Hot water bottle safety

I don’t think I’ve had a hot water bottle since I was a child - and ai’m 72 next week

What nonesense ….my first hot water bottle( made in England) lasted 25 years ….and discarded because the rim where the stopper screws in wore away!
My second ? Made in china) the shoulder started leaking after 1 year.. all depends where they’re made I suppose!
I have two now ….both 5 years old.

They should have a visible fill level mark, too, as when him indoors makes me one up I often have to empty some out. Along with the air he didn't squeeze out, too!!

I use my bottles quite a lot, even in summer, filled with hot or cold water to help with pain. So I do tend to go through them and will often buy new ones around the end of summer, especially if I think the DGC might be wanting them!!
Since finding out about the flower a few years ago, I wonder why we didn't have that when we were children?!

I have a wheat bag that you heat in a microwave. No problem.

When I was a child in an unheated house my dear mum trailed up and down the stairs putting a stone hot water bottle in my bed, then moved it to my sister’s bed, replacing it with a rubber bottle as I went to bed, and so on. The same procedure for my parents’ bed.

I asked my Dh what he thought the mark meant. Ever the engineer, he suggested it was the grade of rubber used in manufacturing. My HWB says it dates from April 2010. I’m astonished, as I am sure it’s been replaced in the past five years or so. Maybe it had been hanging around in the small chemist where I bought it for the previous eight years.

Freya my friend’s son is a firefighter. He has forbidden his family from using electric blankets because so many fires start in them, so maybe they’re not that safe.

Here again having checked them. I was astonished to see they were 10 years old . I guess they’ll have to go even if not used much. They were quality Boots ones, made in Germany and probably new ones will be made in China….

That must have been horrendous for you, having had a scold myself, I can empathise. Hot water bottles,the most dangerous household item there is.
Dislike them with a vengeance. Treat yourself to an electric blanket, cheap to run, and switch off before getting into bed.
Many other safer things around for aches and pains etc.

I had no idea that the flower indicates the date of manufacture! Mine are both BSI kitemarked, as most are now, but seeing that one was made in 2014 and one in 2017 has been a surprise!

I have heated throws upstairs and downstairs so the HWBs aren’t used so much, but they’re good to have for winter power cuts. I’ll be looking for new ones. Thank you for the tip!

Well, you live and learn even when you’re an oldie!
Thanks for that, Dee I shall check mine out though I don’t use them regularly, more for pain relief really.

I know a lady whose private parts and upper thighs were badly burnt using a hot water bottle that burst when using it to help during a painful period. I use the small blanket type plug in hotties, they cost 1p or so per hour and are safe. I’ll never use a hot water bottle again.

An elderly man I knew had a bad back and used to go out with a hot water bottle strapped to his back. We were at a community centre and he asked me if I would top it up for him. He passed it to me and I was horrified to see how old it was and the rubber at the neck was so perished! I showed him and told him not to use it but he insisted there were years of use left in it. I should have binned it to be honest.

I love my hot water bottles but never knew about the flower
I have always filled them with boiling water and been using them since I was a wee young thing
I don’t have any heating so my hot water bottles are my life line
( well I have a gas fire in my main room but nothing else and nothing upstairs) Just got home from work and I ve got my hot water bottle by my back right now lovely

Screw top

Oh dear - I can’t even remember when I bought mine - at least 20 years ago - it’s got a screw pack - I usually place it at the bottom of the bed under the duvet. My house is kept pretty warm, so hwb not needed often..

I prefer the microwave hot bag type. Have a long snake type one I've had for many years. It's the absolute best!

Thankyou Dee1012 for this timely reminder.
Please, please, please check your hot water bottles. I once jumped into bed and landed on a hot water bottle which had been placed near the top of the bed. It was not only old and perished but full of boiling water. It was many years ago now but I can still recall the "bang" as the bottle exploded and the shock of being soaked in boiling hot water. (Also the indignity of having my legs and backside swaddled in bandages for several weeks)

Martin Lewis mentioned this in his programme last night.

Very informative not something I knew about Thanks.

I use the one we gave my mum just before she died (2004!)

But it’s a microwaveable heat pad one, in the shape of a traditional hot water bottle and in a cover.

It was much safer for Mum than trying to fill one with hot water.

I like it, doesn’t keep hot for as long as the hot water ones, but is fine for about three hours.

catladyuk

thanks for that Dee1012, i had no idea. my bottles are about 5 (i think!) years old and neither have flowers, all from boots!

If there are no flowers apparently you can look out for the BS safety standard, which should read BS 1970:2012.... apologies, should have noted that in my original post.

thanks for that Dee1012, i had no idea. my bottles are about 5 (i think!) years old and neither have flowers, all from boots!

Thank you Dee, we learn something every day! Hot water bottles can become very thin after prolonged use. This is difficult to notice if they are in a cover. I remember my father showing me how to fill my hot water bottle correctly - expelling the air . That was a very long time ago, I still fill my bottle in exactly the way he taught me - thanks Dad!

I’ve learnt something Dee. Thanks for posting.

I didn’t know this either so I’ll be checking the dates of both my hot water bottles now. Thanks for the information Dee.