Accidents happen all the time in the kitchen. If you think about it, that absolutely makes sense. Cooking requires the use of hot surfaces and sharp utensils, making it an accident just waiting to happen. The good news is that with some foresight and preparation, you can prevent disasters from happening in the heart of your home. Read on to discover the best ways to accident-proof your kitchen.
1. Childproof the Room
If you have young children in the house, you must childproof the kitchen. This means installing cabinet and drawer locks, making sure knives and other sharp utensils are out of reach, and that cookware handles aren’t pointing out within easy reach of tiny hands.
If it’s time to replace your stove, you can further childproof your kitchen by purchasing an induction cooktop. This type of stove, along with induction cookware, produces heat through a magnetic process that leaves surfaces cool to the touch.
2. Wear Sturdy Shoes in the Kitchen
When preparing and cooking food, you should wear sturdy shoes with non-slip soles. This will not only protect your feet should you drop something sharp or heavy, but it will also provide support for your legs and back as well. After all, there’s nothing worse than dropping a glass, watching it shatter, and then having to tiptoe through the shards in your bare feet to get the broom.
3. Keep Your Hands Dry
Though hand-washing is essential for good hygiene, wet hands can be a danger in the kitchen. Have you ever noticed that professional chefs always have a towel tucked into their waistbands? That’s so they can wipe their hands quickly and easily. Wet hands can’t grip as well as dry hands can. Just picture trying to hold onto a full drinking glass with dripping wet hands.
Furthermore, wet hands conduct heat faster than dry hands do. So, if you touch a hot surface, you’ll feel the heat almost instantly. The same is true if you put wet hands into an oven mitt and then try to remove something from the oven. The heat will travel through the fabric and right into your fingertips in an instant – almost as if you weren’t wearing oven mitts at all!
4. Have Respect for Knives and Other Sharp Objects
Sharp knives cause a lot of injuries in the kitchen. Having respect for these utensils will help you avoid injury. Always wash knives as soon as you use them to avoid having to scrub off dried-on food. Store them point-down or flat and try to keep the sharpened edge facing down. Finally, if you drop a knife, let it fall. Step out of the way, and don’t try to catch it.
5. Keep the Stovetop and Oven Clear
Unless you’re cooking something, the stovetop and oven should be empty. As tempting as it is to use a sturdy stovetop as additional counter space, don’t do it as it is a fire hazard.
The same is true for the oven. While it’s okay to store cookie sheets and cake pans in the drawer beneath, don’t keep anything inside the oven as you could forget it’s in there, turn it on, and start a fire.
Accidents happen in the kitchen all the time. With hot and slippery surfaces and sharp utensils, it’s no wonder! Still, with a little mindfulness and preparation, you can prevent many of the common accidents from happening. From childproofing the room with cabinet locks to keeping the stovetop clear of clutter, following the tips above will help you turn your kitchen into a truly safe haven.
