Out with the old and in with the new...

Now you have made the decision to upgrade your hot water bottle to a heat pad rather than just throw the old hot water bottle away, and add to the endless landfill, we have some fun and innovative ideas of how to recycle your hot water bottle and make it like new!

1. Garden Cushion

Kneeling in the garden can be made much more pleasant by turning your old hot water bottle into a comfortable and waterproof cushion. Remove the stopper from the hot water bottle. Fill the hot water bottle with fabric scraps, cotton wool balls, rags, foam peanuts, etc. Fill as much as you can push through the stopper hole. It can help to use a rod, stick or similar item to stuff the material inside the bottle. When you can’t fit anymore stuffing inside the bottle, screw the stopper back into place and presto you have the perfect gardening cushion.

2. Pet Hair Remove Mitt

Pet hair sticks fast to couches, carpets and furnishings. Rubber pads make it really easy to remove and your old hot water bottle is ideal for transforming into a pet hair collector. Cut the bottle open following the seams. Cut a square or circle shape from each side of the opened bottle. Glue the pad onto a gardening or other long-term glove. Allow to dry. To use: Simply put the glove on and wipe over the area where you’d like to collect pet hairs from. The rubber will pick up the hairs and can be brushed off with your hands or washed off.

3. Indoor Water Planter

Provided there aren’t leaks in the old hot water bottle, it can be used to water the plants. Keep the stopper out at all times in order to prevent mildew growth and allow the bottle to dry out between uses. Either hang somewhere such as behind a sink door or hall door or keep in a utility cupboard.

4. Bath Time Creative Shapes

Find suitable templates for making the bathtub shapes. Look online or in craft books for shapes that your kids will enjoy. They should be a good size for small hands to hold. Turn the designs into cardboard patterns for tracing around. Cut the hot water bottle open to make two flat sides. Place the cardboard patterns onto each side, drawing around them using a Sharpie or similar marker. Try to use as much of the rubber as possible by keeping the patterns as closely together as possible. Cut out the shapes. Discard the unused edges. Keep near the bath for playtime. They should stick to the edge of a wet bath and float in the water as well. When not in use, ensure that they are left to dry out so as not to mildew.