Wheat Bags

sammy_kaye18

Vanda2 - you can use rice to go in them. I have used rice - 1. it is cheap and readily available everywehre (yes its just bog standard rice you would find in a supermarket) and 2. i found they stayed warm for ages!!!! also 3. I made a rice bag for my pooch bruno becuase i found his room quite cold. I jsut made a giant flat square filled it with rice and put it under his bed cushion (i found rice even better as my pooch is a terrier with a tendancy to chew and i had no worries if he had gotten at the rice). Theya re really good - im making more this year as gifts and one each for all of us - including soem pad ones to use to warm the bed before we hop in them! My son and step son (aged 3 and 6) loved them and if the pads are still warm when they get in bed they either cuddle up to them or push them to the bottom of the bed to keep their toes warm. Then i can zap them in the microwave quickly before i go to bed to give the boys an extra heat boost if need be - saved me loads ont eh heating last year!!!!

Vanda2

Stiverton wrote: »

These seem a good price if you wanted one 'off the peg'.

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0210654

Thanks for that, they are a good price :beer:

Shame it costs extra to deliver to the Isle of Wight though (even though we are classed as mainland Britain:rolleyes: )

Vanda2

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Vanda2 - you can use rice to go in them. I have used rice - 1. it is cheap and readily available everywehre (yes its just bog standard rice you would find in a supermarket) and 2. i found they stayed warm for ages!!!! also 3. I made a rice bag for my pooch bruno becuase i found his room quite cold. I jsut made a giant flat square filled it with rice and put it under his bed cushion (i found rice even better as my pooch is a terrier with a tendancy to chew and i had no worries if he had gotten at the rice). Theya re really good - im making more this year as gifts and one each for all of us - including soem pad ones to use to warm the bed before we hop in them! My son and step son (aged 3 and 6) loved them and if the pads are still warm when they get in bed they either cuddle up to them or push them to the bottom of the bed to keep their toes warm. Then i can zap them in the microwave quickly before i go to bed to give the boys an extra heat boost if need be - saved me loads ont eh heating last year!!!!

Thanks Sammy-Kaye, I'll give the rice ones ago first I think. Tesco value here I come

Vanda2

sethsgran wrote: »

Not sure if the wheat needs to be a special treated wheat but your local health food shop will have it.

Thanks, never thought of the health food shop. They would now if it can be used :beer:

sammy_kaye18

Vanda2 - i use the tescos value rice and have never had a problem with it - jsut rememebr if you make a bag for the ric to go in then make a spare cover that way they can be taken out and washed etc

Vanda2

Brilliant, thank you for the tip :O)

kethry

i'd echo what sammy said about using rice.. the only proviso i would add - and this goes for both rice and wheat bags that are home made - apparently these can be somewhat of a firerisk.. with repeated use the rice/wheat gets dried out and eventually.. they can smoulder and catch fire. This is a particular problem with those who use rice bags to warm up a bed, there've been a few bed fires caused that way. The way to address this, is to every 3 or 4 uses, to either flick the bag with water (so that microwaving them turns the water to steam and makes them damp enough to prevent the smouldering) or to put a cup of water in the microwave with the bag when heating it through, which essentially does the same thing (creates steam to prevent the rice from drying out completely).

I don't want to alarm anyone, but i made sure when i made these myself last christmas as presents for people to give out proper warnings explaining the above.

links include this thread on MSE from last year with more information about both rice and wheat bags, including our own Queenie, this page which includes how-to-make them and safety stuff, and this page which is an advisory from the NZ Ministry of Consumer Affairs (i think at one time it was an advisory by the NZ Firebrigade but the links been updated).

HTH,

keth
xx

Vanda2

Thanks Keth :O) I had thought of attaching a label of some sort with instructions of how to use it and safety i.e. using water in the microwave. I would hate to be the cause of a nasty accident :eek:

lidlest

Nile wrote: »

Hello annie123


I recommend a hot water bottle, they keep hot/warm for hours..............overnight even.;)

Kind Regards

Nile

Personally I prefer wheat bags, mine holds its heat for about 2 hours and thats after 3 years (they do lose their ability to hold heat) when i first got it it lasted ages. You don't have to worry about it splitting, pouring boiling water in it, scalding etc.
best present I ever had, I asked for a new one this year and fancy the physio one on http://www.thewheatbagstore.com

chalky_75

Try Mole Valley Farmers. I have used wheat from there and it is soooooooo cheap