Stay Toasty using these Simple Corn Bag Warmers
I honestly don't know how We survived those long, freezing winters before I started making use of corn bag warmers every solitary night. There's just something about that weighty, damp heat that will hits differently than a standard electrical heating pad. In the event that you've ever climbed into a bed that feels such as an icebox, a person know exactly what I'm talking about. You shiver regarding twenty minutes just trying to get your own body heat to warm-up the bedding. But throw the couple of these bags under the particular blankets ten a few minutes before you decide to turn within? It's a total game-changer.
Why corn bags are a winter season essential
You might be asking yourself why anyone would choose corn more than, say, a hot water bottle or even one of these fancy electric blanket. For me personally, it arrives down to the standard of the heat. Corn bag warmers hold a "moist" heat. It doesn't feel dry or prickly against your skin. Instead, it feels like the warm hug for your muscles.
Most of these hand bags are filled with whole-kernel corn—the kind you'd feed to deer or squirrels, not really the popping type (unless you need an extremely noisy microwave session). Because the kernels are relatively big compared to rice or flaxseed, these people hold onto their temp to get a lot more. You can heat 1 up, tuck this through your feet, and it'll still end up being radiating a gentle warmth one hour later on. Plus, they have got a nice weight to them. That slight stress actually helps along with anxiety or just feeling "grounded" while you're seeking to fall asleep.
Corn vs. rice bags: The great discussion
If you've spent any period looking into DIY heat packs, you've probably seen people using rice. And sure, rice works in a touch. But if I'm being honest, rice luggage possess a few faults that corn bag warmers just don't have.
First away from, there's the smell. After you microwave a rice bag about ten occasions, it starts in order to smell a little bit like well, overcooked cereal. It's not really the worst smell in the world, but it's not really exactly "spa-like" possibly. Corn, on the particular other hand, offers a very weak, earthy, sweet scent when it's warm. It reminds myself of a harvesting festival.
Secondly, rice is small and may get shifty. It loses heat much faster since the grains don't possess the density that whole corn kernels do. In the event that you want some thing that stays warm long enough for you to actually drift off to sleep, corn is the method to go.
How in order to use them with no making a mess
Using corn bag warmers is pretty simple, but there are usually a few "pro tips" I've selected up through the years. The particular most important factor is the micro wave. You don't want to just nuked it for five a few minutes and walk away.
I actually usually start with two minutes. Give the bag the good shake after to move the particular kernels around and eliminate any "hot spots. " In the event that it's not warm enough, go within 30-second increments. And here is the trick my grandma taught me: put a little mug associated with water in the microwave alongside the bag. This provides just a little bit associated with moisture towards the air flow, which keeps the corn from becoming dry too much and prevents that "toasted" smell from establishing as time passes.
Furthermore, please, for the particular love of issues cozy, make sure that your bag is made of 100% cotton. Synthetic fabrics like polyester can in fact melt or even even catch open fire in the microwave if they get too hot. I actually always look for heavy duty cotton flannel or even even an older denim scrap. It's durable, feels great, and won't convert into a puddle of plastic inside your kitchen.
They aren't just for cold toes
While I mostly use my corn bag warmers to maintain my ft from turning into icicles, these are actually incredibly versatile. When you've got the stiff neck through staring at a computer screen all time, draping a lengthy, rectangular corn bag over your shoulders is natural heaven. The weight of the kernels helps the bag contour to your own body, so the heat actually reaches the spots that hurt.
They're also a lifesaver for period cramps or lower back pain. You are able to simply tuck one into the waistband of your sweatpants and start your business. I've even used them in the summer—not because heaters, obviously, yet as cold packages! You are able to keep a single within the freezer (wrapped inside a plastic bag therefore it doesn't scent like frozen peas) and employ it to interesting down on a moist night. It's a much gentler cold than an ice pack, so this won't give you that "brain freeze" feeling in your epidermis.
DIY or buy?
You can find some really beautiful corn bag warmers on sites like Etsy, often with sweet patterns or actually infused with dried out lavender. In case you aren't handy using a sewing machine, spending 20 bucks on a well-made one is totally worth it. They will last for many years if you get proper care of them.
However, if a person have a sewing machine gathering dust, these are the particular easiest project you'll ever tackle. You literally just sew a rectangle, depart a small gap, pour in the corn, and sew it shut. You don't even need a pattern. Just make sure a person use "clean" feed corn. You can usually find a massive bag of this at a local give food to store or also some hardware stores for a several dollars. Just create sure it's specifically labeled as "triple-cleaned" which means you aren't dealing with dust or bugs. Nobody wants a buggy bed warmer.
A quick safety note
I detest to be the "safety police, " but it's important: never leave a microwave unattended while heating your luggage. Every microwave provides different power ranges, and you don't want to discover out hard way that yours is usually a high-powered beast that scorches material. Also, if you're using these intended for kids or the seniors, always check the temperature against your personal inner wrist very first. Those kernels holds a lot associated with heat, and you don't want any accidental burns.
Maintaining your corn bag fresh
1 question I get a lot is, "Can you clean them? " The particular short answer is definitely: not really. If you have the corn wet, it's going to get strange, soggy, and possibly moldy. The greatest way to handle this is in order to have a "cover" for your corn bag warmers , almost like a little pillow case.
A person can make or even buy a removable outter that you could toss within the regular laundry washing. That way, the particular inner bag stays dry and clean, and the component touching your epidermis stays fresh. If the actual bag starts to scent a bit funky after a couple of years, it's honestly probably time to just empty the corn in to the compost bin create the new one. When this occurs, the kernels possess likely lost their particular ability to hold moisture anyway.
Final thoughts on keeping cozy
At the end associated with the day, corn bag warmers are just 1 of those easy, low-tech solutions that truly work better compared to the high-tech alternatives. There's no cable to trip more than, no batteries in order to charge, and no risk of an electrical short in the middle of the night. It's simply fabric and wheat, working together for making life a small more comfortable.
Whether you're dealing with a blustering old house, nagging muscle aches, or else you just really dislike the feeling of cold sheets, We can't recommend these enough. They've turn out to be a staple in my nightly schedule, and once you try one, I'm confident you'll end up being hooked too. Generally there is just nothing at all quite like the sensation of a comfortable corn bag at the bottom from the bed to make the world experience a little bit kinder on the cold winter night time.