How to Make a DIY Rice Heating Pad (Microwave or Oven)

Do you have sore muscles, kinks, and cramps? Or are you feeling chilly? Come learn how to make a DIY rice heating pad in this step-by-step tutorial. They are fun, easy, and inexpensive to make – especially if you use an upcycled pillowcase like I usually do! Warmed in either the microwave or the oven, rice offers natural, nontoxic, long-lasting heat.

Homemade rice heating pads can also be put in the freezer to use as a cold pack! I’m heat-sensitive, so I rely on them to keep me cool and comfortable on hot days. Infused with optional stress-reducing lavender essential oils, they can ease tension with natural aromatherapy too.

DIY rice heating pads also make fantastic and useful handmade gifts. I’ve been making and sharing them for years! Back in college, I made dozens as holiday gifts for the special people in my life, and those folks still love and use them to this day – over 10 years later.

Note: This post was originally published in August 2019.

Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 

Before Getting Started

This DIY rice heating pad tutorial requires a sewing machine, but I am not going to get into detail about how to use one. If you’re new to sewing, check out this tutorial to get a basic beginner’s run down.

This is a very easy “pattern” and project but I am not a seamstress! I took sewing classes in junior high school and have tinkered around with it occasionally ever since, but I am not well-versed on all the sewing lingo and methods. Nor have I ever walked anyone through one of my projects, but I will try my best here!

That said, feel free to use my design as general inspiration and modify the size or style of your rice heating pad to your liking.

RELATED: Looking for more sustainable crafts and DIY gift ideas? Don’t miss these beautiful dried flower candle lanterns, DIY bath salt recipe , or this easy homemade lip balm recipe.

Supplies Needed

• An old clean pillowcase. You could use one you already have around the house, or even go pick something out second-hand! When I made these in college, I had so much fun treasure hunting for the perfect patterns and fabric at thrift stores. (Wash it first of course!) You don’t have to use a pillowcase. Any sturdy 100% cotton fabric will do. However, a pillowcase is already sewn on three sides for you, and has the perfect dimensions for a generous-sized DIY rice heating pad. 
  
  
• Durable, thick 100% cotton thread. This is important since other types of threads could melt in the microwave! The thread will be fairly visible, so choose something neutral or one that will match your chosen fabric. 
  
  
• A sewing machine is ideal. You could also follow this guide and sew by hand if you’re feeling up to it. 
  
  
• About 8 to 10 cups of dry, uncooked rice grains*. Organic is best! I like to use organic jasmine rice, which has a very pleasant sweet aroma. I find brown rice smells a little too earthy for this project. The exact amount of rice used may vary, depending on the final size of your heating pad. You can also substitute some of the rice with organic flax seeds for an even longer-lasting heat!
  
  
• Essential oils (optional). Relaxing, therapeutic lavender essential oil is my go-to. Instead of lavender essential oil, you could add a handful of dried lavender buds inside the pack.

*TIP: There are about 4 cups of rice in a standard 32 ounce bag.

Instructions

Project time: About 30 to 60 minutes, depending on your comfort level and experience with sewing projects.

We’ll use about half a standard pillowcase to make a DIY rice heating pad. Most pillowcases are about 20 inches wide, which will be the total length of the finished rice pack. It’s easiest to use the closed end of the pillowcase since three sides are already sewn for you. The open end will be removed but could be used to create another heating pad. Or, you can use the leftover fabric to create a removable, washable cover for the heating pad!

Step 1: Create an Envelope

Turn the pillowcase inside out, and then measure and mark a line 12 inches from the bottom closed-end of the pillowcase. See the photos below. Now cut along that line.

The final result should be a rectangle that is 12” wide and 20” long, and is open on top but still sewn shut across the long bottom and two sides – thus creating an “envelope” shape. 

If you are using fabric other than a pillowcase, cut two pieces of fabric to 12-13 inches wide and 21-22 inches long, giving yourself that little extra buffer to finish the edges. Keeping the fabric inside out, sew the two shorter edges and one long edge together, creating the same envelope the pillowcase accomplished for us. Or, you could cut one piece at 24” by 21-22”, fold it in half “hamburger style” and sew it up the two short sides. That way, the bottom of the envelope is one contiguous piece instead of an additional seam. 

Step 2: Hem the Edges

Next, we need to hem or finish the freshly cut top edges of fabric. Keeping the envelope inside out, roll the top perimeter of fabric down and out by 1 inch. Use straight pins to hold the folded edge in place.

Using a straight stitch on the sewing machine, sew around the top border. I typically stitch one seam close to the raw edge of fabric, and sometimes go back around with another closer to the top (see the note in Step 6 to decide if you want just one or two lines here). Go back and forth a few stitches at the start and end of each seam to reinforce it. And be careful not to sew the opening of your sack shut! 

Step 3: Create Rice Pockets

Next we want to mark three evenly-spaced lines, which will divide the sack into four even pockets to hold rice.

Turn your fabric envelope right-side-out, and measure the total length of your DIY rice heating pad. The one I made here was about 20.5 inches. Now find the halfway point across the center of the long side (or 10.25 inches in this example). Use straight pins to mark a line evenly up the middle of the sack. Next, measure and divide the right and left portion in half in the same manner, also marking it with pins.

Now use your sewing machine to add a straight stitch down each of the three lines you have created. Again, add a backstitch at the start and finish of each. I then follow over each straight stitch with a zigzag stitch, for a little extra support and flair. My final pockets are about 5 inches wide each.

NOTE: It’s fine if your dimensions vary slightly from mine, but I find 4 to 5 inches is the ideal pocket size for the rice. If too much larger, the rice will move around too freely and create an uneven, lumpy rice heating pad to use. Furthermore, if the pockets are too small (e.g. 3 inches or less) I find the resulting rice pack becomes overly stiff and less comfortable to use – and also more difficult to fill with rice.

Step 4: Mix Rice and Essential Oils (optional)

Add the rice to a large mixing bowl. For this size heating pad, I used just under 10 cups of rice. If you are unsure of the amount you’ll need, I suggest going on the lighter side to start. You can always add more, but won’t want to use the rice for much else once you add essential oils!

Sprinkle the rice with essential oils of choice. I prefer organic lavender oil for relaxation. Also, lavender is one of the few safe essential oils to use around our cats.

I start by adding 15 to 20 drops (about 1/4 tsp) of lavender essential oil to the rice at first. Then I stir the rice to distribute the oils and coat it well, give it a sniff, and may add another 10 to 15 drops more. 

Feel free to scale up or down to your liking, but keep in mind that the scent will be stronger at first but fade with time. You can always mist the rice heating pad with lavender spray to reinvigorate the aroma in the future as needed.    

Ensure that the oils and rice are thoroughly mixed. Let them sit and soak together for a couple of minutes. If the oils aren’t mixed well, it may lead to visible oil spots in the fabric. 

Step 5: Add Rice to the Heating Pad

Now it’s time to fill those rice pockets!

Honestly, I never used a measuring cup before making this tutorial. I went by feel. But to make it easier on you all, I measured this time and found that about 2 ¼ cup of rice per 5” by 11” pocket was the sweet spot. The goal is for each pocket to have plenty of rice to retain warm or cold temperatures, but not so much that it is too bulbous or stiff. Our packs are usually about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick once completed and laying flat on a table. 

Carefully add the rice to each pocket. I find it easiest to place the sack inside the bowl to catch any spills. Start by filling one pocket. To assess how full it will be once sewn shut, pinch the top of the compartment closed, lay the pack flat on the table, and spread the rice out evenly inside.

Once you have one filled to your liking, pin the top closed and continue the same process for the following pockets. One way to check if the sections are evenly full is to stand the heat pack on its bottom, pocket openings facing up, and compare the levels of rice in each one. 

Step 6: Close it Up

Finally, it is time to stitch the rice heating pad closed! It can be a little tricky to work around the rice, but you should be able to keep the end full of rice to the left, sitting alongside your sewing machine on the table, with enough empty fabric space to reach over to your needle – as shown below.

To sew it closed, I ran one straight stitch between the two existing hem seams we previously created in Step 2. Then, I add an additional zigzag stitch, tracing over the straight stitch closest to the top edge. 

Note: If you want a cleaner finish with one less visible line, you could only sew one seam in Step 2, and then continue with the two closing seams at this stage. I think I have done that in the past, but forgot while I was making this example. It has been awhile since I have made one on of these bad boys!

Step 7: Relax and Get Comfortable

Finally, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of you labor! Use your new rice heating pad to soothe sore muscles, cramps, or even warm the bed up on a chilly evening. See heating instructions for both the microwave or oven below.

If you’re giving them away as gifts, I suggest to do one microwave test before doing so, just to be sure the materials you selected do okay. I also like to give them away with instructions for heating time.

Microwave Instructions

To warm your new DIY rice heating pad, simply heat it in the microwave for 2.5 to 3.5 minutes. Every microwave varies a little in intensity. For ours, I have found 3 minutes to be the sweet spot. It gets really warm and also stays warm for a long time.

Try 2.5 minutes maximum first, and to never heat it more than four minutes at a time. If heated too long, the rice can actually burn in the microwave, which will make the heading pad smell like burnt rice!

See tips on heating in the oven below.

WARNING: Due to the freshness of the rice and essential oils, you may find your pack to be quite steamy at first! Moist heat can be very therapeutic, but steam can cause more serious burns than heat alone. Therefore, use caution when you are getting accustomed to using your rice heating pad. I find that I can lay mine over my clothes almost straight out of the microwave, but not directly on my skin. Let it cool down as needed. 

How to Heat a Rice Heating Pad in the Oven

If microwaves aren’t your thing, no worries! You can also warm it in the oven. Simply place the rice heating pad inside a glass baking dish and warm it in the oven at 200°F for approximately 15 minutes. 

Using It as Cold Pack

Place your rice heating pad inside the freezer for several hours to create a soothing cold pack! My favorite use for these rice packs in the summertime is to cool down after being out in the hot sun, or to place inside our bed a few minutes before we tuck in on hot nights – especially since we don’t have AC!

Unlike gel cold packs, I find rice cold packs have a cooling effect that lasts for several hours in bed! Even though they’re relatively heavy, I bring them with me when we travel to hot locations like Hawaii. They’re just that good.

Wasn’t that simple?

I hope you found this tutorial useful and easy to follow. If you try it out, please leave a review below! I think you’ll love it. Perhaps you’ll even follow in my footsteps and become a little heating-pad-making-machine, and bless the people in your life with one of their own!

If you’re into fun DIY projects, you may also like these fruit & veggie stamped tea towels, blown egg ornaments, or homemade beeswax food wraps. It’s also super fun to make DIY beeswax leaf garlands in fall. For even more DIY gift ides, be sure to check out our Homemade Holiday Gift Guide for over 27 fun and easy eco-friendly crafts, edible gift ideas, mason jar gifts, and more!