People shocked after hearing that mystery symbol means on hot water bottles

NOW that the cooler weather is approaching, you may be looking forward to getting cozy with a hot water bottle.

But did you know that they have an expiration date and don’t last as long as you might think?

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People have been urged to check the little symbol on the top of their rubber bottles as this tells you exactly how long you can safely use them.

If you’ve had your hot water bottle for years, you may have to throw it away as it will only last two years.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to determine how old your bottle is if you forget when you bought it.

Consumer expert Alice Beer appeared on This Morning and issued a warning ahead of the winter months.

Daisy wheel symbol

She told presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley: “There is an expiry date for hot water bottle which is two years after the date of manufacture and you can tell the date of manufacture by examining your hot water bottle.

“We have a daisy wheel system.

“You can see the year in the middle and you can count the segments of dots, and as you walk around you can see that this is the seventh month.

“So this was taken in the seventh month of the year, which is July.”

Ben asked, “So there are only nine months left before the expiration date?”

Alice replied: “If you listen to RoSPA [The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents].

“But we went through the high streets, all the major retailers, there was enough stock in 2023, 2024, 2022. But we also found, for example, this teddy bear from Marks & Spencers, you know, a very sweet cuddly animal, perfect for a gift.

“His daisy wheel system shows 2021.

“According to RoSPA, this would be past the safe best before date, but manufacturers and retailers emphasize that they use the best before date 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 have been 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 will see it with the BS1970:2012 and it is very important that you look at that.”

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People were shocked to hear the news, with one saying: “I’ve had two for 40 years.”

Another added: “I’ve had a water bottle since I was a kid and it has lasted better than any modern bottle – they all leak.”

Burn victim

Alice was joined in the studio by guest Yazmin Hardy “who left painful burns and shocking scars when she burst”.

Yazmin told how she often used hot water bottles to ease the pain caused by her endometriosis.

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She said: “It literally split down the side of the seam.

“I boiled the kettle and poured the water straight into it, sat down on the sofa and within 30 seconds… I never thought that was possible so I thought maybe I hadn’t screwed the lid on properly.

“It just flowed over me.”

Safety guidelines

A spokesperson for RoSPA said: “Hot water bottles that have expired should not be supplied.

“Their shelf life is usually around two years from the date of production. “Although there are no specific regulations for hot water bottles, general product safety legislation states that only safe goods may be placed on the market.

“It is therefore recommended not to supply hot water bottles older than two years to ensure consumer safety.”

This morning an M&S spokesperson said: “Our hot water bottles comply with the British Standard (BS 1970:2012), an internationally recognized British safety standard for rubber and PVC hot water bottles.”

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Meanwhile, a Boots spokesperson said: “The safety of our customers is our number one priority.

“All Boots hot water bottles are manufactured to British safety standards and undergo rigorous testing to ensure they are safe.

“We send all Boots hot water bottles returned to us via customers for further safety and quality testing.

“After these tests we found no defects.

“The daisy wheel symbol represents the date the hot water bottle was manufactured and is used by manufacturers for batch traceability.

“It is recommended that Boots hot water bottles are replaced every two years, from the first point of use rather than from the date of manufacture.”

The do’s and don’ts of hot water bottles

Assuming your hot water bottle is up to date, consumer expert Alice Beer has tips on how to minimize the risk of burns…

Filling the bottle

Doing:

• Fill with a mixture of cold and warm water
• Squeeze as much air out of the bottle as possible before closing it. If there is air in the bottle, the water can heat the air, causing it to expand, which could cause the bottle to burst.
• Screw in the stop hand-tight
• Check the bottle for leaks

Don’t:

• Do not use it if it is cracked, worn or leaking
• Never fill with boiling water
• Do not heat using the microwave or oven
• Do not fill more than two-thirds unless the bottle is designed to be completely filled

Using the bottle

• Do not place the device in direct contact with your skin. Always have a cover, towel or clothing with you.
• Avoid putting pressure or weight on the bottle
• Do not sleep with the bottle in bed at night

Responding to the show, Superdrug said: “All Superdrug own brand hot water bottles have been tested to BS1970:2021, which ensures the safe production and use performance of hot water bottles.

“Although there are no legal regulations regarding the expiry dates of hot water bottles, we recommend that customers purchase a replacement after two years of use due to the potential for deterioration during use.

“We carry one judgement of our current stock.”