# Electric blanket + Urine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126 "2010-12-14T16:12:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/1 "2010-12-14T16:12:48Z")
It is cold on the east coast of the US nowadays, and Christmas is coming. Would an electric blanket be a safe gift for someone who wets the bed from time to time? Electricity + water = bad, but I presume it is such an obvious danger that designs must protect against it. Right? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/2 "2010-12-14T16:18:05Z")
Second hit on google is to an old thread here where it was agreed that there’s no risk: [Danger of Electric Blankets - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=57487) ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/3 "2010-12-14T23:40:57Z")
I’d be more concerned about cleaning it afterward. Can you throw an electric blanket into the washing machine? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/4 "2010-12-14T23:48:20Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > I’d be more concerned about cleaning it afterward. Can you throw an electric blanket into the washing machine? I don’t think so. Many electric blankets (such as the two that I own) are machine washable as long as you follow certain precautions. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/5 "2010-12-15T00:27:33Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Many electric blankets (such as the two that I own) are machine washable as long as you follow certain precautions. “Manufacturer recommends unplugging blanket before putting it in washing machine.” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/6 "2010-12-15T16:02:53Z")
Seriously, though, the delicate cycle works fine for most electric blankets. One should check the particular blanket in question, of course, as there may be exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/7 "2010-12-15T16:11:18Z")
Thank you all. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/8 "2010-12-15T16:20:02Z")
Well, okay, but can you bag them separately? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/electric-blanket-urine/564126/9 "2010-12-15T16:33:55Z")
This thread follows the “You know you’re getting older” thread.