Preparing your own foods at home is essential for superior health. Compared to eating at restaurants, it also may be more affordable. As beneficial as cooking at home can be, it also can be dangerous to you and to your home. These are a few of the simple cooking mistakes that could result in serious damage to your home.
Careless Food Disposal
Some people believe that they can wash anything down the sink or that the garbage disposal will grind up all foods. However, this is not the case. For example, when hot grease is washed down the drain, it is in a liquid form. As it cools, it consolidates and can result in a clog that is very difficult to get rid of. This can cause serious damage to the sewage system. Likewise, banana peels, potato skins, and many other items should not be tossed into the disposal. The disposal cannot grind these up, and a major clog can develop.
Leaving a Burner On
It is easy to pull a pot or pan off of the stove without turning the burner off. After all, you may immediately be carrying the pot over to the sink to pour water out, or you may be placing a meal in a serving dish and carrying it to the table. However, when a burner is left on, a fire may easily occur. A pot holder, food wrapper or something else may fall on an open flame or on a hot surface, and a fire could break out while you are out of the room or otherwise pre-occupied.
Turning Your Back on Pots and Pans
Some foods only take a minute or two to cook on the stove, but others may take dozens of minutes. During this time, you may be inclined to leave the room, to grab your phone or to otherwise turn your back on pots and pans. By doing so, you are unable to respond immediately if a grease fire develops or if a portion of food starts to burn.
As you can see, a lot can go wrong when you are not attentive in the kitchen or when you are not aware of proper usage techniques and requirements. If you are new to cooking or have not spent ample time in the kitchen previously, a smart idea is to familiarize yourself with safe cooking tips. By doing so, you could potentially prevent serious home damage from occurring.
