Protecting your kitchen from devastating fire hazards should be every homeowner’s priority. After all, your kitchen is really the heart of your home–it’s that safe space for breakfast unions, evening coffee sessions with your loved ones, cake-baking sessions for special occasions, and so on. If you are looking for useful and practical tips on how to fireproof your kitchen, this handy guide is a great place to start.
Hack #1: Keep Your Fire Extinguishers Handy-but Not Dangerously Close
You need to have a fire extinguisher handy in your kitchen, but it shouldn’t be too close to your stove for obvious reasons. Ideally, decide on an area that can be easily accessed from all sides of the kitchen, particularly if the fire starts at the stovetop. Your centre island can be a great spot, for instance.
Hack #2: Prep Your Family Members
Every family should have a fire preparedness plan. This includes understanding where the fire extinguisher is, what to do if a fire breaks out, how to use the extinguisher, and conducting mock drills every other month to familiarize everyone with the fire safety protocols in place. Plus, make sure to check the nozzle, seal, and pressure of the fire extinguisher on a regular basis.
Hack #3: Invest in a High-Quality Fire Smoke Detector
Always invest in a good quality smoke detector. More importantly, place it outside your kitchen to prevent instances of false alarms. That said, make sure that the fire detector is close enough to the kitchen to be able to detect the fire.
Hack #4: Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Your stovetop and oven should be squeaky clean when not in use. Accumulated grease around burners or at the bottom of the oven is a big culprit in starting out fires. If you are frying items, make sure to clean properly post the frying process. To get rid of the grease, follow this handy DIY cleaning hack:
- Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda on the stovetop.
- Then, slice a lemon in half and rub the cut side on the stovetop in a circular motion.
- The baking soda acts as a mild abraser whereas the lemon juice acts as a natural degreasing solution. These two will form an effective scrubbing paste.
- Continue to scrub until you are able to wipe away the grease.
- Finish it off with a damp sponge or cloth.
Hack #5: Keep Your Cleaning Supplies Away
Your cleaning supplies are mostly chemicals and by extension, flammable in nature. This means that you should keep them as far away from the stove as possible or you run the risk of starting a fire.
Hack #6: Keep Track of Other Flammable Items
Aside from the cleaning supplies, also make sure that your oven mitts, dish towels, paper napkins, and wooden utensils are kept away from the stove. All these items can catch fire instantly causing too much harm in a short span of time. Additionally, make sure that you don’t have any wooden cabinets installed right on top of your stove. Grease emanating from the stove top can accumulate on the under side of these cabinets, particularly if your kitchen does not have an exhaust fan or is not well-ventilated.
Hack #7: Register Your Kitchen Appliances and Always Wear an Apron
When you buy an appliance, the first thing you need to do is register it. This will help you to stay abreast of its maintenance protocols and allow you to act proactively if it has a safety issue. Plus, you should always wear an apron while cooking. Wearing flowy, flammable fabrics is a no-go in the kitchen.
Hack #8: Keep an Eye Out for Your Kitchen Wiring
Faulty kitchen wiring is a fire hazard waiting to take place. If, on touching appliances, you’re routinely getting shocked or you’re finding yourself consistently blowing a fuse, it might be time to reach out to an electrician. Getting your kitchen wiring checked from time to time is a best practice for fireproofing your kitchen.
Hack #9: Don’t Leave Your Home with the Oven/Stove On
It can be tempting to run for a quick errand while your chicken stock is underway but never leave your home if the oven or stove is on. By doing so, you’re running the risk of creating a small fire, which can escalate into a real blaze in seconds.
Hack #10: Always Unplug Appliances When Not in Use
Always unplug appliances–be it big or small–if they’re not in use. This will prevent the appliances from shorting out in case of a power surge. Moreover, you’ll also save money on your electricity bill. Two birds, one stone. Get it?
Fireproofing your kitchen is a safety measure every homeowner must undertake. For more information on how to maintain your kitchen furniture, head over to HomeLane’s rich repository of blogs posts. You’re sure to find plenty of practical hacks, tips, and strategies to keep your kitchen neat, clean, and above all, safe.
