Creating A Safe Family Bathroom!
Bathroom Safety
Kids love water! And the bath in your bathroom is like a private swimming pool to them. So seeing as though they’re so keen to spend time in there, it looks like as parents we need to do everything we can to improve bathroom safety for the family. One thing you must bear in mind, is that water itself can be dangerous. This brings us to our first point.
You Need Your Eyes Everywhere With Children!
Water – What is the right temperature? Preventing Drowning.
When creating a safe family bathroom, we first think of appliances. However, what we actually need to bear in mind when keeping our kids safe is the water itself. It takes a mere inch for small children to be in danger of drowning in less than a minute. We suggest always supervising your little ones when they’re in the bath. This means even nipping out to grab a towel, or to pick up a phone, should be a no no! Plan ahead and have everything you need to hand before you bring the child into the bathroom.
Be prepared, have everything you need to hand.
The recommended bathing temperature for children is 37° C and below. This is because your child’s skin is a lot thinner than your own, so make sure you double check the temperature before you let your children in the bath. Mix the water well to make sure there aren’t any hot spots which could scald your child.
If you don’t want to risk misjudging and leaving the temperature too high, but if you don’t have an anti-scald thermostatic shower, we’d suggest toys that change colour when the water is too warm. They’re ideal for your kid’s bath, providing your little one with both fun and bathroom safety. Who knew the two could go hand in hand like that? Alternatively, simply use a thermometer.
Flooring:
Slippery flooring can get the best of us all at times. To keep the whole family safe, we’d suggest getting rubber backed bath mats and place them in areas where water is likely to be splashed. So for example next to the bath and sink. That way you can help prevent slipping. If your little one enjoys playing in the bath, we’d also recommend getting a non-skid mat for the bath itself to prevent falls.
Grooming Products:
There are many dangerous products that could be lying around in your bathroom. Think of the various parts of your bath time routine; razors, shampoos, conditioners and mouthwashes. These can cut, sting, burn or poison your little ones. They might try to imitate what they have seen you do. So don’t leave them lying around, keep your things in a drawer or invest in bathroom storage and give your kids their very own ‘special’ bathroom drawer for their things.
Other Precautions:
We’d also recommend thinking about a few other things, such as cabinet latches and outlet covers. These are simple to improve bathroom safety, which aren’t necessarily needed, however could make life easier as you’ll worry a lot less about your little one getting hurt.
Bathing Can Be Fun!
We hope this article has helped you realise the dangers involved in a bathroom, and has influenced your future planning. Bath time can be great fun for you and your kids, but only if you keep it a safe place to be.