Corn bags make great gifts for family and friends!!!

I will be out of the country from Aug 14 until Sept 12. All orders made during this time will be processed upon my return. If you have any questions please email me at cornbags@netwrx1.net

In Honor of Elvis Week, the Music section is on sale for the entire month of August!

FAQ's

Do you make corn bags in any other sizes?  How about special requests?  I'm willing to pay you extra.

I am now offering a neck size corn bag which sells for $13.  Also, I have hand warmers which is $3 for the pair.  If there is another size you are interested in send me the info and depending on time and supplies I may or may not be able to.

Why don't you use scented oils or dried herbs?  Will you add scents to my corn bags?

We don't use scented oils or herbs for several reasons.  Some people are allergic.  Some people don't like scents.  Oils can stain the fabric.  Oils and dried herbs don't last very long, and there's no way to refresh them.  Oils and dried herbs raise a chance, albeit very small, of a fire in your microwave.  

Why do you use corn instead of wheat, flax, rice, beans, or other grains?

We researched different grains thoroughly before deciding on corn.  What we found was that there were several cases of house fires caused by wheat bags.  They would dry out and catch fire in the microwave if you didn't put a cup of water in the microwave while you heated them.  In the hospital setting, we couldn't count on other people being consistent with adding a cup of water every time they heated one up.  If it was too much effort to use, they wouldn't be as likely to offer the heated bags to the patients in the first place.  Beans are too dry.  Flax contains linseed oil, used to make paint thinner, which can explode in the presence of oxygen, because oxygen causes it to break down, which makes it heat up enough to spontaneously combust.  Rice has a tendency to turn rancid.  It also scorches easily.  Once heated, it cannot be reheated until it is completely cooled down.  Corn, on the other hand, is a larger kernel, allowing it to hold more moisture.  As a result, it doesn't dry out as quickly.  We checked with the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration.  There were no warnings against using microwave corn bags, and no product recalls.  There were warnings against other grains, though, as well as warnings against various other types of heating pads.  Cherry pits were the only other acceptable product, but they were much more expensive, and not as readily available.  We can find corn easily, but we'd have to mail-order cherry pits, and they're ten times the cost.  The only advantage of cherry pits over corn was that you could put cherry pit bags in the laundry.  Our corn bags have removable fabric covers that can be washed, so the corn doesn't need to get wet.  

How come my old corn bag quit working?

Eventually, the moisture in the corn will be cooked out of it, and the bag will quit working.  Microwave radiation only affects the moisture in the food, not the food itself, so when the moisture is gone, the food will scorch.  Most of the time, when a corn bag quits working, it's because it has been microwaved for too long at once.  People like to make them really hot, and they tend to overdo it.  It's better to just warm it up, then reheat it over and over.  Once you smell that "burnt popcorn" smell, it's too late.  If you cut open your corn bag, you'll probably find scorched corn that's as black as coal.  The moisture's gone, and it will never heat correctly after that.  A corn bag that's reheated properly can last several years.  

Why is my microwave damp when I heat up the corn bags?

Fresh corn initially has a high moisture content.  Most of that excess moisture is cooked out when I pre-microwave it before we send it to you.  However, your microwave may still become damp the first few times you heat the corn bags.  If this bothers you, the bags can be wrapped in a hand towel while you microwave them.  Or, you could take advantage of the dampness to loosen any dried food particles in your microwave, and have a good excuse to clean it.  

How can I make my corn bag stay hot longer?

If you put your corn bag under a quilt or blanket, it will stay warm for much longer.  Try putting one or two corn bags inside a sleeping bag, then lay on top of the sleeping bag, next to the corn bags.  They will stay warm for about two to three times longer.  

Is the corn supposed to pop?

No, if the corn is popping it means that it was heated for too long.  The sound of the corn popping is the corn breaking because it is too hot.  If you heat the corn bag for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes then it should not pop. 

If I am making my own corn bag, do I need to wash the corn before I put it in the bag?

No.  You do not need to wash the corn.  Simply put the corn in the bag, sew it shut, then cook it immediately for 3-4 minutes to kill any germs or bugs that may be in the corn.

I am making my own corn bag.  Should I clean the corn first?