Bathroom Safety Tips

Regardless of whether you have a shower or a tub, you should have slip-resistant strips to stand on or a stool to sit on. These items will lessen the chance of a fall.

When stepping out of the shower or tub, you should be stepping onto a rug that has a slip resistant bottom on it.

If you use additional grab bars for assistance in the tub/shower, you should make sure that they are securely held in place. Also, you should not rely solely on these bars as they are for assistance only and not meant to hold all of your weight.

You should make sure that all of your medications, sprays, cleaning products, cosmetics and hair care products are all stored in a cabinet with child-proof locks out of the reach of children.

Keep all electrical items – hair dryers, electric razors – away from the water in the sink and tub.

Never let young children bathe by themselves. An adult should always be in the room with this while they are in the water.

Store all bathroom cleaners in a locked cabinet so that children cannot get to them.

If you use candles while soaking in the tub, make sure that they are blown out before leaving the room.

Make sure that the temperature of your hot water heater is not above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help prevent an accidental scalding from water that is too hot.

When taking a bath or shower, it is wise not to lock the bathroom door. This is because if you slip and fall or somehow otherwise become injured, a locked door will prevent someone from being able to come to your aid quickly.

If you are bathing an infant or toddler, make sure you have an infant tub or seat to hold the child. Infant tubs and child seats greatly reduce the risk of accidental water ingestion and/or drowning.

As you fill the tub to bathe a small child, remember that their skin is far more sensitive than your own, and what you might consider to be a "normal" bath temperature may be quite hot for them. You will also want to invest in covers for your tub faucet so the child does not touch the potentially hot faucet or its handles.

When your child is first learning to brush their teeth, make sure you buy a toddler-friendly toothpaste without fluoride, to prevent poisoning if the toothpaste is actually swallowed. As your child gets older and moves to a fluoridated toothpaste, supervise their brushing to make sure they are not using too much.

As dumb as this sounds, when the toilet is not in use, CLOSE THE LID. If you have pets, they may decide the toilet bowl makes a good substitute for their water dish and they could fall in if they have balance issues.

If you have an electrical outlet near a bathroom sink, if you live in a newer dwelling odds are it has a safety switch which will break the circuit the moment it comes in contact with water. If you live in an older dwelling, this may not be the case. If you do have a safety switch, test it monthly. If you do not, it might not be a bad idea to install one.