Heating packs soothe your aches and pains. They also provide a soft, comforting pillow for those rough or stressful days. The best part is that it's easy to make heat packs with materials found in your home, eliminating the need to spend your hard-earned money. By making your pack at home, you can also add a bit of coziness to it by using your favorite decorative fabric and adding your own personal scent.
Quick Pack
Step 1
Choose an old sock, preferably a long, woolen sock that lost its partner in the washing machine.
Step 2
Take uncooked, long-grain rice and fill your sock three-quarters of the way. Do not use instant rice, as it may catch on fire when you heat the pad in the microwave.
Step 3
Add a bit of perfume or whatever scent you enjoy most and tie the top of the sock in a knot. Tie the knot as tight as possible or you'll have a big mess on your hands.
Step 4
Toss the sock in the microwave for 20 seconds for an instant heating pad.
Decorative Pad
Step 1
Find old scraps of cotton cloth, preferably flannel. Look for a decorative fabric at your favorite store to add a cozy flair. Cut two identical, rectangular scraps. It is easiest to fold a piece of cloth over itself and cut one rectangle. Cut the rectangle as large as you wish your pack to be.
Step 2
Place the two pieces of cloth over each other. Choose one of the short ends to be the bottom of your pack. Fold the edge of those chosen ends in at about 1/2 inch so that the folded line is facing outward and the loose cloth is inward. Use a sewing machine to stitch the folded sides together.
Step 3
Stitch each long side of the cloth together, placing the line 1/2 inch from the edge of the bag. This should leave you with a rectangular tube with one open end and one closed end.
Step 4
Fill the tube three-quarters of the way with uncooked rice and tie the end with a ribbon. Heat the pad in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Tips and Warnings
- For a softer pad, use dried or cracked corn instead of uncooked rice. Simply grind the corn to a powder with your food processor and add to the sock. You can also use the heat pack as a cooling pad. Put the pack in the freezer until it is cold.
- Do not use a twist tie to tie your pad. The twist tie may contain foil and catch on fire in the microwave.
Things You'll Need
- Long, woolen sock
- Uncooked rice
- Perfume
- Cotton fabric
- Sewing machine
