The number one place in the house for making it a home, bringing in sweet smells, and cooking hearty and comforting meals is the kitchen. Although we sometimes think as the master suite (with the walk-in closet, of course!) or the great room as the time where we will spend entertaining and resting, the kitchen takes home the crown for the most well-visited and central focus point of any true “home”
With all the time spent in the kitchen, one of the last things we tend to think about is how to actually survive cooking without getting injured. We rush around, spill things, knock them over, over-cook our meat, and generally think of it as a time-oriented and performance-driven type of a place. However, staying safe in the kitchen is of utmost important because if we do not make it out in one piece, why be present at all?
With that said, here are my top tips and ideas for kitchen safety. Listen up!
1. Be Prepared in Case of a Fire
Seldom do we think about lighting food on fire, burning something on the stove top, or a gas explosion. We spend time cooking, leave burners on the stove, and constantly burn the pizza crust. But what if a fire breaks out in the kitchen? In order to be ready for that freak accident in time (that WILL happen), make sure you get a great fire extinguisher and LEARN how to use it so you can put out fires at the time of them happening!
2. Never Reach Too High without Help
If you are in doubt about whether or not you can reach something in a higher level cabinet or in the cupboard above the refrigerator, just stop right there and take a deep breath. Why risk slipping or falling over (or even falling off of the counter-top), when you can use kitchen step tools to save the day and get the job done safely!
3. Never Leave Heat Unattended
It is easy to get something started in the kitchen and leave it cooking when there is a long wait time from start to finish. For example, cooking a turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day may be a four hour cooking ordeal. Therefore, we tend to walk away. Typically, this is okay, especially with oven cooking; but for stove-top gas burners, you will want to always be present during cooking to avoid flames spreading or pets and children getting burned. Don’t get burned by leaving your heat unattended!
4. Keep Sharp Objects Organized in Drawers
Although it can be easy to get a knife out for use of chopping spices or herbs and then keep it out for later to cut your meat after it has been cooked and is nearly ready to be prepared for eating, it is still best to always put the knife away or at least rinse it and place it in the sink in between uses. You never know when you may be called away from the kitchen to attend to an urgent matter; and the last think you want is that sharp object left on the counter top be cut by from an unsuspecting child.
5. Keep the Floors Clean and Dry
Finally, keep the floors both CLEAN AND DRY at all times. It can become easy to leave floors uncleaned as your kitchen receives a large amount of traffic over time, but keeping it swept and mopped at least once per week can avoid slips, falls, and general tripping over loose objects and items left out to collect on the hard surface floor. When in doubt, sweep and mop it out.
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed my top tips for kitchen safety. More importantly, I hope you gleaned some advice from my tips that will help you to maintain safety and security as you work on both your kitchen cooking skills and also your ability to make it out of the kitchen in one piece. Remember that you can make life easier and purchase cut to size polycarbonate sheets which can be used for a variety of purposes. They’re easy to clean and shatter resistant!
Don’t agree with me or want to add something to my already nice list of tips to maintain safety while using the kitchen: your most used area of the home? Simply add your comment below and we will discuss your tips and ideas for being safe and productive at the same time whilst using your own home kitchen! 🙂
