Home Safety Tips For Young Children

Whether you have a kid that’s several months or years old or you’ve got another one on the way, it’s never too late to start thinking of ways to make your home fit for a small child to grow up in. Chances are, you know that young children can be curious and very energetic, but safety isn’t always the first thing on their mind, especially if they haven’t learned to walk yet. Although you’re probably planning on spending most of your time with your child, it never hurts to be too safe in case your child decides to venture off on their own while you’re distracted or working.

Keep cleaning products out of sight

Cleaning products can be one of the deadliest things around the house for young children. Every cleaning product on the market has chemicals that make them poisonous if swallowed. To us, it’s obvious that these products shouldn’t be consumed, but to a small child, all they know is that it smells good, and it’s probably sitting in a cabinet that’s about at their height. Instead of leaving them lying around after using them, make sure they’re stowed away and if you want, you can even put a padlock on your cabinets.

Cover all electrical outlets and wires

One of the most important things you can do to protect your child while they’re at home is to cover all electrical outlets with plastic covers. Young children don’t understand the dangers of outlets and they’re at just the right height to reach most of them. Plastic covers will help prevent them from getting a finger in the outlet or trying to stick one of their toys in there. If you have any appliances or fixtures with frayed wires, this can also be a safety hazard, so make sure they’re fixed before you allow your child near them.

Use gates to block stairs

Young children aren’t the best at climbing up or down stairs so you’ll only want them to attempt it when you’re with them. You should plan on blocking each staircase with a gate that can be easily opened for you to come and go as you please. Don’t forget that if you’re going to be letting your kid outside on the deck or patio, you’ll need gates for outside as well.

Clean your carpets

Think about it — your child is spending most of their time on the ground. If the floor isn’t clean, they’re going to be breathing in a lot more harmful pollutants than any fully-grown adult. Not only this, but their immune systems aren’t fully developed meaning they’ll be even more likely to get sick from an unsanitary floor. But you can’t just vacuum every day and call it good, carpets and rugs need to be professionally cleaned regularly in order to have all the allergens and harmful contaminants removed.

General home safety

In addition to all hazards that will affect your children, any general home hazard will affect your children as well as you. This includes things like poor indoor air quality that can be brought on by poor ventilation resulting in mold, mildew, and termites. Once mold and mildew are in your home, they can be very difficult to remove and can lead to serious respiratory issues.

 

Electrical wiring issues can also be a huge fire hazard if they aren’t installed correctly by your electrician. Poor electrical wiring in homes leads to thousands of house fires every year in the United States, as well as hundreds of deaths.

 

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas that is virtually undetectable to humans. It’s also very dangerous to breathe in because it’s a carcinogen. Radon is the second highest cause of lung cancer in the U.S. right behind cigarette smoking.

Contact Safe Investment Home Inspections

When it comes to keeping children safe in your home, it’s similar to protecting yourself and other family members. The difference is that there is a lot more to worry about and small children have a difficult time understand what is a hazard and what isn’t. Aside from following the tips listed above, the most important thing you can do to protect your children is to call a home inspector who can tell you if your home is fit to raise a child in. Contact us today to learn more.