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

Here, I'll put the bits you seem to be missing in bold...

"John Davies, nurse at Swansea Bay University Health Board - home to the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, says he sees around 30 patients with hot water bottle burns every year.
"During the fuel crisis I think people will be using hot water bottles to keep warm rather than putting the central heating on. They are safe to use if you look after them properly," he said.

Janine Evans, an advanced practitioner occupational therapist at the centre where Ms Cowell was treated, said you should not fill hot water bottles with boiling water - and use cooled water from a kettle instead."

So no need to 'remind people not to use them'.

But she didn't say 'use them safely' & tell people what that involves, she just told people not to use them!!

The bottle was six months old. What could it possibly have has done to it that would justify it exploding?

60 degree water can cause a third degree burn in five seconds. It doesn’t need to be boiling.

If the water is cool enough not to burn you, it’s completely pointless to have the bottle.

Squeeze the air out and replace them every two years, sure, but they aren’t just leaking and bursting when used incorrectly.

I have a heated electric wrap (uses a tiny amount of electric compared to heated blanket and has an auto shut off too) and it’s great!!

Then I suggest you contact the nurse and the advanced practitioner and tell them you know better than them.

Do try not to persuade them that heated throws aren't also dangerous though, or you might come across as a bit silly.

I don’t use one very often but when I do I have always filled it with just boiled water! I thought that was the whole point…

This is a useful reminder about the risks as mine is a few years old now.

Had you expelled the air before putting the lid on @Laptopsas ?

Life is too short for this. You can injure yourself doing literally anything.

Used correctly, hot water bottles are pretty safe and very cosy. I also like heated throws. And the odd open fire. I live dangerously.

You’d have to prise my hot water from my warm, dead hands!

I have nerve pain in my feet and a hot water bottle on them is the only way I can get to sleep. I also have a long one that I use for back pain.

I know not to put boiling water in them so I’ll accept the small risk and keep using them. I use one at least 3 times a day!

According to the safety guidelines

Apparently you should use kettle boiled & cooled water (as the minerals in tap water make them perish more quickly)

Use them with a fitted cover

Always check before filling that it looks ok & the stopper is done up properly.

Always let the excess air out.

Cherry stones sound like an interesting option though!

Yep, I was absolutely diligent about it. I heard a sort of hissing then a pop and the water was everywhere. The bottle hadn’t even broke down a seam, it was just a flap of the bottle torn.

My dad has a stoneware "pig" hot water bottle its about 75 years old he uses it all winter. We used to get it in our beds when we were sick its the best bedwarmer you can get! The only damage that does is waking up the whole house when it falls out the bed!

I get a new one every two years. Boil the kettle to 85°
Don’t use it too often, but I also have a heated throw which is brilliant on cold days. I think as long as it doesn’t get wet, like a Gremlin, it will be ok.

Yes they are. What they DIDN'T say in that article says more than what they did say!

Ooh I need one of these! Is it a full wrap or just the back shoulders?

To be fair, I have loved some of the replies but I am also guilty of not checking the expiry date (didn't know or was a thing) and using probably too hot water in the past. But nothing solves stomach cramps, through whatever source (bowel disease, bugs, or period pain), like a hot water bottle.

Also to echo the PPs. I have tried various wheat bags but they smell sickly and do not hold the heat.

So will go check expiry but will keep using them.

I’ve heard of this happening but not thought much about it. I suppose it’s time to be mature. I’m going to keep using mine as it’s only had a few uses but I’ll follow the “don’t use boiling water” rule from now on. 🙏

I was quite stupid with my old one. I had it for about 20 years! In my defence it just blended into my life and it never once crossed my mind until DH called it a relic.

Or just be careful with them and use them properly…

But I luuuurve my hotty wotty botty💘

All of mine have ended up leaking, but I've never had one burst, and the leaks have never burned me.

You are just desperately searching the web now for stories,
These things happen very rarely, just like planes crash very rarely

Absolutely, I use to love mine when I was younger then an ex boyfriend after a cold night shift jumped into bed with his hot water bottle and ended up with third degree burns all over his bum and back when it exploded. I haven’t used one since and refuse to buy them for my children. It’s wheat bags or extra layers only. I use an electric blanket but won’t allow my children them as I know they would switch them on at night and fall asleep.

There are pages that come up when you type ‘hot water bottles exploding’ into Google. That is the top one.

Serious burns from hot water bottles have doubled in the last five years. Whether that’s because the quality has decreased or because more people are using them I don’t know, but clearly many people are unaware of the risks.

@L00n I was burnt by a leaking bottle several years ago, but it wasn’t anything like as severe as these cases. The area was red for a few weeks and then completely healed with no scarring. In my case, I was using an old bottle so I’m much more careful about replacing them now and not overfilling them/pressing out the air before sealing.

Goodness me. It's not a case of not using them it's just a case of being careful.. don't put freshly boiled water in them or mix that water with cold water.. make sure to replace them every couple of years as the rubber can erode..

There are also safety concerns with heated blankets etc
There's safety concerns with anything if you don't use it properly!!

I also think as an adult boiling water isn't that bad.. I accidentally tipped a freshly boiled kettle over my hands once.. yeah I was sore and had some blisters but I didn't even need medical attention. Hands were completely fine again in a week or so. Again just follow first aid instructions if that happens.
These tragic freak accidents where people are left with life changing injuries are just that. Most people will be absolutely fine as long as they follow precautions