Make Your Own Aromatherapy Bags
I know it might sound crazy but I had never had need of a rice bag until I became pregnant with twins and my tiny 5 foot 3 inch 100 lbs. frame had to carry around an extra 65 lbs.! Ouch, my low back. Good times! Then suddenly I had a million reasons to want (and need) a rice bag. In fact, I love homemade rice bags so much, I consider them one of my pregnancy must haves.
Pregnancy aside, rice bags are wonderful for sore necks, achy shoulders, cramps, post–workout muscle aches, pain and swelling from an injury, restless leg syndrome, growing pains and countless more uses. Just plain rice is great and it’s what I’ve had for years now but you can also go one step further and add the therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy to the therapeutic benefits of the judicious application of temperature to your rice bag.
How to Make Homemade Rice Bags
A scented rice bag can be highly therapeutic. I didn’t think they were all that amazing until I made a few different scents for family members as Holiday gifts. Lavender, spice, eucalyptus, peppermint…the list is endless. A homemade plain or aromatherapy rice bag is a must have for any home medicine cabinet, pregnant mum, sick kiddos, or as a thoughtful personalized gift.
Don’t be intimidated by the homemade aspect of these rice bags. Learning how to make a rice bag is really easy. They are probably the simplest thing you can sew. They are simple and very forgiving as most of the seams are completely hidden.
How To Make Aromatherapy Rice Bags
Supplies
- 12” × 20” Natural Fabric (such as 100% cotton, flax linen, organic muslin, etc.)
- 6 cups Rice (uncooked)
- Various Herbs (optional, see other fill options below)
- 10–20 drops essential oil (optional, plain is fine too)
- Sewing Thread & Sewing Machine (not necessary, but it will making things much faster)
Directions
- Fold the fabric into thirds length wise (like a hot dog). Cut along each fold to make three strips of material, to make two separate medium bags and one small bag.
- Cut each strip of fabric in half again. You should have six rectangles.
- Line up two rectangles on top of each other with the pattern facing in (right sides of fabric facing). Sew three sides of the fabric, leaving one side open. Turn the bag right side out.
- Mix together uncooked rice and 10 drops of essential oils (more or less, depending on your scent preference) and let sit for a few minutes, so it fully absorbs. Scoop rice into the bag.
- Fold the fabric of the open end inside itself by about 1 inch. Pinch the ends together and sew it closed.
- To make the smaller rice bag fold one rectangle in half, but only sew two sides. Fill the bag with 1 cup of rice then sew shut.
Instructions
Step 1
Fold fabric into thirds length wise (like a hot dog). This size drapes nicely over adult shoulders but you can make your bag into any size.
Step 2
Cut each strip of fabric in half again. You will now have six rectangles that are 4” × 10”. Line up two rectangles on top of each other with the pattern facing in (right sides of fabric facing).
Step 3
Sew three sides of the fabric, leaving one side open so that you can turn fabric right side out and fill with rice.
Turn fabric right side out. You can also iron the fabric at this time if you would like but I don’t bother as wrinkles will disappear as you heat up the rice bag.
Step 4
In a bowl, combine uncooked rice with your aromatherapy options (herbs, essential oils, etc.). Mix well.
I found many sites saying to let the rice absorb the scents—particularly essential oils—for one day before filling the rice bag, but odds are you only need 15–60 minutes, or fill immediately with no harm.
Step 5
Insert a funnel (or paper funnel) into fabric bag and start filling the bag with rice.
Fill bag with rice mix. I’ve found that you need about 2–2½ cups rice for the medium size bags and 1 cup for the smaller bag.
Step 6
Once your bag is filled with the rice mix, remove funnel. Fold the raw edges of the fabric of the open end inside itself by about 1 inch.
Step 7
Pinch the ends together and sew it closed. This looks best if you sew by hand (ladder–stitch or whip–stitch) so that seams are hidden, but I’ve been known to just run it under the sewing machine (top–stitch) for a faster method…granted I usually only do that with my personal bag; I like gifts to look a bit more “polished”.
Step 8
To make the smaller rice bag fold one rectangle in half, but only sew two sides. Fill the bag with 1 cup of rice then sew shut, and that’s it. You’re finished.
My favorite essential oil? Lavender. It’s my go-to whenever I can’t sleep. The scent reminds me of my travels through England and my visit to Windsor Castle, where enormous fields of lavender are grown at Mayfield Lavender Farm in Banstead, UK.
How to Use the Aromatherapy Rice Bags
Warm
Heat rice bag in microwave for 2–3 minutes, for this size. Smaller size bags will need less time.
No microwave? No worries! I’ve also heard you can heat up a rice bag in the oven at 200° F for about 15 minutes but make sure to check on the bag often.
Cool
Place in the freezer until cold and use just as you would a cool pack.
Aromatherapy Rice Bag Filling Options
- Chamomile—3–4 Tbsp. dried chamomile or 3 drops chamomile essential oil.
- Cinnamon—3–4 Tbsp. cinnamon chips.
- Eucalyptus—2–3 drops eucalyptus essential oil.
- Lavender—3–4 Tbsp. dried lavender or 3 drops lavender essential oil.
- Peppermint—2–3 drops peppermint essential oil.
- Rosemary—2–3 drops rosemary essential oil.
- Spice—3–4 Tbsp. of your favorite spices—I love a mix of cinnamon, clove and ginger.
Any scent will really work. You can open up tea bags and use those (I just made one with a spiced chai tea blend), any essential oils and any herbs (dried) will likely work as well.
A Comparison of Aromatherapy Bag Fillings
Note of Caution: When researching this post, I came across many people complaining their hot packs sometimes burned or their smell turned rancid after heating. It is absolutely imperative to put a mug with some water in the microwave with your aromatherapy bag at the same time as you warm it. Without it, your bag could burn or catch fire and you could damage your microwave. If you give aromatherapy bags as gifts, be sure to mention this to your loved ones.
When heating a new aromatherapy bag, warm it in 30–second intervals, testing after each interval, until you learn how long it takes to warm it to just the right temperature without scorching it. The fillings below varied wildly in terms of how long they took to warm up, so it is not only the volume of filling, but also the type of filling that affects heating time. Some fillings, such as corn, become easily overheated if warmed for too long.
For each of these “test” bag warmers I sewed two 5” squares of heavier–weight cotton fabric right sides together with cotton thread, leaving a 2–inch opening along one side. Then I turned the fabric right side out, poked out the corners, and filled it with about 1 scant cup of filling. I whip–stitched the opening shut. It is important to use 100% cotton or flax linen for anything that will go in the microwave.
Which Filling Is Best?
The Fillings Tested: Cherry pits, wheat berries, whole dried corn (feed corn or bird seed, not popcorn!), pot barley (can substitute pearled barley), dried whole peas (can substitute split peas), buckwheat groats (can substitute buckwheat hulls), whole flax seeds, jasmine rice (basmati is another very fragrant rice), steel–cut oats, clay gardening beads, coarse crushed walnut shells and dried pinto beans.
Best Overall Options: Whole corn, walnut shells and jasmine rice. I still love cherry pits for larger bags, but their heat doesn’t last in smaller bags. My daughter suggested adding some cherry pits to another filling; I tried ¼ cup mixed in with corn and that made it smell lovely without the rapid heat loss. My choice would be either the corn–cherry pit mix or walnut shells.
Worst Options: Buckwheat hulls (too expensive), clay beads or cherry pits (poor heat retention in a smaller bag), dried pinto beans or whole peas (beany scent) and flax seeds (even after a few warmings the oils began to turn a bit rancid). However, flax seeds would probably make an amazing cold pack if kept in the freezer.
Best Fragrance: Cherry pits, jasmine rice and walnut shells. If you choose a different filling, you can boost up the fragrance by mixing in essential oils, dried flowers, dried herbs or cherry pits.
Most Pleasant Feel: Flax seeds, whole corn and jasmine rice.
Best Heat Retention: Whole corn, rice, wheat and walnut shells.
Ease of Care without Mold or Decay: Cherry pits, clay gardening beads and walnut shells. All other fillings will need a removable cover if you’d like to be able to wash your aromatherapy bags. All food–based fillings will decay over time and need replacing. The sturdier fillings, like whole corn, will last longer than fillings like rice or grains.
Notes on Suppliers: Most items above are available at grocery stores or health food stores, and the cheapest prices will be in the bulk section. I actually found 11 out of the 12 items above in my house already. I only had to purchase the cherry pits.
- The cherry pits I purchased at cherrypitstore.com. The price difference in the table is the small bag vs. the large bag and includes shipping costs.
- The whole peas I purchased at an Indian grocery store, you can substitute split peas for the whole peas, and they will just have a slightly different feel.
- The corn I purchased at a local Mexican grocery store, but you can use feed corn from a farm supply or birdseed supplier. Feed corn is only about $7.50 for a 50 pound bag at places like Fleet Farm, so use what you need from the huge bag, and then put the rest outside to feed birds and woodland critters.
- Buckwheat hulls can be found in online shops.
- Clay beads are hydroponic gardening beads I had left over from a lettuce growing experiment and can be found at any nursery or garden supply store.
- Crushed walnut shells are available at any pet store as lizard bedding. I used a very coarsely ground one, but I would think the finely ground stuff would also work just fine. Use a very small stitch length to avoid leaks.
| Filling | Weight/Cost | Feel | Scent When Hot | Heat Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry pits | 100g/$0.34–$1.32 | Large, chunky, awkward. Pleasant sound. | Lovely cherry pie. | Poor in such a small hot pack |
| Wheat | 182g/$0.33 | Small & grainy. | Grainy, neutral. | Average |
| Feed corn | 181g/$0.03 | Large flat, slippery chunks. Pleasant sound. | Faint corn. | Good, heats very quickly |
| Barley | 187g/$0.37 | Small & grainy. | Grainy, not as strong as wheat. | Average |
| Whole dried peas | 173g/$0.44 | Little spheres. | Beany, not my favorite. | Average |
| Buckwheat hulls/groats | 168g/$1.19–$0.59 | Pointy, not as slippery. | Earthy. | Average |
| Whole flaxseed | 150g$0.44 | Slippery, smooth, luxurious. | Oily. Oils turn rancid and over time the scent might become overpowering. Would probably be fabulous as a cold pack that is kept in the freezer. | Good, heats very slowly |
| Jasmine rice | 188g/$0.33 | Rice–y, satisfying creaking sound when squeezing, stiff. | Lovely and fragrant. | Good, heats quickly |
| Steel cut oats | 162g/$0.37 | Smaller & grainy. | Grainy. Not as strong as wheat. | Average |
| Clay beads | 102g/$0.11 | Large, irregular, not slippery. Very awkward. | None. | Terrible |
| Crushed walnut shells | 143g/$0.07 | Small and a little crunchy; use less filling if you want it to conform. | Sweet & nutty, a bit like marzipan. | Good, heats very slowly |
| Dried pinto beans | 182g/$0.33 | Large and somewhat slippery with a flat surface, similar to corn. | Beany, not my favorite. | Good |
Tutorials and photo credits:
DIY Aromatherapy Rice Bag – The Pistachio Project
https://pistachioproject.com/2014/12/diy-aromatherapy-rice-bag.html
Posted by Brittany Thomas, Dec 19, 2014
DIY Aromatherapy Rice Bags (Natural Heating Pads) | Making Lemonade Blog
https://makinglemonadeblog.com/diy-aromatherapy-rice-bags-natural-heating-pads/
Mar 7, 2017
DIY Aromatherapy Rice Bag | Diy aromatherapy – Pinterest
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/114912227968998304/
What filling makes the best hot pack? A comparison of hot pack fillings
A Little Crispy
https://alittlecrispy.com/2016/12/hot-pack-fillings/
Dec 2, 2016
How to make your true love an aromatherapy rice bag
By Amelia Bates on Dec 12, 2014
https://grist.org/living/how-to-make-your-true-love-an-aromatherapy-rice-bag/