From helping with aches and cramps to warming up a bed, a hot water bottle is a small but mighty essential for many people.
During the cost of living crisis, the cost of heating a home shot up, leading many people to postpone the date they turned their heating on or turn to energy saving hacks.
For some, this means opting to leave the heating off in favour of clinging to their comforting hot water bottle.
But there are dangers attached to using a hot water bottle on a regular basis, and just recently a woman was left with second degree burns after an expired hot water bottle exploded on her.
So, how safe are hot water bottles? Here’s some potential hazards to be aware of…
Are hot water bottles bad for your health?
Hot water bottles are generally safe, but some medical professionals advise against using them in too close contact with skin.
Previously, GP Dr Amir Khan explained on ITV’s Lorraine some of the major issues, from skin rashes to possible ruptures and burns.
Dr Khan said on the show, ‘It’s the time of year when you’ll be dusting off your water bottle.’
Explaining that you shouldn’t keep it too close directly against the skin, he said, ‘You can get a rash with hot water bottles if you apply them to your skin for a long period of time. I see this quite a lot – it’s got a bit of a posh word, it’s called erythema ab igne or the hot water bottle rash.’
Erythema ab igne is a type of skin rash caused by repeated exposure to direct heat or infrared radiation to a person’s skin, often from occupational exposures or the use of heating pads.
While the rash is most often benign, its presence can be an indication of chronic inflammation or, less commonly, systemic illness and should prompt further investigation.
Do hot water bottles have expiry dates?
Hot water bottles do have expiration dates, after which they’re no longer safe to use.
There have been examples of them bursting and burning people in the past.
Consumer expert Alice Beer previously told ITV’s This Morning that hot water bottles are only designed to last up to three years from manufacture.
On the episode, she explained how to figure the expiry date out for a hot water bottle – and it’s… confusing.
She explained: ‘Inside you have got a daisy wheel date. It’s got 12 segments and in the middle of this one you have got a 22. This one was made in 2022.’
‘Then you have 12 segments around the outside and those are the months. You can tell the month it was manufactured from when the dots end. It’s got dots in eight segments so it was made in August.’
If your hot water bottle doesn’t have this, you should replace it two to three years after you purchased it in order to be safe. After this time, the rubber will deteriorate and could become cracked and worn, making it more likely to leak out the scalding water.
How to use a hot water bottle safely
NHS Wales has shared some best practice tips to follow when using a hot water bottle. They recommend:
- Fill the bottle with hot, but not boiling, water
- Make sure the stopper is securely screwed on
- Fill the bottle to a maximum of three-quarters full
- Wrap the bottle in a towel to prevent direct contact
- Avoid taking the bottle to bed
- Frequently examine the bottle for signs of wear and tear
- Expel all air above the water level before sealing carefully, to prevent injury from the escaping hot steam
- Replace the bottle after two years.
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