The chilly weather has well and truly arrived, leaving many of us loath to venture outdoors. It’s freezing, darkness descends too early, and more often than not, it’s drizzling.
Winter isn’t a favourite season for many, and unless work necessitates leaving the house, most of us would prefer to stay snuggled up under blankets with a warm beverage.
Nonetheless, we humans aren’t creatures that hibernate, and we do need to get some fresh air occasionally. A brief stroll can do wonders for your health, even in this season, and if you’re a dog owner, you still have a duty to ensure they get their exercise.
But how does one keep warm outside when temperatures are on the verge of dipping below zero?
Wrapping up in a cosy coat with a hat and scarf can help, but it doesn’t always cut it. One bloke on social media has devised the perfect hack to stay warm during cold nights out – although it might make you feel a bit odd.
Mathew Maiden shared a video on Instagram asking how people are keeping themselves warm during their evening walks, as he believes he’s found the ideal solution.
He opened his coat to reveal a tote bag that he had slung around his neck by the handles, allowing the bag to rest across his chest. Inside the bag was a hot water bottle, which kept his body pleasantly warm while he was outside.
He declared: « Snug as a bug in a rug. »
Social media users were absolutely stunned by the brilliantly simple yet effective trick. Numerous people hailed it as « genius » and « game-changing », with countless others vowing to give it a go immediately.
One user commented: « Genius! I have mine tucked into my waistband, but this is such a better way of doing it! »
Another chimed in: « Not sure about wandering at night, but I shall be using this genius idea around the house in the day! »
A third wrote: « As a postie, I think this idea is genius! »
However, before you secure a hot water bottle to yourself and venture outdoors, you must ensure your bottle hasn’t expired, as using an out-of-date hot water bottle could lead to it bursting and drenching you in scalding water.
Hot water bottles should only be utilised for two years following their manufacturing date, which can be located on the bottle itself. Search for a tiny flower pattern on the bottle’s neck, which should contain all the essential details.
The flower ought to display two numbers in the centre, representing the year. Fresh bottles will show 25 in this area, and if yours displays 22 or before, you should discard it, as it will be more than two years old.
For a precise manufacturing date, examine the flower’s petals. Each petal represents a month, beginning with January at the top, and every dot within that petal indicates a week.
A flower featuring three complete petals and a fourth petal containing a single dot was manufactured during the first week of April. Outdated hot water bottles are at risk of rupturing due to the deterioration of the rubber over time.
To extend the life of your bottle, it’s advised to fill it with warm water rather than boiling.
