Tips To Childproof Your Home
Having a safe home for children is essential if you have a new baby or grandchild who will be visiting. Danger is around every corner if you are not proactive and protect these children with some simple home improvements. You can childproof your home in less than a day and for a minimal amount of money. Use the tips from this article and go to your local home improvement store to get started today.
First make a list of what you are going to need to purchase at the home improvement store. You will need cabinet locks, outlet plugs, handle covers for door knobs, bumpers for sharp edges, faucet/drain covers for the tubs and showers, and latches for the toilets. Walk around the home and mark off every place where you need these items and how many you need. Cabinet locks will keep children out of dangerous cleaning supplies or drawers that have potentially harmful objects in them. Outlet plugs are for the tiny fingers and objects that are put inside the electrical outlets. Door knob covers are excellent for keeping the little ones inside the home and not roaming into areas where they do not belong. The bumpers will keep them safe if they fall or run into a sharp table edge or corner. If children are in the bathtub, they become curious about the holes in the drain and faucet; with covers over them, it keeps their tiny fingers out and safe. Many people do not know that young children have drowned in the toilet, so a latch for the toilet lids is an excellent idea.
After you install the basic items from above, get down on the child's level and walk around the home looking for dangers. Sometimes you cannot see hazards unless you get down on their level and look for them. This is a great way to spot those hidden dangers.
Another item that has to be addressed is the pull chords on any blinds and draperies. Tie them up far out of reach. Children have gotten tangled in these cords and suffocated.
Even with latches on the cabinets, you should move all hazardous chemicals out of the lower cabinets and move them up high and out of reach. Cabinet latches work great, but if you accidentally leave a door open, you do not want the child getting into something they are not supposed to.
Take a close look at any houseplants or plants in your yard and garden. Make sure they are not poisonous. Anyone who has ever had a baby knows that they will put anything and everything in their mouth. You do not want to have a plant that is poisonous within their reach. If you do find one, pull it up and throw it away.
It is easy to make your home safe for children and can be done quickly and inexpensively. If you use the advice from this article, you should be able to make your home childproof in a single day.
