How To Baby Proof A Kitchen

Be it your living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or staircase, baby proofing every space within your home is vital, because you cannot keep an eye on your child always, making sure that he stays out of trouble. The moment he/she enters the kitchen, you should be even more cautious. This is because the room consists of some of the most dangerous chemicals, electronic appliances, sharp-edged knives, heavy pots and pans, which can be hazardous to your child and cause a serious injury. This is where baby proofing comes in, to ensure that you spend a great time with your child in the kitchen. Read the article and know how to baby proof your kitchen.

Baby Proofing Your Kitchen

Secure all the cabinets, located below your waist level, with baby locks. Install the locks by using a screwdriver. In case the baby can easily pull off the reachable drawers, such as the one where you store your knives, it is important to lock them as well.
The heavy pots and pans stored in the cupboard can seriously injure your baby, if he/she drops them on his/her toes. Therefore, lock the cupboards where you store such utensils.
Remove all the cleaning supplies, such as liquid detergent, bleach, dish soaps, from the lower cabinets of your kitchen. Store them in the higher shelves, which are beyond the reach of your child.
Lock the door of your refrigerator as well. This is vital, because refrigerator lacks oxygen and chances of your baby being trapped inside it cannot be ruled out. To prevent a choking hazard, remove all the small sized magnets from the door of your refrigerator.
Oven doors can be easily opened by your baby. To protect him from serious burns, it is suggested to assign a lock for your oven door as well.
While cooking, turn the handles of the pot/pans, placed on the stove, backwards, so that your child doesn’t grab them. Do not keep sharp knives and forks on the edges of the counter while preparing the food. When you are spending time with your child in the kitchen, it is better to cook the food on rear burners.
After you are done with the food or the cleaning process in your kitchen, remember to push all the items back on the counter. Babies have a tendency to grab anything that is within their easy reach. Therefore, keep the sharp knives and heavy objects far back on the countertop.
Place the trash or recycle bins out of the reach of your child.
The edges of the tablecloth can be easily pulled by your child. Making use of mats instead of tablecloth will ensure that the child does not pull down hot food placed on the table and spill it on himself.
While playing, the baby can even bonk his/her head on the underside of the kitchen table. So, make sure that your furniture, including the table and chairs, does not have sharp corners. Put rubber bumpers or foam cushions on the edges to prevent the chances of injury.

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