Meaning of flower symbol on hot water bottle as warning issued

A Facebook user has shared an important warning with people after discovering what the flower symbol on hot water bottles means.

It could be time to replace your old hot water bottle, after a segment on This Morning prompted a Facebook user to warn people about what could happen if you keep one longer than it's intended for.

The post has since gone viral, after discovering the mystery symbol on the bottle that reveals important safety information.

There's actually a maximum amount of time you should be using them for, and it's probably less time than you would assume.

It could be time to wave goodbye to your old and trusty hot water bottle. (Jon Challicom/Getty Images)

Dr Amir revealed on the show that you should really be throwing your hot water bottle away after three years of use.

But there's definitely people who have whipped the same one out for years.

However, the consequences of doing so could also be very dangerous.

A mum shared with This Morning that her daughter suffered 3rd degree burns, after she used an out of date hot water bottle that split whilst she had it on her tummy.

But the flower symbol on the bottles could save people from suffering similar injuries.

She shared an important safety warning. (Facebook/Kaylee Whormsley)

In her post, Kaylee Whormsley said: "Check your hot water bottles for when they were made.

"All hot water bottles should have this flower symbol on them.

"The number in the middle is the year it was made, the flower segments represent the 12 months of the year and the dots inside those represent the number of weeks."

She took a picture of her own, which indicated that it was made in June 2019, meaning it should now be defunct.

Whilst people thanked Kaylee for spreading the message far and wide, people took to the comments to reveal how long they had been keeping their bottles for.

One said: "You are 100 per cent correct.

"I have a huge burn scar on my back from a split hot water bottle and it was old. "Not something I ever thought about."

Another shockingly added: "Still using the one's for over fifty years ago.

"Just goes to say how well they are made today."

A third said: "'Thank you for sharing this it's a serious health and safety piece of information many people will not have known."

It prompted many people to go and 'change' the one they had been using for several years.

• Anyone who's 'always hot' issued warning - as it could be sign of serious condition
• Grim ‘adeno eye’ warning issued from survivors of ‘highly contagious’ virus
• Anyone on £50,000 a year issued warning as it becomes 'worst salary to earn'
• Warning issued to anyone whose pee smells 'fruity'