homemade-heat-pack

Homemade Heat Pack

Microwave heat packs are great for aches and pains, headaches, tired eyes, or just to pamper yourself after a long day! They are great for gifts as they really easy to make as well as cheap to fill! Here we have instructions on how to use your Gertie Gecko Wheat Pack in the microwave, other fillings you could use and alternative fabrics too.

FILLING your Heat Bag:

You can use so many different things to fill them and all are available at your local food store or health shop. I like wheat, but you can try:

• Wheat
• Uncooked rice
• Feed corn     
• Buckwheat hulls
• Barley  Beans

  

FABRICS to Use for your Heat Pack:

I use fleece for my Gertie Heat Pad. I searched the Internet for hours to see if it was dangerous to put fleece in the microwave. All I found was lots and lots of polar fleece products  - slippers, heat packs, dog beds, mouse sleeping bags (!) etc etc that are heated in the microwave, and NOT one warning about doing this, so I think it is safe. If you are concerned, please use 100% cotton fleece or any other 100% cotton fabric, for peace of mind.

(Try and use STRETCH fabrics that won’t fray. They will make it easy to turn you Gecko’s toes right sides out and won’t fall apart at the seams after lots of use.) You can try these materials:

• Fleece         
• Stretch Cottons
• Flannels        
• Thin Stretch Denims
• Towelling      
• Velour knits

 

BUTTONS:

I would suggest that you experiment with the buttons that you are going to use, in your microwave first, before using them with your heat pack. I like wooden buttons and you can usually get these in various colours. BUT if you want to be absolutely safe, I suppose, the best thing for Gerite's spots would be to sew on circles cut from the contrasting fabric... (Make you circles about 2cm/ 3/4 inch in size - or make a few different sizes!) 

***I would use the buttons if I made the gecko for a toy and the fabric spots, for a heat pack***

 

HEATING DIRECTIONS for heating a Microwave Heat Pack:

Microwave on HIGH, for 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the Power of your Microwave oven. Never leave it unattended - “just in case” the filling smokes or catches on fire. As a precaution, you can set a cup of water inside the microwave while heating the bag to add moisture.

***Caution – be careful not to burn yourself!***
Microwave ovens vary tremendously in their power settings and the heat pack may be much hotter than you think. Be careful when removing it from the microwave and applying it to the body. Make sure it’s not too hot and won’t burn, especially when using for a child. (Wheat Bags are only recommended as suitable for ages 3 years and older.) It is not recommend to take a Heat Bag to bed as a heating device. Overheated Wheat Bags have the possibility of catching fire when placed under bedding where heat cannot escape. 

 

Adding FRAGRANCE:

You can also add Herbs, Spices and dried flowers to your filling for a soothing fragrant heating pad. Everyone’s tastes are different so choose a scent that you find soothing, but the most common ones are:

• Lavender (dried flowers)     
• Rose petals(dried)
• Cinnamon      
• Cloves
• Nutmeg        
• Rosemary (dried)     

 

 Some Feedback from someone who has used Gertie for Chronic Pain Syndrome:

 

Hi I made gertie the lizard with his perkey pink bow and i even put a smile on his dial

 

I get funny looks as i walk round town with him [and his lovely warmth] on my shoulder or comments as i sit in the library with him perched whereever i hurt that particular day [i live with chronic pain syndrome] He has even been reheated at a couple of stores that i found have micros for warming your lunch!!

 

Thankyou so much, the patten has been a godsend.

Sandee

 

 Some Feedback from someone who has used Fleece Heat Packs for YEARS:

 

Hi Pauline

just a few tips you may like to pass along.  I live in 24/7 chronic pain and I use wheat bags all the time [at least for the last 10 years] I’ve never had a problem with fleece but I find it loses the heat quickly so it is best to line the heat  pack.

Another tip,  if your new heat bag takes 3 mins to get to temp do’nt assume it always will -  I find after a few uses the bag takes a shorter time to heat. (My big head one took 3.5 mins to heat now it only takes 1.2 to get to the same temp, that,s why you don,t walk away while heating!)

Also it may be worth making Gertie a blankie - I found if you can cover the exposed parts with a teatowel, jumper, towel or whatever is at hand you can make your heat bag last twice or three times as long, (my head one last 20 mins but 2 hours with a cover)

Kind regards San's

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