To remind people NOT to use hot water bottles?

[Laptopsas]

There is another thread running about cold weather and hit water bottles are being recommended as safe. They are not.

Get a heated throw or the microwaveable bags.

If you must use one, don’t use boiling water.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5068468-to-remind-you-all-to-throw-out-old-hot-water-bottles

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5176765-water-bottle-exploded

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2kd7k2e48jo

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxnez4zxkno

Agree. The wheat bags are so much better, safer and easier to use.

Bit silly to warn people not to use hot water bottles.

I've been using them for over 50 years and would never use boiling water.

Generations used them without much issue, but yes let’s try to get rid of those too… along with everything else!

Then you’ve been very lucky. It will only take one bursting for you to not find it silly.

Theyre perfectly safe if they're used properly

If people are using ancient old bottles filled with boiling water that doesn't mean theyre not safe, it means people are not using them correctly

Just check that they're in date (less then 2 years old) and not damaged, no need to do away with them.

Could we just remind people to use half of their brain and not be fuck wits? Would that cover it??

I don't find wheat bags hold the heat anything like as well as a hot water bottle.

We live in an old cold house and I use a hot water bottle for every bed in the house - it's part of my winter evening routine to put them in about an hour before bed.

It's important to check the dates, replace them regularly, not overfill or use boiling water and expel air. But that doesn't mean you can't use them at all.

Rubber hot water bottles have only been around for 100 years or so and every year there are well publicised stories of them exploded and causing severe burns.

Why? If there's no boiling water in it? 😳

They’re not. A brand new one I had exploded, luckily all over the sofa and not on me.

I had a hot water bottle last night. Always ensure they're in date and not filled with boiling water.
Been using them for decades

Shall we remind people not to use cars, cookers, washing machines, candles, or to cross the road or to eat a biscuit or to move at all?

I had a wheat bag catch fire once.

I’ve gone back to a HWB. But I do replace it every couple of years and I don’t put boiling water in it. So i’m ok with my life choices but thanks for the PSA.

Exploding? 🙄

Do you mean leaking/perishing/squirting water?

Yes.

You need to make sure they’re new, and not damaged. If you use boiling water, make sure you let the air out of the top.

I use one most nights in the winter. I have a long one and wrap it in a blanket and put it under my duvet. It means my bed is warm and I can get in, and wrap myself in the blanket. I then put the hot water bottle behind me.

I agree. Wheat bags dont stay hot long enough.

I burnt my hand filling a hot water bottle as a child. My mum then showed me (again) how to fill it safely. I've never had an issue since.

1. Hot water bottles are far too hot if you use boiling water so most people don’t.
2. Risk assessment gives a risk rating by multiplying the level of harm from the risk (very high risk of harm if the bottle burst) by the likelihood of the risk happening (extremely low) so the risk rating for a bursting hot water bottle is very, very low.

Clearly thats not the norm but doesn't warrant a blanket ban on them.

I think now a perfect moment to remind people to not put their trousers on back to front and to ensure they never put on a roll neck jumper whilst holding a lit cigarette in their mouths.

Why do you not think heated throws are dangerous OP?

Sure. Boiling water will cause severe burns, but the bottle still needs to have very hot water in it to be any of use.

Now if you'd said:

'AIBU to remind people NOT to use boiling water in hot water bottles'

I would have agreed with you. But to not use them at all? You might just as well tell people not to make gravy because a few people have spilt a jug of boiling hot gravy over themselves. Hot water bottles are totally safe if used properly.

I would always have rolled my eyes at this sort of post in the past, until my HWB exploded and gave me huge scalds on my thighs a few years ago. My own fault for using too hot water too many times but I never thought it would burst. Now I use an electric underblanket.

If you want to do that go for it.