At Kuna, we believe that a safe and secure home is the key to family happiness. The kitchen is arguably one of the most family oriented rooms in a house, but it also presents many opportunities for accidents. Statistics show that there are at least 162, 400 home fires caused by cooking equipment every year. Additionally, fires cause approximately $1.1 billion dollars in property damage and 5,400 injuries per year. There are approximately 137 knife injuries every day, mostly involving children.
Kitchen mishaps can be avoided by minimizing hazards and being mindful of basic safety procedures. Here are Kuna’s tips for staying safe in the kitchen:
Keep a Clean Kitchen Floor
Kitchen floors should be kept dry, clean and free from any obstructions. Slips and falls can occur from spilled liquids, leaks or splattered oil from frying. Keep floors squeaky clean and safe by regularly mopping them with cleaners that remove grease from the surface. Children should not be allowed to play in the kitchen or you run the risk of cluttered toys or your darlings obstructing your path.
Supervise Kids in the Kitchen
Children should never be in the kitchen unsupervised, especially when anything is being heated or cooked. Many children love to play assistant to parents preparing a meal. It is important to institute safety practices such as no handling of knives, motorized kitchen appliances such as blenders, mixers or food processors. If your child is going to be near anything involving heat, including coffee makers, toasters, ovens, or even matches, make sure they’re properly supervised. If you need to step away, put away knives, turn pot handles towards the wall or away from where kids can reach.
Preparing food together is a great bonding and learning experience for both children and parents.
Wear the Right Attire
Aprons keep your nice clothes neat underneath them by catching spills and preventing stains. Oven mitts and pot holders keep your hands safe when handling hot objects. As a general rule, avoid wearing loose or baggy clothes that can get caught on objects or catch fire.
Put Away Cleaning Agents and Sharp Tools
All cleaning agents should be stored in a place where children and pets can’t easily reach them. The same thing goes for sharp tools, like knives. If you do need to put the lye, bleach and other potentially dangerous items where little hands can reach them, make they’re in an area that’s secured with a child lock.
Store any potentially hazardous materials in a secure location, away from kids and pets.
Keep Your Appliances Maintained
Periodically inspect kitchen appliances to check if they are in good working condition. Telltale signs of wear are fraying electrical cords, cracks, rust and discoloration. Only microwave-safe containers should be placed inside microwave ovens. Unplug and clean all appliances that touched food after each use.
If it’s time to buy new appliances, consider buying new to reap the benefits of energy efficiency or get into the Internet of Things with smart fridges and other cool gadgets.
Practice Cooking Safety
Before anyone begins touching food, hands should be washed to prevent any food contamination. Dry your utensils, pots and pans before using. There should be no water on your tools or pans when you introduce oil. When frying, watch your pan, or use a lid or frying screen so oil doesn’t splatter and burn you or people nearby. Handle hot pans, trays and stoves with oven mitts.
Always wash hands before and after handling food.
Say No to Contamination
We cannot stress enough the importance of washing your hands regularly. Anyone who handles utensils, ingredients or cooking tools and appliances should wash their hands, before and after. Don’t let dishes pile up in the sink. Keep your knives, scissors and the like separate from your spoons and forks.
Contain Leftovers Properly
Make sure you store food in shallow containers or freezer bags. If there are large amounts of food, separate them into smaller portions. Keep in mind that anything that anything in the refrigerator will last approximately one week, depending on the ingredients.Most items in the freezer are good for up to four months. Check out the FDA’s fridge and freezer food storage chart for more information. As food cools, its temperature drops to 40-140 degrees, which is also the ideal temperature range for bacteria to thrive. Aim to get your leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours after serving.
Plastic containers with tight seals keep food fresher longer.
Be Vigilant About Fire Hazards
Don’t overload electrical outlets. This includes avoiding the use extension cords in the kitchen, and making sure to use three-prong plugs and outlets whenever possible. Do not leave kitchen appliances operating unattended. Keep stoves and barbecues clean to prevent grease and oil build up.
Cleaning the oven regularly keeps it operating efficiently and prevents accidents.
Have Vital Safety Equipment Handy
Equip your kitchen with a fire extinguisher, a smoke alarm, and proper ventilation. Always have a home first-aid kit nearby to treat burns and cuts.
Secure the Back Door
Many modern homes have a kitchen door that leads directly outside. This is extremely convenient for backyard BBQs, but it’s also a home security vulnerability that needs to be addressed. Make sure you lock the door and keep your security hardware maintained.
A Kuna smart light at every entrance can alert you to the presence of strangers walking around your house.
One final reminder: using the kitchen deserves your full attention. Avoid watching television and talking on the phone while you’re in the middle of making dinner.
We hope these simple tips are helpful when you’re cooking up wonderful memories for the entire family!
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