Ways to Make a Bathroom More Kid-Friendly
GUEST ARTICLE by Diana Smith, a full time mom of two beautiful girls who loves interior design and DIY projects.
Those with children are well aware there are many risks at home that could lead to a domestic accident. The bathroom, for example, is one of the most dangerous environments in your home. That said, the following are worth considering in order to create a safe environment for your child.
Avoid possible falls
Equip yourself to avoid slips and falls. Place a rubber mat in the bottom of the tub or shower and out of the bath to the toilet. Use a small stool so that the children can reach hand washing accessories smoothly. It must have an anti-slip pad on the base and the surface.
Avoid possible falls
Equip yourself to avoid slips and falls. Place a rubber mat in the bottom of the tub or shower and out of the bath to the toilet. Use a small stool so that the children can reach hand washing accessories smoothly. It must have an anti-slip pad on the base and the surface.
Have everything you need at hand
Organize the bathroom in order to have everything at hand - soap, bath gloves, towel, toiletries, etc. This ensures you to never lose contact with a very young child and voids the need to have anything more than a single tier step stool for an older child to use.
Avoid burns
Checking the temperature of the bath water (maximum 37 degrees), shower or running water tap must be a systematic reflex! Use a bath thermometer. Also your child's hair dryer should be handled with care (and used at a cool or medium setting). Holding it too close can burn delicate skin.
Attention to the ingestion of toxic products
Drugs, cosmetics and cleaning products are all potentially dangerous products that must remain out of reach of children to avoid any risk of ingestion that can cause poisoning or intoxication. Store all medicines and cleaning products in a higher closet, where it is dry and clean. Place the products such as bath soap, foaming bath oil, bath salts, shampoos, alcoholic products (cologne, perfume) and cosmetics out of reach of children.
Electricity and water do not mix
The bathroom is by definition full of water, so watch out for electrical shock and electrical outlets. Unplug electrical appliances after use and store them carefully in a higher closet. If possible, avoid electric heaters. They are sometimes the cause of electric shock from the presence of water on the floor.
Organize the bathroom in order to have everything at hand - soap, bath gloves, towel, toiletries, etc. This ensures you to never lose contact with a very young child and voids the need to have anything more than a single tier step stool for an older child to use.
Avoid burns
Checking the temperature of the bath water (maximum 37 degrees), shower or running water tap must be a systematic reflex! Use a bath thermometer. Also your child's hair dryer should be handled with care (and used at a cool or medium setting). Holding it too close can burn delicate skin.
Attention to the ingestion of toxic products
Drugs, cosmetics and cleaning products are all potentially dangerous products that must remain out of reach of children to avoid any risk of ingestion that can cause poisoning or intoxication. Store all medicines and cleaning products in a higher closet, where it is dry and clean. Place the products such as bath soap, foaming bath oil, bath salts, shampoos, alcoholic products (cologne, perfume) and cosmetics out of reach of children.
Electricity and water do not mix
The bathroom is by definition full of water, so watch out for electrical shock and electrical outlets. Unplug electrical appliances after use and store them carefully in a higher closet. If possible, avoid electric heaters. They are sometimes the cause of electric shock from the presence of water on the floor.
Be careful with details
Place protective plastic or rubber in the corners of bathroom furniture to avoid possible injury. In addition, drawers and cupboards should have child safety locks. For children under the age of three, use a separate potty (for toilet training) or install a smaller toilet seat that is more size appropriate.
Make sure everything is secured
Other aspects that make the bathrooms safe for children are height appropriate accessories. It is important to constantly review the towel, soap and shower rods and make sure that they are tightly secured to the wall and thus promote not only comfortable spaces but safety.
Coatings
If you are just building the bathroom, you can avail yourself of a special coating for this environment. Be sure to ask bathroom renovators for help with this one, since redesigning a bathroom on your own can prove challenging. Anti-slip ceramic or porcelain coatings are good choices to prevent slipping.
Basically, it is essential to constantly monitor a young child in the bath even if you have a baby seat and/or a rubber mat. These accessories offer comfort and enhance safety but are not a substitute for a watchful eye. Young children do not know how to recover and exit the water in the event of slipping. Therefore, young children should never be left alone in the bath, and, similarly, on the changing table.
Place protective plastic or rubber in the corners of bathroom furniture to avoid possible injury. In addition, drawers and cupboards should have child safety locks. For children under the age of three, use a separate potty (for toilet training) or install a smaller toilet seat that is more size appropriate.
Make sure everything is secured
Other aspects that make the bathrooms safe for children are height appropriate accessories. It is important to constantly review the towel, soap and shower rods and make sure that they are tightly secured to the wall and thus promote not only comfortable spaces but safety.
Coatings
If you are just building the bathroom, you can avail yourself of a special coating for this environment. Be sure to ask bathroom renovators for help with this one, since redesigning a bathroom on your own can prove challenging. Anti-slip ceramic or porcelain coatings are good choices to prevent slipping.
Basically, it is essential to constantly monitor a young child in the bath even if you have a baby seat and/or a rubber mat. These accessories offer comfort and enhance safety but are not a substitute for a watchful eye. Young children do not know how to recover and exit the water in the event of slipping. Therefore, young children should never be left alone in the bath, and, similarly, on the changing table.
