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

Used one for years. I do use boiling water, do not fill to the top and puff out air before screwing the top on.

Got any links?

I had one split once - it just made the bed a bit wet, that’s all. No big deal.

If your hot water bottle is ‘exploding’ then I would guess you’re either using far too much water or not filling it at an angle to dispel the air.

It’s not rocket science.

Erm, they’re still very much a necessity in this house!

Just google "woman scalded by hot water bottle".

https://www.itv.com/news/2025-03-14/number-of-serious-burns-from-hot-water-bottles-doubles-in-last-five-years

Apparently approx 1000 people were admitted to burns units in 2024.

This.

And they never had a ‘use by’ date either! But in those days they were properly made no flimsy foreign crap like they are now!

i think I’ll go back to a copper warming pan!

I do not like the feel of HWBs. Wheat bags are better

Yes!

Just checked our hot water bottles which are of indeterminate age, certainly years. They seem to have been made in Germany and I couldn’t find a flower with a date anywhere.

in the bin they went but I can’t think why one would burst unless over filled with very hot water and still had air in. They might have split, I guess. Gone now.

They are perfectly safe if used the right way. If you have a temperature control on your kettle heat water to 70 degrees or 80 if your cover is very thick and insulated. If you don’t have a fancy kettle fill half way then add cold water until it’s 2 thirds full. Lie on its side on a flat surface with the opening pointed up to squish the water right up to the screwing in part. You have created a little vacuum, now screw it tight while holding the water to the top. Lift up job done. In the old days we used to use boiling water and leave it for and hour in the bed to warm it up but I wouldn’t do that now as it degrades the rubber. I also put a cover over for extra safety. Never apply heavy weight or pressure to it and you should be fine.

No. A boiled kettle left to cool. Tap water (uncoiled) has minerals in it that speeds up the perishing.

I wonder how bad for you heating up a plastic disc is?

No, you're not.

tap water (un boiled) makes them perish more quickly due to the minerals. You're supposed to boil the water & let it cool

I was shown how to correctly fill a hot water bottle as a child. There is a time and a place for hot water bottles. I would urge everyone not to use an old one and to check the expiry date on the flower on the neck, though.

Well if this thread has done nothing else, it’s made me aware of the flower.
Genuinely never knew this.

NO ITS NOT

that's very dangerous, they should never be put in the microwave!!

(Or were you joking??)

Ok, so you were joking.

that's a bit stupid on a thread like this where someone might think 'oh that's a good idea'

If you use them safely and replace them regularly they are fine. Wheat bags stink and if overheated they steam and can burn as badly as a hot water bottle.

Also with microwave wheat bags, you can mould them around your body. Such as if you have period pain, you have more heat contact than a HWB

Severe nostalgia now! Think I'll go out and buy a bottle tomorrow, haven't had one since I was a child.
And I grew up in the days of multiple houses burning down because of electric blankets, so they are a big no foe me. Sure they've moved on but still.
I love my wheatbag for my stiff neck, sore shoulders but it's true they don't hold their heat for long.
Fortunately I don't have much of a cold bed problem as I have a cat and a dog bedwarmers.

I just typed it into Google. Several headlines say "exploded" but no article describes any explosions.

Wheat bags don't hold the heat as long as a hot water bottle and they always smell funny

Yeah they last 10 minutes max and smell of strong Lavender...

They're perfectly safe if you use them properly.

Surely you could argue this about anything we might use in life, but the likelihood of these things happening for the vast majority are slim, eg :

Don't drive a car, you might crash
Don’t use an electric blanket, it might catch fire
Don’t use a gas fire, it might explode
Don't light candles, they might cause a fire.

OK, maybe I’m being flippant, but to be honest, using hot water bottles, if used with care (ie check they’re not leaking, check you’ve fastened them properly, do not use freshly boiled water but hot water, etc), then they’ll be fine.

Exactly, just apply common sense to anything in life and you'll be fine, you'd never live otherwise..