The Home Safety Council has declared January to be National Bath Safety month. This is a great time to set the year off on a good foot by assessing how safe your bathroom is, and implementing some ways to reduce accidents.
Whether you have small children or elderly people in your home, everyone could use a bit more safety. Things like grab bars and rubber mats are easy ways to improve bathroom safety. These accessories are inexpensive and will install temporarily so you can remove them when you don’t need them anymore.
Here are some additional ways to keep yourself and your family members safe in the bathroom:
- Keep the hot water heater at 120 degrees and no higher. This temperature has been recommended by the Department of Energy as the ideal for plenty of hot water, energy-efficiency, and a reduction in the chance of burning injuries.
- Keep cleaning supplies on the top shelf of linens closets or above the washer dryer. Anywhere that they are up and out of reach of children is a safe place to store chemicals. Keeping them in a bottom bathroom cabinet, even if it is child-locked runs the risk of an injury or accidental ingestion.
- Make sure that shampoos are kept out of reach of children. These products can create a very slippery floor for the next person who steps into the shower if they are slipped or squirted. It is best to purchase pump bottle for older kids so, they know how much to use for each application.
- Do not leave your children in the bathtub unattended. Even a few inches of water can be a drowning hazard for young kids.
- Add a lock to your toilet if you have toddlers. Not only will this eliminate the chances of a small toy clogging your drain but, it will prevent accidental drowning.
- Add bath mats and shower decals to the floor of your tub, shower, and bathroom floor. Any flooring that you can add that improves the traction of your footing is going to dramatically reduce the chances of a slip and fall accident.
Be proactive about safety and check around your bathroom for hidden dangers. Add these tips and more to improve the safety of your home and keep yourself and your family members safe in the house.