the scent of lavender is just super relaxing all around, although I'm sure you could use whatever essential oil you liked mixed in with the rice and it would have the same effect! I'm thinking now that a citrusy one would have a lovely and refreshing scent - perfect for re-invigorating myself!

 

[sbayhylle]

We use rice here for ours. Now that you've mentioned it I believe that I'm going to add some peppermint, copaiba, clove, and eucalyptus oil to mine to help ease those aches and pains. I had totally forgotten about those

 

[Kakashi]

Okay I like the idea of a heating pad made out of dried rice husks which I can easily get from rice distributors and feeds supply stores in my area. The question is what kind of fabric should the cover be made off?

 

[Steve5]

I occasionally use heating pads for treatment of discomfort. Sometimes my legs and arms would ache from sitting for too long. It helps with that. It's nice for relieving neck discomfort too.