Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, and that is why bathroom safety should never be taken lightly. If you have young kids, then you need to start thinking about childproofing all of the bathrooms in your home. Here is a quick look at some simple tips and upgrades that will keep your children safe and sound whenever they are in the bathroom.
Move or Lockup All Toxic Cleaners
Your home is most likely filled with a variety of dangerous cleaning products, and many people store those bottles in the bathroom. All of your cleaning products must be locked inside a cabinet or completely taken out of your bathrooms. Childproof latches might work for younger kids, but toddlers can usually get past those devices in a matter of minutes.
Remove or Disable Locks
Privacy might need to be thrown out the window until your children are older. Some bathroom locks can easily be disabled with a pin, but you will need to do a little bit of research to see if your doorknobs have a child safety feature. Luckily, most doorknobs and locks can be replaced in a matter of minutes with a few basic tools. Once your child has grown up, you can easily switch back to the old doorknobs.
Add Grips or Handles
The vast majority of grip bars are designed for adults, and smaller children usually aren’t tall enough to grab them. Many companies now make semi-permanent children’s handles that can be attached to a wall with suction cups. You should also consider covering up any sharp edges that could injure your child if they slip and fall.
Adjust Your Water Heater
Most experts agree that your tap water should never go above 120 degrees Fahrenheit if any children are living in your home. If you don’t know how to adjust your water heater, then you will need to contact a local plumbing company. An experienced plumber can help you with a wide variety of basic plumbing services such as checking for mold in the bathrooms and tightening the faucets to prevent slow leaks.
Don’t Forget to Remove Your Medicine
Even if the medicine in your bathroom seems relatively harmless, it could be deadly to a smaller child. Swallowing a few over-the-counter painkillers or antihistamine pills might permanently damage their organs. Much like your cleaning products, all of your medicine needs to be locked away or completely removed from the bathroom.
You will never be able to keep your children perfectly safe, but a few simple changes can make a big difference. In addition to these few updates, you also need to supervise your children whenever they are in the bathroom until you are absolutely sure that they are old enough to be in there on their own.
