How to Baby Proof Your Kitchen

By Christine Sostarich

How to Baby Proof Your Kitchen How to Baby Proof Your Kitchen

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The kitchen can be one of the most dangerous places for your baby. These tips can help prevent tragic accidents from happening.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

  • Cabinet and drawer locks
  • Screwdriver
  • Refrigerator lock
  • Oven lock
  • Outlet covers

Step1
Put baby locks on all cabinets and drawers below your waist level. Most baby locks are easily installed with nothing more than a screwdriver. Baby proofing your drawers is vital as a baby or toddler can pull out an entire drawer on top of himself not to mention what hazards may be inside them. Heavy pots, pans and cans of food can injure a baby if she drops them on her toes. You might want to leave one cabinet unlocked and fill it with plastic tupperware and wooden spoons for your baby to play with.
Step2
Remove all cleaning chemicals, dish soaps, plastic grocery bags and any other hazardous materials from lower cabinets. Even if your cabinets have locks installed it is better to be safe than sorry. Sometimes babies can figure out the locks faster than adults. If a cabinet door gets left open you know who will be the first one to notice.
Step3
To further baby proof the kitchen put outlet covers on every kitchen outlet. A fork found in the kitchen is just begging to be stuck into something!
Step4
Put a baby proof lock on your refrigerator door. Refrigerators do not contain much oxygen and a curious baby may get trapped inside. At the very least a baby could drop a heavy jar on her toes or even get a hold of alcoholic beverages.
Step5
Place a baby proof lock on your oven door. Oven doors are easy for a baby to pull open and serious burns could occur. When you are cooking always remember to use the rear burners whenever possible and turn pan handles in toward the back of the stove so they can't be pulled on top of baby.
Step6
Push all items back on the counter. A baby or toddler will try to grab anything within his reach so keep all sharp knives, heavy objects and things that could burn far back on the countertop.

Tips & Warnings

  • Safety measures are no substitution for supervision. Nothing is failsafe so keep a good eye on your little one at all times.

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eHow Article: How to Baby Proof Your Kitchen

eHow Member: Christine Sostarich

Christine Sostarich

Enthusiast Enthusiast | 1102 Points

Category: Parenting

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