Childproof Your Home
A Room By Room Guide
Children, either your own or visiting youngsters, often get into dangerous situations. There are a number of steps you can take to protect them in every area of your home.
Kitchen
Equip cabinets that contain cleaning products with easy to install childproof latches.
Keep small appliances at the back of counters, and electric cords well out of reach. Unplug appliances when not in use so children can’t operate them; this also avoids shocks in case a youngster pulls one into a water filled sink.
Store plastic storage bags out of children’s reach. Tie knots in used plastic bags before you thrown them away. This will keep youngsters from playing with them and possibly suffering accidental suffocation.
Place sharp knives on the top rack of the dishwasher or in the silverware basket with blades down to reduce the risk of injury to a curious child.
Keep pet food and water bowls away from toddlers and infants.
Use a covered trash basket, and install a safety latch on the cabinet where it is kept. This will prevent little ones and pets from foraging in trash that may contain broken glass, splintered bones, or poisonous substances.
Place food and drinks near the center of a table or at the back of a counter. Avoid using tablecloths except for special occasions: they are easily pulled off by toddlers and pets.
Exercise extreme caution around the stove when children are present. Cook on back burners with the pot handles turned back out of small children’s sight line and reach. Use safety covers for stove knobs if they are within reach of a young child. Store cookies and other tempting foods away from the stove. And keep a step stool far away from the cooking area.
Living Room and Bedrooms
The following measures may be too drastic if your home is visited only infrequently by a child but are recommended if you have children or grandchildren around regularly.
Check furniture placement to be sure everything is secure. The TV is a particular hazard when it is heavy and tippy, especially on a high shelf. Secure large wall mirrors and artwork.
Keep small decorative items out of reach. They can present a choking danger. Put sharp objects away, too.
Secure electric cords, especially in traffic zones. Insert plastic safety caps into all open electrical receptacles.
Stairs
Falls on stairs are a leading cause of injuries in children. A few precautions can reduce the dangers significantly.
Use safety gates to keep small children away from stairs. Use only gates that meet current safety standards; older accordion style gates can trap a child’s arms, legs or head.
Balusters should be close together to keep children and pets from falling through or getting their heads stuck. If balusters are more than 4 inches apart, install a barrier while your kids are young.
Wooden stairs and socks or slippers make a slippery combination. Carpeted stairs are safer, especially if they have no raised metal edges for the child to trip over. Keep stairs and landings free of clutter.
Bathroom
Purchase a soft cover for the bathtub spout to protect kids from painful collisions with the tub spout.
Keep hair dryers and other electrical appliances unplugged, out of reach, and away from sinks and bathtubs to prevent burns and electrocution.
Use tubs mats to prevent slipping. Nonslip strips and appliqués often are too widely spaced to protect children.
Keep cologne, makeup, bubble bath, and other hazardous products in a closed cabinet, out of reach and sight.