10 Effective Tips for Childproofing your Bathroom
Children can light up any house. They run around, play, talk and keep everything lively. However, as parents, it is your responsibility to make sure their surroundings are safe.
Unfortunately, a lot of accidents involving children happen in the bathroom, which is why we have written this guide on childproofing your bathroom with 10 easy tips. Follow them to make sure you don’t have to worry about leaving them alone.
Instructions
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1
Plastic mats
Permanently place rubber mats on the toilet floor and in the bathtub, and always remember to leave the bathroom floor dry and the door closed. This will ensure that your children don't slip on the floor, even if they walk in barefoot.
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2
Door Locks
The bathroom lock/knob should be high and not within the baby’s reach. Alternatively, you can put childproof covers on the door knob and/or install a hook-and-eye latch.
You should especially be careful about this at nights, so that your children don't go into the bathroom unsupervised or without your knowledge.
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3
Sharp items
Place sharp items such as razors, scissors and tweezers in a zip lock bag and put them in a high cabinet that is well secured beyond the reach of your children. A lot of times children start playing with such items, not knowing how dangerous they are.
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4
Electronics & Hot Items
Remember to always unplug and stow away hair/blow dryers, hot irons and any other electronic item. Not only are they dangerous because of heat, they also pose the risk of electric shock coupled with water or a wet floor.
If you share a bathroom with your kids, ideally you should lock away all electronic items in a cabinet after use.
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5
Toilet Seat Lock
Remember to always close the toilet seat, by securing it with a toilet seat lid lock. These are great for preventing children from getting their hands dirty and falling ill.
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6
Training Seats
When potty training your child, it is recommended that you use a training seat and put the child in a habit of using it instead of going into the bathroom to try the big seat.
You might also want to place the training seat somewhere safer so your child can use it at night without you having to worry.
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7
Bath Seats
Bath seats are safe and secure and can be used at an early stage to teach your children to sit in the bath tub. If they are fussy about it, you can get bathing toys to distract and get them in the habit of using the bathtub.
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8
Medicines
No medicines should be left on bathroom sinks or low shelves. They should be out of reach of children and ideally locked away in your bathroom cabinet. Similarly, items like mouth washes, anti septic solutions and after shaves should be kept in cabinets to prevent children from accidentally ingesting them.
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9
Step Stools
Get your children to use stepping stools for brushing their teeth and washing up. You should also leave the stool near your the sink so that your child can pull it up and use it when needed.
This will prevent your child from trying to climb or pull on the sink, which is often the reason they break and fall, resulting in injuries.
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10
Bathtub Spout Cover
Finally, if you let your child stay in the bathtub for long hours (most children like it, especially with toys), you should secure the bathtub spout with a rubber cover to make sure they don't bump their head into it and get injured.
