Caution is the word when it comes to using a wheat bag with a risk of fire associated with wheat bag use in bed and when heating in a microwave. There have been a number of fires and injuries reported recently, mainly in the elderly, with the misuse of wheat bags which are recommended for pain relief and not as a replacement for hot water bottles in bed. Caution is needed too when heating in a microwave as overheating can result in a fire.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner, Rod Stowe, said consumers also need to be aware of the dangers with wheat bags, particularly plush toys containing wheat that children should not take to bed to keep warm.
Safety Tips
- Don’t overheat the wheat bag in a microwave longer than specified by the manufacturer
- Don’t leave the wheat bag unsupervised in the microwave
- Placing a glass of water in the microwave during heating will prevent overheating or the bag drying out
- Don’t reheat the wheat bag until it has properly cooled
- The wheat bag should be cooled down on a non-combustible surface before storing
- The elderly and children should not sleep with a wheat bag or leave the wheat bag to warm the bed as it can spontaneously ignite.