Freezing Scots must look out for key warning signs that their hot water bottle is not longer fit for use, experts have urged.
As temperatures plumet across Scotland, many are reaching for their hot water bottles as a cost-effective way of staying warm this winter.
But sleep and mattress experts at Winstons Beds have stressed that your trusty hot water bottle could become dangerous if you hold onto it for too long. When used past their expiry date, the devices risk cracking, leaking, or even exploding, and leaving you with serious scalds.
Rebecca Swain, mattress expert at Winstons Beds, explained: “Over time these bottles deteriorate from constantly being filled with warm water. It compromises their structure and as the material gets thinner, it increases the risk of splitting or bursting and causing burns.”
Rebecca advises that hot water bottles should be replaced every two years to ensure that they are still safe for use. She has also shared the warning signs that your bottle is past its best, and at risk of causing harm.
How to check your hot water bottle’s expiry date
A hot water bottle’s lifespan is typically two years. Its expiry date is printed on a flower-shaped stamp found on its neck to help owners keep track of when their bottle needs replacing.
Nicknamed the daisy wheel, the flower consists of a central circle surrounded by 12 petals, each representing a month of the year. The number printed within the circle tells you the year that the hot water bottle was manufactured, while dots stamped in the petals indicate the month of its construction.
For example, if the circle says 22, the hot water bottle was made in 2022. If six of the segments are filled with dots, it was manufactured in June, the sixth month.
Softened material
Rebecca stresses that hot water bottles should retain their shape. If yours begins to feel soft and flimsy, this could be a sign that hat the quality of your bottle has deteriorated and has lost its durability.
Difficulty retaining heat
Feeling like your hot water bottle is cooling down too quickly can be frustrating, but it can also be a worrying sign that the structure of the device has been compromised and a leak is imminent. If your bottle doesn’t stay as warm as previously, this can be an indication that its material has softened, Rebecca advises.
Discolouration
A discoloured hot water bottle isn’t just unsightly, it’s also a red flag that the device needs replacing. According to Rebecca, hot water bottles change colour over time because repeated exposure to heat causes the rubber to degrade.
This means that the pigments within the rubber break down and release colour.
Expansion when filled
A good quality bottle shouldn’t expand or stretch when filled with water. Rebecca warns that if yours is bulging outwards when in use, it is likely that the rubber it is made of has begun to break down, and could soon crack.
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