5 Tips for Child-Proofing Your Kitchen

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5 Tips for Child-Proofing Your Kitchen

Emily Gojko · Aug 5, 2009

A kitchen can be a dangerous place for a child, especially when your baby becomes mobile. Child proofing the kitchen must be a top priority for parents to help ensure child safety in their apartment. Follow these 5 great tips to child proof your kitchen.

Buy Child Safety Locks for Your Cabinets

Cabinet doors that are below your counter are at the perfect level for children. First there is the danger of the children opening and closing the cabinet doors. Your child could slam his fingers in the door, or stick them in the crevice behind the door. The second child safety issue is what the cabinets contain. There are obvious concerns such as detergent, and other toxic substances that are usually kept underneath the sink, but there are the not so obvious concerns too. Kids love to play with pots and pans, but it should be under supervision. If your toddler pulls out the pots and pans he could hurt himself, or bang up your walls and floor. Child safety locks are a great solution for child proofing your cabinets. There are two basic kinds. One kind connects the handles of the cabinets so that they can’t be pulled open, but this means your cabinet needs to have double doors. The other kind is best for cabinets with one door. These attach to the top of the cabinet, and only allow it to open about an inch when pulled.

Lock Your Drawers

Drawer locks are similar to cabinet locks. They only allow your kitchen drawers to be open about an inch when pulled, unless unlatched. Child proofing your kitchen drawers is critical. Think of the items your store in your drawers. Silverware is stored in drawers. Obviously knives are dangerous (even butter knives, but also forks can be dangerous). Many people have junk drawers in their kitchens. Junk drawers may be home to matches, and other dangerous items. Take the precaution, and child proof your drawers.

Put Plugs on All Outlets

Outlet plugs are important, not only in child proofing your kitchen, but in apartment safety in general. Every outlet in your apartment should be plugged when not in use.

Prevent Injuries from Stove and Oven

Purchase knob covers for your stove. These will help prevent your child from fiddling with them. Also, install an oven lock to prevent your child from opening and closing the oven, and getting inside, burning himself, or slamming his fingers. Another consideration is purchasing a similar type lock for the refrigerator.

Get a Baby Gate

You may not need to use it all the time, but a baby gate for your kitchen will come in handy when you are cooking or cleaning. If you are constantly opening and closing the oven, refrigerator, cabinets and drawers, the best child safety is to ban your child from the kitchen. Put up the baby gate, and take it down when you are done.

Child proofing your kitchen is one of the most important areas of child safety to be considered in your apartment. Taking the chance of not child proofing, is not worth the risk.

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Emily Gojko: I am a writer, marketer, and manager with a strong background in real estate development and management. I am also a native New Yorker with an obsession for home design shows, so I have personal and professional experience making the most of small spaces, and dealing with good and bad living situations.

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