What are 5 appropriate ways to childproof a house?
Child safety locks are just one way to create a safe home environment, but there are many other strategies you can put in place to keep your child safe.
Childproofing a house may come easily to risk-averse parents or those who already have experience with toddlers and children. But if this is your first child, then you might not know how to protect them from the dangers that are lurking in your home.
Luckily, we have five childproofing tips for you to implement in your home:
Keep dangerous products out of reach: The best way to keep your child safe is to hide dangerous items or keep them well out of reach. Think household cleaning products, chemicals, medications, plastic bags, matches, lighters and small objects that could be choking hazards. We recommend keeping dangerous items/products in a locked drawer or placing them in a cupboard that’s high up.
Cover dangerous items: Windows, radiators, exposed pipes, plug sockets and fireplaces can all be harmful to children. To keep your child safe, you can use window guards, protective material covers for radiators and exposed pipes, plug socket covers and fireguards to stop your child from touching the fire.
Use stair gates: Stair gates prevent children from falling down the stairs, however, they don’t always fit on all staircases unless you use extenders. If your staircase is too wide for a stair gate then we recommend that you install one between the door frames around your home. That way you can keep your children in one room and not have to worry about them getting up to mischief while you’re busy elsewhere in the house.
Secure furniture: Large and heavy items of furniture that aren't secured into place can be a serious hazard for children as they grow and explore. To prevent your children from pulling furniture onto themselves, you need to secure furniture, such as TV stands, bookcases, chest of drawers and shelving units, into the wall or floor. You can find a variety of anti-tip brackets and straps to keep all your furniture secure. You might also want to secure items, such as rugs, to the floor to prevent trip hazards.
Cushion sharp edges: Sharp corners can cause bumps, bruises and cuts, which is why you need to ensure your lower-level furniture is cushioned with corner guards. You can use corner guards to cover coffee tables, TV stands and bedside tables. You might also want to cushion things like fireplaces with a fireplace bumper cover.
When should I start babyproofing my house?
Babyproofing your home can take several days, weeks or even months, which is why we recommend you start as soon as possible. Many parents choose to babyproof their homes before giving birth so that, when the baby comes, you have one less thing to worry about and can rest easy knowing your home is safe and secure.
As you go around the house, keep an eye on things that could be harmful to your baby and find a way to make them safer. Most parents learn as they go, so watch as your baby interacts with their environment to spot any potential dangers that may need childproofing. The potential hazards will change as your baby grows, so you should reevaluate your safety measures once your baby starts crawling and walking.
How many child safety locks do I need?
There’s no right or wrong answer for how many child safety locks you need. It depends on the size of your home, the number of cupboards and drawers you have that are off-limits to children, and other safety preferences. You may decide not to secure your kitchen drawers and cupboards if you have a stair gate on the kitchen door.
Where should I install child safety locks?
You should consider installing child safety locks on low cabinets, drawers and cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom, and you might also want to install them in your utility room, living room and garage.
Essentially, you need to lock any dangerous items away, which means anything in reach that could cause injury or harm to your child. This includes (but is not limited to) items such as medicines, knives, cables and cords, glass jars or bottles, cleaning products (such as bleach or household cleaners), personal hygiene products (such as mouthwash and cosmetics), small items (such as batteries or buttons), gardening chemicals (such as pesticides) and car products (such as antifreeze or petrol).
How to choose the best child safety locks?
To choose the best safety locks for your children and home, here are some factors for you to consider before you buy:
Type of lock
There are plenty of designs to choose from, including magnetic, adhesive, pull cord and latch locks - all of which offer different levels of protection and ease of use. The type of lock you need depends on your child’s age, curiosity levels and problem-solving skills.
Magnetic locks: These are easy to use and offer excellent levels of protection as long as your child doesn’t get hold of the key. But they might be difficult to install, aren’t always suitable for thicker cupboards and you always need to have the key within reach to open the door (but out of reach of your child).
Adhesive locks: These locks are simple to install and remove, although some may be reluctant to use them on expensive cupboards for fear of leaving marks. Adhesive locks are often inexpensive, making them appealing to those on a budget. However, some brands don’t always provide adhesive stickers that last, and parents find that their children can rip them off.
Latch locks: These locks are easy to use and are screwed in, which while makes them particularly sturdy means they might not be suitable for parents who rent. Installing latch locks can be tricky and the cupboard door will still open a fraction, which won’t prevent your child’s fingers from getting trapped.
Installation
As mentioned above, some locks may be more difficult to install than others, so make sure you take this into account before buying. If you are not particularly confident using tools, you may prefer to opt for adhesive locks where you simply need to stick them into place.
Thickness of drawers
If you choose to use magnetic locks, you’ll need to ensure they’re powerful enough to open your drawers and cupboards, especially if they’re made from thick materials such as wood. Some magnetic locks come with more powerful keys that are strong enough to penetrate through doors up to 1.5 inches thick, so be sure to read the full specifications before making your choice.
Flexibility
Not all locks work on every surface, item of furniture or appliance, so it’s important to consider where you’ll need to place it. For example, some of our recommendations are a versatile lock that can work on cabinets, cupboards, drawers, fridges, toilets and bins, while others are specifically designed for cabinets.
Quantity
Child safety locks come in a variety of pack sizes, so depending on your home and child safety needs, you need to make sure that you have all your bases covered and accounted for. Count how many locks you’ll need before buying them, with a few spares to hand just in case.
Lock appearance
If you care about the aesthetics of your home then the appearance of the lock will also be worth considering. Some locks are designed to be invisible/installed on the inside of the cabinet, while others are installed on the outside and somewhat less discreet.
What are the best child safety locks?
We think the best child safety cupboard locks are the AYCORN® Magnetic Safety Cupboard Locks. These locks are highly rated in the Mumsnet community, and it’s easy to see why. This pack of 10 cupboard locks (and two keys) are quick and easy to install, and they work on a variety of cupboards, drawers and cabinets. What’s more, the AYCORN Cupboard Locks come with extra adhesive stickers included - meaning you can remove and replace them onto different cupboards as your child grows.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a Mum and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help people make confident purchases.
Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard. When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.
How we chose our recommendations
To find our recommendations, we took to the Mumsnet forums to find out which child safety locks real parents rely on to keep their children safe.
After compiling these real recommendations, we then went on to research each child safety lock and find out which ones were the best in terms of child safety, ease of use and ease of installation. We also evaluated expert reviews and advice on Which? and took to Amazon to discover what consumers thought about the safety locks.
From our in-depth research, we then compiled the top child safety locks that work best for most homes, and the ones that are most used and loved by real people.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.