Mums share urgent warning about hot water bottle mistake – here’s what NOT to do if you want to avoid a burn
IT’S well and truly hot water bottle season but be sure not to make a common mistake.
If you skip a vital step then you may be increasing your risk of getting burned this winter.
While people recently learned about the expiration dates on their hot water bottles, the Mirror has reported on another safety tip worth noting.
They referenced a video by a woman on TikTok demonstrating the correct way to fill a hot water bottle.
TikTok user Liv explained that “hot water bottles are not designed to have boiling water in them.”
Instead, she recommended opting for hot water of around 60-degrees Celsius.
“Kettles boil typically to 100-degrees Celsius so if you put your kettle on and stop it halfway through, you’re going to be about right,” she told her audience.
And if you forget to stop your kettle, don’t fret, you can simply add some cold water to your bottle to cool it down slightly.
For anyone who wants to be extra careful, Liv suggested using a thermometer to measure the temperature of your water.
She also explained why you should only ever fill your bottle half way up.
After adding the water, she demonstrated how to “squeeze out the excess air and then put the lid on.”
She squeezed the bottle against herself, making sure the water didn’t reach all the way to the top in case it overflowed.
“You basically then screw it on while still squeezing it at the same,” she told her followers.
According to the TikToker, this step helps to ensure there is room for the steam to expand inside.
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the advice in the comments section.
“I go to bed with a hot water filled with boiling water every night and have done so for years,” wrote one viewer.
“Surely people are overfilling them if they are bursting.”
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
“Instead of squeezing it against yourself, you can put the end on the counter and slowly lay it down towards the opening and it will push the air out,” advised another follower.
“I’ve always done it like this!”
“I had one explode on my back and got second degree scalds over 60% of my back, it was hell,” shared a third person.
“Not me still using a hot water bottle from when I was 10 and I’m now 25, aha oops!” said another TikTok user.
“Hot water bottles bursting is a huge fear of mine so I NEVER use them, I have a few electric throw blankets and they are AMAZING! I have three,” wrote one viewer.