Make Your Bathroom Safe for Your Kids

Written by Guest Writer Diana Smith

A bathroom is a place of relaxation, but it’s hard to relax when there are so many hazards for your child. Razors, cleaning chemicals, meds, hot irons and drowning hazards represent a serious danger to your child’s health and safety. However, with only a few modifications and clever tips, you can relax knowing your kid is safe in your bathroom.

Keep the Toilet Lid Down

Small children still don’t have their balance quite under control since they are very top-heavy, and their curiosity can easily lead them to the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, there have been cases where kids drowned in only a few inches of water in the bowl. So, make sure your toilet lid is always down and install a lid lock to prevent your baby from lifting it.

Put Away Hazardous Items

All cosmetics and medication are potential health hazards for your kid, especially prescription drugs, so make sure to keep them in a high cabinet under a lock. Even vitamins and other supplements can have a bad effect on your child. For instance, iron pills and multivitamins that contain iron can be extremely poisonous for babies. One other thing that should be kept in a locked cabinet is mouthwash because it usually contains a lot of alcohol.

Hide Sharp Objects

Sharp things like razors, scissors, tweezers and nail clippers should all be kept in a locked cabinet well out of your kid’s reach. Additionally, unplug all appliances that create heat (blow-dryers, curling irons) and electric shavers after you’ve finished using them and put them away in a closed cabinet.

Remove Climbing Hazards

Children loooove to climb, especially when there’s something interesting on the counter or in the cabinets. So, make sure to remove all objects from your bathroom that can be used for reaching high places. Children especially love to use hampers, bathing chairs, and sturdy drawers.

Prevent Scalding

The best way to prevent scalding is to set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or 49 degrees Celsius. This temperature is very pleasant for bathing but cool enough to prevent scalding. Additionally, you can install anti-scalding devices on your faucets and showerheads.

Make Your Bathtub Safe

The first rule of child safety is to never leave your kid in the bathtub alone. If the phone or doorbell rings, don’t hesitate to take a towel, scoop your kid up and take him or her with you. All bathtubs in your home should be equipped with a nonslip mat both inside the tub and outside it to prevent falls. However, the best way to avoid slips is to teach your kid to stay seated in the bath at all times. Once your kids get older and start to take baths and showers alone, install a grab bar for additional safety, especially when entering or exiting the tub. Also, when choosing new bathtubs, make sure to choose ones with rounded edges to avoid cuts and bruises.

Use a Shower Curtain

Shower curtains made of breathable materials like nylon or Tyvek are a much better choice while you have small kids. They are mold-resistant and reduce the risk of suffocation. However, make sure you have a strong curtain rod in case your kid yanks on the curtain.

Keep it Clean

Kids are messy bathers and water all over the bathroom can cause hazardous mold and mildew. So, make sure you clean your bathroom with child-safe cleaners regularly, including mats, potties, and your child’s bath toys. Additionally, make sure to keep cleaners safely locked and out of your kid’s reach.

Once you apply all these safety measures, you can be sure your kid is safe in your bathroom. However, you should still not let your kids roam around the bathroom alone, and make sure they are supervised at all times.