How to Make Your Own Heating / Cooling Pad

With these easy instructions, you can make your own heating / cooling pad to soothe those sore joints and muscles or even to use to warm orphaned animal babies in your care. Add some herbals and it doubles as a great aromatherapy aide.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old Sock or sew your own 'tube' shape from a hand towel
• Rice
• Needle
• Thread
• Microwave
• Freezer

1. Mix dry rice with any aromatherapy items you may wish to use in a bowl. Lavendar is very soothing. Or you could try cloves or rosemary. You can even use essential oils. Peppermint would be nice at Christmas time.

2. Pour rice mixture into your tube shape or sock and sew up the end. The tube should be 3/4 filled or a tad less. Leave enough room that you can mold it to go around your neck or any other area you may wish to use it.

3. To use as a heating pad, mist ever so lightly and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until it has reached the desired heat.

4. To use as a cooling pad, simply freeze it for a few hours or so first.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to mush it around and get that rice mixed up so all the heat is evenly dispersed before using.
• I keep mine in the freezer to preserve freshness
• Make an attractive cover with velcro closure to offer as gifts.
• Make a mini 'flat' version you could use to place over your eyes for headache relief. (use lavender)
• After several uses, refill your tube with fresh rice mixture to prevent the risk of it catching on fire when heated up. (also the reason to lightly mist before nuking)

[writetruth]

on 5/13/2008 What a wonderful idea. I have made a couple of them before, but lost interest because they were to technical as far as sewing. I like the sock or hand towel idea. Peppermint may also be nice in Spring for those of us that have hay fever. I just like mint anyway... 5 Stars ~!~