Childproof Your Home

Health, Home & Family
on September 19, 2004

Every year, 2 million children require medical attention because of household accidents. If you have little ones in your home, use this handy checklist to make sure its a safe place.

Throughout the house

  • Conduct a room-by room inventory of potential dangers. Make sure all potentially harmful itemscleaning products, perfumes, shoe polish, hair products, makeup, vitamins, mouthwash, medicine, alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, matches and lightersare clearly labeled and out of a childs reach.
  • Put potted houseplants in inaccessible locations. Some are poisonous.
  • Put childproof covers on all electrical sockets.
  • Secure radiator covers and floor vents so a child cannot pull them off.
  • Affix decals at child-eye level to glass doors or windows that extend down to the floor.
  • Put slip-proof guards on uncarpeted stairs.
  • Use non-slip carpet tape or sticky matting under area rugs to hold them in place.
  • Use safety gates on rooms without doors to keep kids from wandering into dangerous areas. Also, install gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Dont use a tension-mounted gate at the top of the stairs. If a child leans on it, it could become dislodged.
  • Put doorknob covers on doorknobs to rooms you dont want a child to enter, or install hook-and-eye latches to keep doors closed.
  • Make sure you have a way of unlocking any door inside your home from the outside in case a child gets locked in a room.
  • Consider installing plastic guards along the hinge side of frequently used interior doors to prevent pinched fingers.
  • To prevent choking, remove plastic end caps on doorstops or replace the stops with a one-piece design.
  • Attach bells on exit doors to warn you if a child opens one.
  • Install latches to keep windows from opening far enough for a child to slip through. Dont place furniture so a child is able to climb to a window or ledge.

Kitchen and bathrooms

  • Install cabinet locks on low cabinets and drawers.
  • Stow trash and recyclables in a locked cabinet or closet.
  • Place kitchen appliances away from the edges of counters.
  • Store plastic bags and sharp utensils in an upper cabinet or latched drawer.
  • If stove knobs are within a childs reach, use protective covers to prevent turning.
  • When cooking, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
  • Keep chairs and step stools away from counters and the stove.
  • Use place mats instead of a tablecloth so your child cannot pull the entire contents of the table down on top of himself.
  • Set your water heater to 120 degrees or cooler to prevent scalding.
  • Keep the toilet seat down and the door to the bathroom closed or gated, or buy hinged toilet lid locks that clamp to the lip of the bowl.
  • Place a non-skid mat or decals in the bathtub and a non-skid rug on the bathroom floor.

Living areas and bedrooms

  • Install a screen or locked glass enclosure on your fireplace. Remove irons and tools. Install screens around radiators, wood-burning stoves and kerosene heaters.
  • Cover fireplace hearths with protective cushioning.
  • Secure unstable furniture such as bookshelves, entertainment centers or dressers that could topple if a child pulls on them.
  • Install cushioned corners on sharp corners of tables and other furniture with sharp edges.
  • Move your TV, VCR and stereo out of reach.
  • Run electrical cords along baseboards, securing them to the floor when possible. Bind up any extra cord.
  • Install short cords to phones or secure the cords up high out of reach. Better still, use cordless phones.
  • Shorten long cords for blinds or draperies. Wrap them around wall brackets, wind them up and tie the cords with a short string or buy a cord wrap.
  • Position your childs crib or bed away from windows, drapery and electrical cords. Put night-lights at least 3 feet from bedding and draperies to prevent fires.
  • Keep pocket change and jewelry off the top of your dresser and out of reach.
  • If you have older children whose toys have a lot of small pieces, buy organizing boxes with lids that close tightly.

Visit your local hardware store to find childproofing products such as outlet covers, cushioned corners, cord shorteners, and safety latches and locks.