People shocked after learning mystery symbol means on hot water bottles & it’s bad news if you’ve had it for years
NOW that chillier weather is on the horizon, you may be looking forward to getting cosy with a hot water bottle.
But did you know that they have an expiry date and don’t last as long as you may think?
People have been urged to check the little symbol on the top of their rubber bottles as it shows exactly how long you can safely use them for.
If you’ve had your hot water bottle for years, you may need to get rid of it, as they are said to only last two years.
Thankfully there is an easy way of determining how old your bottle is, if you’ve forgotten when you purchased it.
Consumer expert Alice Beer appeared on This Morning and gave the warning ahead of the winter months.
Daisy wheel symbol
She told hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley: “There is an expiry date of hot water bottles which is two years from the date of manufacture and you can tell the date of manufacture by studying your hot water bottle.
“We have a daisy wheel system.
“You can see the year in the middle and you can count the segments that have dots in and as you go around you can see that this is the seventh month.
“So this was made in the seventh month of the year, which is July.”
Ben asked: “So that’s only got nine months left in it for it to be beyond its sell by date?”
Alice replied: “If you listen to RoSPA [The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents].
“But we went around the high street, all the major retailers, there was plenty of stock 2023, 2024, 2022. but we did also find for example this Marks & Spencers teddy bear, you know really lovely cuddly soul, perfect for a gift.
“His daisy wheel system shows 2021.
“According to RoSPA this would be past its safe expiry date, but the manufacturers and retailers stress that they use the expiry date as from the date you first use it and not from the date it is first made.
“Marks & Spencers, Boots and Superdrug have all said that all their hot water bottles are tested to a British standard which is really important that you look for that British standard mark that is on all hot water bottles.
“You’ll see it with the BS1970:2012 and it’s really important that you look for that.”
People were shocked upon hearing the news, with one saying: “I’ve had two for 40 years.”
Another added: “I’ve had a water bottle going since I was a child and it’s lasted better than any modern ones-they all leak.”
Burn victim
Alice was joined in the studio by guest Yazmin Hardy “who was left with agonising burns and shocking scarring when her’s burst”.
Yazmin shared how she frequently used hot water bottles to ease pain caused by her endometriosis.
She said: “It literally just split down the side of the seam.
“I boiled the kettle and poured the water straight in, I sat on the sofa and within 30 seconds… I just never thought that was a possibility so I thought maybe I hadn’t screwed the lid on properly.
“It just poured all over me.”
Safety guidance
A spokesperson for RoSPA said: “Hot water bottles that are past their expiration dates should not be supplied.
“Their expiration date is generally around two years from the date of manufacture. “While there are no specific regulations for hot water bottles, general product safety legislation says that only safe goods should be placed on the market.
“Therefore, it is recommended that hot water bottles older than two years are not supplied to ensure consumer safety.”
This Morning said a spokesperson from M&S commented: “Our hot water bottles comply with the British Standard (BS 1970:2012), which is an internationally recognised UK safety standard for rubber and PVC hot water bottles.”
Meanwhile, a Boots spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers is our number one priority.
“All Boots Hot Water Bottles are manufactured in line with the British Safety Standards and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they are safe.
“We send all Boots Hot Water Bottles that are returned to us via customers for further safety & quality testing.
“Following these tests we have not found any defects.
“The daisy wheel symbol reflects the date of when the hot water bottle was manufactured and is used by manufacturers for batch traceability.
“Boots Hot Water Bottles are recommended to be replaced every two years from the first point of use rather than the date of manufacture.”
The dos and don'ts of hot water bottles
ASSUMING your hot water bottle is in date, Consumer expert Alice Beer has tips on how to minimise the risk of burns…
Filling the bottle
Do:
- Fill with a mixture of cold and hot water
- Squeeze as much air as you can out of the bottle before closing it – If there’s air left in the bottle, the water can heat the air, meaning it expands, which may burst the bottle.
- Screw in the stopper until hand-tight
- Check the bottle for leaks
Don’t:
- Don’t use it if it’s cracked, worn, or leaking
- Never fill with boiling water
- Don’t heat by using the microwave or oven
- Don’t fill more than two-thirds full unless the bottle is designed to be fully filled
Using the bottle
- Don’t place in direct contact with your skin – Always have a cover, towel or clothing.
- Avoid putting pressure or weight on the bottle
- Don’t sleep with the bottle in bed overnight
Superdrug responded to the show saying: “All Superdrug Own Brand hot water bottles are tested to BS1970:2021, which ensures the safe manufacture and in use performance of hot water bottles.
“Whilst there are no legal regulations regarding expiry dates on hot water bottles, we would advise customers to source a replacement after two years of use due to potential in use degradation.
“We will carry out a review of our current stock.”