Easy No Sew DIY Rice Heating Pad

This rice heating pad is one of my first lines of defense for aching muscles, stiff necks, and cramps.

Even better? This homemade heating pad is super inexpensive to make and takes just minutes to put to gether!

Uses for This Rice Heating Pad

When I was taking birthing classes several years ago, my doula gave me one of these rice heating pads. She told us moms in the class that a homemade heating pad could help sore, achy backs after a long day walking around with our growing bellies.

However, my fondness of the heating pad didn’t end with my pregnancies. I’ve used this homemade heating pad so many other ways throughout the years.

My chiropractor also recommended using heat on my aching shoulder muscles, and this DIY heating pad is the easiest way to do it. Additionally, I’ve reached for this rice heating pad anytime I’ve had cramps, stiff muscles, or just needed a little relaxation.

Additionally, these are great to heat up and put in our beds during winter. They keep your feet cozy and warm throughout the night. The possibilities are endless!

How to Make a Rice Heating Pad

Making one of your own DIY rice heating pads is easy. Plus, this is one of the most affordable DIY projects out there. In fact, you may already have all the ingredients at home!

Once you make this homemade heating pad it can be heated and reheated over and over again in your microwave.

Materials Needed To Make Your Own Rice Heating Pad:

4-6 cups of uncooked rice
Long Sock (Buy men’s Big & Tall size for a longer heating pad to wrap around your shoulders.)
Lavender Essential Oil
Decorative ribbon (optional)

How to Make a Heating Pad

This tutorial is quite simple. Take your sock and pour in the rice. Then, tie the sock closed and put a few drops of lavender oil on the outside if you like. That’s it!

How to Use the Homemade Heating Pad

To use the heating pad, all you need to do is add the filled sock into a microwave. Heat it for 2-3 minutes, and apply where you need heat.

I’ve had one DIY rice heating pad for a couple of years now that I have used over and over again. The heated rice smells a bit like popcorn, (or lavender flavored popcorn in this case), but you can keep reheating it in these 2-3 minute intervals as long as you need to.

Tips for Making the Rice Heating Pad

I had both a “big and tall” sized men’s sock and an airplane sock, so I made 2 different size rice sock heating pads.

For purely aesthetic purposes, I tied a knot on the “toe” end of the men’s sock so that I could cut off the gray and help the heating pad look more uniform. That step is completely optional. It all depends if you don’t mind your heating pad looking like an old sock or not. 😉

One of the easiest ways I have found to fill the sock with rice without it make a big mess (and seems to go faster than when using a funnel) is to stick a mason jar lid just at the top of the sock.

This will hold the form and keep the sock open so that when you pour in your rice (I suggest using a pourable measuring cup), you don’t make a huge mess.

The “big and tall” socks can hold about 6 cups of uncooked rice. You will need to squeeze the rice down as you go, but 6 cups really will fit.

Tie off the other end when the sock is full – and you are done!

I also filled this gray sock that I believe was a sock from an airplane hospitality kit. This one only held 4 cups of rice, and I only tied one end in a knot. It is a bit smaller than the white sock, and it fits the size of my daughters’ shoulders perfectly.

I think it’s nice to have a few different sizes made. The smaller rice heating pads work well for children while I prefer the larger ones.

How to Scent the Heating Pad

I highly recommend adding a calming scented essential oil to the heating pad as well. All you need to do is choose your scent and add a few drops on the sock after you heat it up in the microwave.

I really like using lavender, but if you want to change it up you could try chamomile, bergamot, jasmine, or any other scent you like.

Gift This DIY

If you want to make this heating pad as a gift, then grab some ribbon and add a splash of color around the knot if you’d like.

These are wonderful for everyone to have—you never know when you’ll need one! So go ahead and pamper yourself, enjoy a cup of warm tea, and be sure to warm your feet or shoulder/back muscles!