The kitchen is likely the most dangerous room in your home, and it is also the place where your family tends to gather for meals, table games, and visiting. With all of the activity, and little ones underfoot, it is crucial that you take the time to make this room safe for your little ones. So here are some tips for making your kitchen child safe.
Start at the bottom of your kitchen. Locate any plug-ins that are low to the ground and pop in a plug cover. Then look at your cabinet doors and drawers within reach of children. Do they have safety latches on them? If so, are they still working? The plastic, push down locks most commonly sold are very useful for a while. But these latches tend to loose their shape over time and with constant use, which means that your toddler might be able to get into that cabinet. Have extras in a drawer, and replace them as needed.
When checking the lower cabinets, make sure that only non-breakable items are stored there. Pots and pans, plastic mixing bowls, even your plastic plates and cups that you use for your kids.
The most important cabinet to have in order is the one under the kitchen sink. Most people keep their dishwashing detergent , dish soap, rodent poison, bug spray, trash bags, and grocery bags here. All of these items can be fatal to your children, and none of them should be under the kitchen sink. Try putting your dish soaps in a top cabinet close to the sink, and everything else above the washer or dryer.
Next, put child locks on all of the large appliances in your kitchen. Even though refrigerator doors don’t lock from the outside anymore, there are still plenty of dangers in the fridge itself. The Milk of Magnesia in the door is always appealing to little ones, and that big jar of pickles can shatter into sharp, dangerous shards of glass if your child drops it.
Many new ovens already have a locking mechanism, but they only engage when the oven is off. And, of course, the whole point here is to keep your child from being horribly burned. Don’t forget to put a lock on your dishwasher. The dishes in there can pose a hazard if they are dropped and broken, and the silverware basket holds all kinds of danger.
Third, consider the counter space and other surfaces. Look for any plug-ins above your counter space and oven and cover them with plug covers. Make sure that any knife blocks are pushed back or stored up high, as well as any heavy appliances like crock pots, bread machines, or mixers. Roll up all cords (use bread ties to secure them) and stuff them behind the appliance they belong to, so they are out of reach and out of sight. Placing dishes on a dish towel to dry can be very hazardous if your little one pulls the towel off of the counter. So it is better to just dry your dishes and put them away immediately. When cooking, use the back burners ONLY while your children are little. Little hands are able to reach the front of your oven, and toddlers often use the handle on the over door to pull themselves up. And also make a habit of turning the handles of your cooking pans to the back of the oven so they can’t be bumped or pulled off of the oven.
Also consider any plants you may have on your counters. If your beautiful house plant is poisonous, replace it with a fake plant. If you’re not sure if your plant is poisonous, then definitely replace it.
Now it is time to consider any climbing hazards. Are the table and chairs close to cabinets or anything else your toddler can climb onto? Remember to keep your chairs tucked under your table when you are not using them. They will be less inviting if they are not pulled out. Are there any objects like stools or bookshelves that your toddler can climb up and reach the counter? Try to arrange your kitchen furniture with your toddler’s curiosity and love of climbing in mind.
Last, take a good look around your kitchen and try to identify and correct anything else that can pose a danger to your child. Use common sense. For example, never leave a cup of hot coffee close to the counter’s edge. Or never cook with your baby on your hip (little feet can get burned). And develop good habits, even if they cause temporary inconvenience.
It only takes half a second for tragedy to strike. So print these tips, take them to your kitchen, and don’t let another day go by without making your kitchen safe for your child.
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Cynthia Elm has seven children and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. After rushing a toddler to the Emergency Room for accidental ingestion, she reorganized her home and began promoting home safety for families. Follow this link to tour a virtual house online and identify potential dangers in your own home: http://www.cls.HealthyHomeTour.com