Redditors Share Mind-Blowing Facts On How Animals And Things Were Used To Keep People Warm Before Hot Water Bottles Were Created

"Before the 'Hot-Water-Bottle', people would use other people or animals to keep warm."

Mary

• Published in Interesting
• October 4, 2022

Envision a portable heating system that is effective both indoors and outdoors, consumes little power, and does not rely on any preexisting structures or networks. This is how hot water bottles work.

After being present for centuries, it is still used by many people. Without compromising on warmth, the heated water bottle could help you save a ton of money and resources.

To provide soothing heat, people commonly place a hot water bottle directly on their skin (the container is usually wrapped in fabric). While hot water bottles are still widely used in some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Japan, in most of the industrialized world, they are either forgotten or ignored.

Many people, if they are familiar with it at all, view it as an antiquated technique used only by the poor as well as the old, or link it with relieving pain rather than providing thermal comfort. However, you can try and send out hot water bottles to loved ones for Christmas and see if the responses are positive.

The fact that such a simple thing can bring so much relief often surprises people. As sending everyone a hot water bottle would be impractical and expensive to find out if they would love to have it in their homes, we have created this post instead.

People from Reddit have shared their experiences with using these improvised heat sources. You can scroll down and find out if it is really worth trying.

1. OP posted this on TIL subreddit community.

2. Fire up that brick.

3. Sharing bed and sheets.

4. "Three dog night"

5. Is this really the reason why the Pug existed?

6. Hot air goes up to the floor where people were staying as barn animals keep them warm.

7. Heated rocks for a warm bed a night.

8. Another breed of dog that was purposefully bred to provide warmth.

9. "Nothing like a half kick to the leg from a cow bc I coughed."

10. One could only imagine how adorable they look with their dogs piling up with each other, trying to get them warm.

11. Who is really the hot water bottle? The cat or the fur parent?

12. This explains why older houses have kitchen on the second floor.

13. "What kind of weird stuff do you have in your house?!"

14. "They were good sleeping company. Quiet and warm."

15. Uhm, does it really work? Poor dog, though.

16. When everyone is talking about how the old times used hot water bottles, but here you are, having no idea what it was.

17. English turnspit dog.

18. Woah, a fireplace under the bed?

19. This is called "bundling"? Interesting.

20. The first floor is reserved for the animals.

21. Hot water bottles were used to relief sore joints in PA and New England.

With the rising cost of commodities, fuel, and other resources, this idea might be a cost-effective way to keep your home warm during winter. However, there are also things to consider before buying one.

However, the mentioned old ways of keeping yourself warm might come in handy if hot water bottles are not available. It is better than feeling cold at night, right?

Mary