It does not matter if you are making a gourmet feast or heating up a grilled cheese, your kitchen is only as safe as you make it. Small children can be easily burned or scalded from unmonitored pots, electrocuted by outlets, hurt by the steam from a kettle, and more. If your little ones are going to join you in the kitchen, make sure to follow these essentials for a safer, family-friendly kitchen.
Kitchen Safety Musts for Parents with Small Children:
- Secure Sharp Objects – Knives, scissors and even forks should be locked away in a drawer that is secured with a childproof lock. If you have a knife block on the counter, see that it is pushed back to the furthest point and out of reach for children.
- Secure Your Dishwasher – If your child opens a dishwasher mid-cycle, she could be scalded by hot water or gain access to sharp objects that are otherwise locked away. Consider installing a childproof dishwasher lock to prevent this.
- Knob Protectors – To prevent your child from turning on the stove or oven, especially if knobs are within reach, install knob protectors.
- Keep an Eye While Cooking – While you are cooking in the kitchen, keep an eye on your child. Turn all pot handles toward the inside of the range, so that a child cannot reach up and grab a boiling pot.
- Unused Appliances – If you have appliances not in use in the kitchen, unplug them and place plug protectors in the outlets.
- Plastic Bags – Trash bags, sandwich bags and even grocery bags should be out of reach. Make sure your child knows to never play with plastic bags.
- Highchair – Only use highchairs that have a working child safety belt and that cannot be easily toppled over.
You can keep your home, especially your kitchen, safe for little ones by using a home automation system. Automatically turn off faucets, ensure the stove isn’t on and flip the switch off for appliances you left on so your child cannot touch them. To learn more about home automation, contact your local home security experts at GuardMe Security.
Get a free consultation for home automation. Call GuardMe Security today at (800) 235-0644 or feel free to ask a question online.