How to Childproof your Home

Childproofing your home
Photo: thedanw /Pixabay

Childproofing your home is vital as unintentional injuries stand to be one of the leading causes of death of young children. It is, therefore, essential to keep your homes safe for children. Fortunately, you can prevent such tragedies and accidents with the help of some tools and devices. And to be sure, you can refer to the tips below on how to childproof your home.


Doorknob Covers

What you need to do first is to make sure your little children cannot get into unsafe rooms. To do this, you can use doorknob covers to secure the doors of each room. You should also put one on your main door to prevent them from going outside alone and without you knowing.

Doorknob covers will make it hard for children to turn, grip, and open doors.


Cabinet Locks

Aside from securing doorknobs to unsafe areas, you should also make sure they won't be able to open kitchen and bathroom cabinets. These storage places may hold unsafe products for your kids.

Secure these cabinets as well by using cabinet locks. Some examples include Safety First Cabinet Slide Lock, KidCo Cabinet Lock, and Safety-First Cabinet Flex-Lock.

Unsafe items should be kept away from children's reach.

Candles, matches, lighters, vases, photo frames, and any other flammable, toxic, and sharp objects should be kept away from children's reach. Your children's innate curiosity could lead them to big trouble. For example, a toddler can light a match and cause a fire, or a child can also chew on a candle and choke on the wax.

Additionally, fragile items such as glass, vase, and photo frames can shutter and cut them even with a carpeted floor. Put these items away from the reach of children. It will be better if you replace them with plastic.


Edge and Corner Bumpers

Tables, cabinets, drawers, fireplace hearth, and other furniture should have edge and corner bumpers. This will protect kids against injury. Table edges, for example, are treacherous for little children learning to walk. Tables that are not tempered, which can be shattered easily, should be kept in a room for toddlers won't be able to access it. Another option includes buying a new tempered-glass top and edge guards.


Safety Gates

Put safety gates on the bottom and top part of the upstairs. You can also put one in the doorways of rooms that should not be accessed by young children. Do not use pressure-mounted gates on the top of staircases. Instead, you should use a gate that is hardware-mounted to the door frame.


Safety Caps and Outlet Protectors

All electrical outlets not in-use should be covered with safety caps and outlet protectors. This will prevent electrical incidents involving toddlers. You should also ensure outlets in the kitchen and bathroom come with GFCIs. This device will turn off electricity when appliances fall into the water. Also, you should use devices that will make it hard for young children to pull out and play with plugs, particularly if these outlets are installed low to the ground.

These are some of the childproofing steps and proper safety measures that will keep your family, including the young ones, safe at home.

Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics