A MUM claims she has been scarred for life after a hot water bottle exploded, leaving boiling water pouring onto her leg.
When Jessica Gordon, 30, was suffering from period cramps and back pain last year, she decided to make herself a hot water bottle to help with the discomfort.
But after filling it up from a hot water tap, the mum-of-one claims she heard a “gurgling” sound before the split open, sending boiling water down her legs.
Jessica was left screaming in pain and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, where she kept passing out from the pain.
From there, she was transferred to a burns unit at another hospital and was treated for .
The mum believes her hot water bottle split as it was out of date – she had purchased it in 2018.
The rubber in hot water bottles deteriorates over time, increasing the risk of bursts and leaks.
The bottles expire two years after the date of manufacture or first use so people are advised to regularly check for signs of wear and tear and replace them every year or so.
Many people don’t know this, but actually indicates when it was made, which allows people to know when it should be replaced.
The Children’s Burns Trust explains that the number in the middle of the flower is the year it was made, while the flower segments represent the 12 months of the year and the dots inside those represent which week of the month it was made.
This horrifying incident happened to Jessica last October and a year on, she is speaking out to raise awareness about the risks associated with using a hot water bottle.
The mum, from Peterborough, , said: “I was in quite a lot of pain with my back and I had menstrual pain too.
“I reached for my hot water bottle for some pain relief as weren’t working.
“I filled it up and I went to sit back down and within five minutes I heard this gurgling sound and the bottle itself split.
“I had boiling water go right over my legs. I was sitting at my desk and I felt an immense amount of pain.
“It was excruciating. It was like a searing pain straight away all through my body. I screamed and cried and I had to take my trousers off.”
Jessica continued: “It was very traumatic, I was passing out from the pain on the way to hospital.
“I think my hot water bottle was out of date. I don’t think it’s common knowledge that they do expire and the expiration date is not always easy to spot.
“I have had this hot water bottle since 2018. There were no warning signs or any signs on the water bottle of deterioration, it just collapsed on me and went everywhere.
“I filled it up with hot water from a tap. My legs went red instantly and it turned into blisters straight away.”
After being discharged from the hospital’s burns unit, Jessica had to go back every week to have her dressings changed.
She said she was lucky enough not to need a skin graft even though her burns were quite severe, but added that she sometimes gets nerve pain in her leg.
How to use a hot water bottle safely
Hot water bottles are an excellent way to help keep you warm, but if not used correctly they can cause a lot of harm.
To maximise the safety and longevity of your hot water bottle, follow these guidelines:
- Avoid boiling water: Always let freshly boiled water cool for at least five minutes before filling. Pour water into the bottle carefully to avoid spills
- Fill to two-thirds capacity: Overfilling can put pressure on the seams and increase the risk of leaks
- Remove excess air: If there’s air left in the bottle, the water can heat the air, meaning it expands, which may burst the bottle
- Screw the stopper in carefully: Screw it in until it cannot be turned further without the use of excessive force
- Always use a cover or towel: Direct skin contact can cause burns, even with warm water
- Don’t put pressure or weight on the bottle during use: It’s not designed to sit or lie on
- Don’t sleep with the bottle in bed overnight: Remove it once the bed is warm before you go to sleep
- Inspect your hot water bottle regularly: Look for cracks, thinning material or seam splits that signal wear and tear. Do not use if cracked, worn or leaking
How to know when to replace your hot water bottle:
The daisy wheel (sometimes referred to as the dial) is a simple yet effective way to understand when your hot water bottle was manufactured – however, it’s mainly used by the manufacturer for traceability.
Here’s how it works:
- The number in the centre of the wheel indicates the year of manufacture
- The surrounding segments – or petals – correspond to the 12 months of the year, with January being the first segment from 12 o’clock going clockwise. The final segment containing dots is the month of manufacture
- The number of dots in the final (or only) segment indicates the week of manufacture
For instance, a bottle marked with “22” in the centre of the daisy wheel, no dots in the first segment (starting at 12 o’clock) and 3 dots in the second segment, indicates the bottle was made in the third week of February 2022 (with no production in January 2022).
Source: Boots
Describing her leg now, Jessica said: “You can still see the burn scar now. It has faded a lot but I still get nerve pain.
“You need to check the integrity of the hot water bottle itself and make sure there are no cracks, splits or discolouration or brittleness of the rubber.
“You should check the expiry date on the bottle too and I’ve been informed that you should replace them every year or so.
“You should never use boiling water either as this can destroy the hot water bottle.”
The mum added: “If you’re unsure how old it [the hot water bottle] is, I would just bin it.
“I would never buy another one after the incident I went through and I would never allow my daughter to have one either.
“I see them in the supermarkets and they have animal coverings on to appeal to children.
“Imagining this happening to a child is absolutely horrific.”
