Many parents baby-proof their houses to keep their kids safe, but some forget that most plumbing fixtures are in the bathrooms and kitchens. It’s important to baby-proof the entire house, but the kitchen and bathroom, where most of the plumbing is located, require special attention. As your children become more curious about the world around them and their home becomes a playground, it’s important to take extra safety precautions to calm your nerves and prevent a plumbing catastrophe. Find out how to make your plumbing safer for kids by reading this article.
Making Your Bathroom Safe for Babies
Babies can have a lot of fun during bath time, but it can also be dangerous. So, water safety should be a top priority for new parents right away! According to research babies can drown in just 6 cm of water. That means they can drown in a sink, a bucket, a toilet bowl, bathtubs, an inflatable pool, or rain-filled ditches. Even so, a good first step is to lock the bathroom door when you’re not using it. Consider installing a latch that is out of the reach of small children as an alternative.
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1. Lock the toilet seat: Toilet bowl lids have the ability to fall on your child’s fingers or hit them in the head in addition to drowning risks. Also, many things can be thrown in the toilet bowl and flushed down if left open. Using a lock is the simplest approach to maintaining the closure of your toilet seat. Depending on your child’s access to each bathroom, you may require a different type of toilet lock for each.
2. Put drain covers in place: Drain covers can be obtained at a low cost and are not difficult to put in place. They will help prevent your children from flushing toys and other stuff down the toilet, which can lead to clogged drains and pipes. You can choose from several different solutions, such as grates and screens to close the drains.
3. Non-slippery bath mats: You probably already know this, but since there is so much water in the tub, it may be difficult for your child to maintain his footing. Think about getting a tub mat that won’t slide around.
4. Spout cover in the bathtub: When you put your child in the tub, you could notice that they are about the same height as the water spout, all prepared for a headbutt! This is a risk that could be painful and dangerous. Cute spout covers are a great way for parents to make bath time more fun while keeping their kids safe. The covers are often made of silicone or soft rubber and fit over the spout.
5. Tub separator: Looking for a strategy to conserve water and ensure bath time safety? Consider using a tub separator. With a tub separator, you can divide your tub so that you can even get in without getting wet. Moreover, this keeps your infant safe by limiting the amount of space your baby has within the tub and allowing you to control its environment.
6. Safety concerning water heaters: Bath water for infants is of much significance. If the water is too hot, there is an instant potential for scorching to occur. Turning down the temperature on your water heater’s thermostat is one of the most important steps you can take to reduce the risk of burns in your own home. A temperature ranging from 120 to 140 degrees is the best for bathing. But keeping it a little bit below 120 degrees would be ideal for kids. Besides, always check the temperature of the water with your palm before placing your child in the tub.
Making Your Kitchen Safe for Babies
Now that you’ve taken care of the bathroom, the next step to making your home safe for babies is to get the kitchen ready. Your kitchen will have its own set of possible problems that you’ll need to watch out for.
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1. Cabinets that are out of reach and locked: Put all detergents, cleaning products, and other chemical cleaners in cabinets that are out of reach of your children. Even though many individuals are accustomed to keeping them there, we strongly advise shifting them up a bit. The same thing goes for plastic bags and saran wrap.
2. Scald-resistant device: The potential for scalding should be one of your top worries when using any faucet. To fix this, add a device that prevents scalding. They are easy to set up and will make parents worry-free.
3. Proper supervision: We previously discussed supervision concerning bathrooms, the same applies to kitchens, albeit with a distinct set of issues. First of all, you should never leave your kid alone in the kitchen. You should also think about getting an oven lock, a stove guard, a refrigerator lock, and a lock for the water dispenser on the fridge. This doesn’t even count to make sure all the cabinets are safe for babies.
4. Clean home: Maintain a spotless home, as this will make everyone feel more at ease and will also ensure the safety of your new addition. This means leaning up spills straight away and getting pipe leaks fixed as soon as possible. Remember that it doesn’t take much to make a place slippery. As with your bathroom, keep an eye on this.
Children could be in danger if there is an issue with the plumbing, such as a broken pipe or sewage backup. They are more susceptible to such dangers. Therefore, you should hire a reputable plumbing firm to do basic maintenance on your system at least once each year to identify potential issues before they become major. Above all, you will avoid a lot of headaches in the future if you start early on instilling in your children a healthy regard for the plumbing system. Establish limits for your children, model good plumbing habits for them, such as throwing used wipes away in the garbage, and instruct them on how to behave around important household appliances.
Babyproofing an entire house can be difficult, as parents of kids of all ages are well aware of it. To avoid exhaustion caused by attempting to accomplish everything at once, we recommend starting with a single region. The plumbing system might be a good place to start. If you use the tips in this article, you can make a bathroom that is safe for your kids. Make sure your home is safe for everyone in the family, especially the kids. So that you can sit back and relax while your kids have a happy childhood.