Child Proofing In the Kitchen

Your kitchen is home to some of the most dangerous items in the house. Follow these guidelines to keep your kids safe:

• Install child proof latches on all drawers in the kitchen.
• Consider installing an actual swivel lock on a cabinet door for storage of all your cleaning supplies and particularly dangerous items.
• Store food extracts, such as vanilla and almond, out of the reach of children. They are potential poisons.
• Never store cleaning supplies and food together, since a spill could poison the food without you knowing.
• Always store cleaning products in their original containers. If they are switched, children might think they are something else.
• Always try to cook on the back burners, and never the front if at all possible. Turn all pan handles back towards the back of the stove and not out where a child could yank at them.
• Keep the trash compacter and dishwasher door latched when not in use. Install a lock on your dishwasher. Putting locks on drawers does little good if you leave the dishwasher open so that children can reach the dangerous knives and breakable glasses inside.
• Keep a multi-use fire extinguisher somewhere in the kitchen. Make sure it is rated for grease fires.
• Store garbage in a manner that is inaccessible to young children. Kids this age love to dig in the trash, and many items in it could be hazardous, such as the sharp edges of opened cans, plastic wrapping they could suffocate themselves with, and more.
• Install a stove lock.
• Place knob protectors on the stove knobs to prevent curious children from fiddling with the levers.
• Keep all chairs and step stools a safe distance from the stove.
• Keep the coffee maker safely out of children’s reach, and make sure the cord is attached to the wall or out of reach.
• Get spill-proof containers for all hot drinks, and do not use anything but those containers. A common cause of scalding is when baby gets to that cup of hot coffee mommy set down for just a minute while tending to her other duties.
• Store all alcohol safely out of the reach of children, even beer. Don’t assume they won’t drink it because it tastes bad.
• Keep all garbage bags and sandwich bags in a locked drawer.
• Keep all telephone cords out of the reach of children, or consider going to all cordless phones.
• Make sure refrigerator magnets and other small objects that could be a choking hazard are stored safely out of reach.
• Put a safety lock on the refrigerator. You don’t want young kids playing around in there, and some things they might eat raw could pose a safety hazard. Also try to avoid storing medication, including vitamins, in the fridge unless it is required.
• Consider installing a high shelf in the working area of your kitchen where you can place knives or other dangerous objects you are working with. Kids are often injured when a parent is using a knife, sets it on the counter or table for just a minute, and the child gets a hold on it. Keeping a high up workspace can eliminate this risk.