Wilting in the heatwave? So are your condoms — avoid this common mistake

With a heatwave just around the corner, it’s time to think about condom storage (Picture: Getty Images) Whether it’s a casual fling or some X-rated action with your partner, the heatwave horn is real. But with both the weather and your love life hotting up, it’s worth bearing in mind that your contraception may not be able to stand the heat. This week, the UK is braced for yet another heatwave, with the Met Office predicting highs of 33°C in London, and averages of around 27°C for the rest of the week. But condoms are designed to be stored in cool, dry conditions, somewhere between 15°C and 25°C. And if you don’t look after your rubbers, things can get dicey, pretty quickly. Confused about where to keep your condoms this summer? Metro spoke to sexual health experts about how to stay protected… Why do condoms need to be kept cool? Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Leaving condoms in places like hot cars, on warm windowsills, in baking tents or in handbags for hours during a heatwave can weaken the latex, according to sex and relationships coach, Gemma Nice. This makes them ‘more likely to tear or break during use.’ Gemma, from Condoms.uk, says: ‘People should think about where they’re storing condoms. ‘A bedside drawer, cupboard or other cool, dry place inside the home is perfectly suitable. ‘The biggest risk comes when they are left somewhere that becomes much hotter than the outside temperature, such as inside a parked car, where temperatures can rise significantly.’ But we’ve all battled intense heat inside our homes thanks to no aircon, so what if you notice your thermostat creeping up? Gemma says: ‘Rather than leaving them on a sunny windowsill, or anywhere exposed to prolonged heat, keep them in the coolest, driest area of your home, such as a drawer or cupboard away from direct sunlight.’ You might want to keep them away from your toasty handbag (Picture: Getty Images) Gemma does warn against putting condoms anywhere too cold though — you don’t need to start putting them in the fridge or freezer. She also notes that ‘repeatedly moving condoms between very cold and very warm temperatures isn’t recommended either. She says: ‘The safest option is simply to keep them away from direct sunlight and excessive heat.’ This is because fluctuating temperatures can also end up degrading the condom, increasing the risk of breakage. How should you pack condoms when you go on holiday? If we know condoms need to be kept away from excessive heat, where should you pack them when you’re going on a trip? ‘It’s absolutely fine to pack condoms in either your hand luggage or your checked baggage,’ explains senior sexual health nurse, Sarah Mulindwa, ‘The temperatures in an aircraft’s hold aren’t typically cold enough to damage condoms, so there’s no need to worry about them freezing during a flight.’ And when it comes to hitting the beach when you’re away, she adds: ‘Try to keep condoms in a bag that’s stored in the shade rather than exposed to direct sunlight.’ Avoid keeping condoms anywhere that stays hot for extended periods (Picture: Getty Images) How can you tell if a condom has got too hot? If you’re storing condoms somewhere that gets very hot, the latex becomes weak and so the risk of it splitting increases. Luckily, you can spot the signs of this before you start going at it. Sarah Mulindwa, who is also a sexual health expert for Lovehoney, explains: ‘If a condom has not been stored improperly, it may look or feel different. ‘Signs such as a brittle texture, stickiness, discolouration or damaged packaging mean it should be thrown away. Deals of the Day Wuka launches the UK’s first period-proof swimwear for heavy flows Bridgerton fans are rushing to buy these new Netflix-inspired perfumes now £12 off The affordable summer wardrobe update you'll wear from rooftop drinks to beach holidays The £7.99 lip balm beauty fans love for glossy, hydrated lips just dropped four new shades This Keskine hydrogel mask could fix your summer skin ‘Even if there are no obvious changes, if you know it has been exposed to high temperatures for a prolonged period, it’s best and safest to replace it.’ The surprisingly common holiday mistakes that raise your STI risk Each year, thousands of travellers catch an STI abroad. The scale of the problem is stark. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that more than one million curable sexually transmitted infections are acquired every day worldwide among people aged 15–49. And while condomless sex plays a massive role in this infection rate – with CDC guidance published in 2025 stating that around half of travellers who have casual sex abroad do so without a condom – even those who wrap up could still be putting themselves at risk without realising it. As it turns out, SPF and condoms don’t mix well. If you’re applying sun tan lotion throughout the day, you might want to pause and head to the sink before opening a condom wrapper. Latex is a natural rubber, which makes it porous. And when oily or greasy substances come into contact with it, the material can break down. This, again, increases the risk of breakage. Do you have a story you’d like to share? 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