It is a known fact: without electricity, our lives can’t go on. In our homes, we all have switchboards and power outlets located in almost every room. In addition, we use extension leads and other power cords to use electric connections.
With a baby in the house, you can’t help but become extra careful and take steps to restrict your child’s access to everything electrical. Little kids are innocent and curious beings, so they indulge in dangerous activities for the sake of exploration and experimentation. Before you know it, kids put their fingers inside the sockets that create the risk of them getting an electric shock.
For this reason, baby-proofing electrical appliances and sockets become a top priority for parents with young children. We’ll show you how to childproof electrical stuff in the house.
Your kid is fond of climbing the stairs and exploring every room in the house. In addition, he or she can also reach objects that are placed on high shelves or cabinets. This is a common behavior for kids who are not yet walking independently. Parents should be extra vigilant about what items they place on top of kitchen cabinets and other places where their baby might crawl to.
Your baby will go to any length to reach what he or she desires. At times, they can bite through electrical cables because their instinct is to chew on things. That means you should never let your child play with power cords and keep them out of his or her reach.
The living room has numerous electrical appliances that need extra security so the child doesn’t touch them accidently. We all know well that kids are curious about how things work, so it would be wise for parents not to leave the TV remote control where the toddler can get hold of it.
These are some important tips that can help you safeguard electrical stuff in your home:
- Place items high up where children who cannot walk well cannot access them.
- Keep the remote control of the TV and other audio/video systems where kids cannot reach them.
- Secure all plug sockets with electric socket covers or child safety plugs, especially those used for lamps.
- Cover every power strip and extension cord with an electrical socket cover (outlet cap).
- Keep T-pins and paper clips away from children’s reach because they can use these items as projectiles that can harm your little one.
- Unplug appliances when not in use, or place them out of your baby’s reach.
- Do not let your child touch anything connected to a wall outlet until she is at least 10 years old unless you constantly supervise her.
- Keep wires and cables out of the reach of children who like using these items like toys to play with.
- Fix appliances close to the wall so your child cannot pull anything down on top of him or herself.
- Make sure that all electric appliances and heating systems are secured and safe to use.
You should take charge of keeping all electrical items safely away from your baby’s reach because they might cause harm or become hazardous to his/her health. You can never tell what may happen if he or she tries to touch something connected to a wall outlet without supervision.
Baby Proofing Power Outlets
Kids are attracted to power outlets because perhaps they observe you put the switch of an electrical appliance inside and become fascinated by the sight of it.
The next thing you know, the kids get enthusiastic about putting various objects inside the electrical outlet like coins, hairpins, keys, or anything else they get their hands on.
It's possible that the child could get easily electrocuted if they successfully put a metal object inside, causing severe injuries and burns. But, before you decide to buy a bunch of baby-proofing products, you must know what type of power outlet you are dealing with and why it's significant to know it.
Behind your outlet cover, there is a container in which all the wiring goes for transmitting electricity. Let’s see what outlets you could have installed in your house.
Regular Electrical Receptacle
In this type of receptacle, you might notice that the vertical slots are open, provoking your baby to squeeze objects inside. So, you must babyproof this power outlet immediately.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) Outlet
This type of outlet has a little red button or an indicator light that might blink, warning the user there is something wrong. This electrical outlet will shut off automatically.
Some parents are not aware about this kind of outlet because it also looks like regular outlets you see everywhere. Unfortunately, if your child puts his hand in this type of power source while it's still plugged into the socket, he'll get severely shocked.
Vacuum Cleaner Outlet
There are times when you leave your child with a babysitter who forgets to unplug the vacuum cleaner from the power outlet, creating a huge risk for the little one if he/she was to crawl inside and stick his hand on it. It's important that you babyproof this type of receptacle as soon as possible.
Extension Cord Outlet
This electrical device is commonly used by parents during parties and other events. Although they can be quite handy, those outlets must also be covered properly because those cords will pose danger to curious children who stick their fingers inside them accidentally.
That's why it's important to babyproof every type of power outlet in your house, especially if you have a very curious and active kid. If you don't want your child to get hurt because of electrical items, take immediate actions to lock them down or place them in a highly unreachable area so kids won’t be able to touch anything connected with a wall outlet.
Tamper Resistant Receptacle (TRR)
TRR power outlets are safe to use. They do not need babyproofing due to the spring-loaded shutters that fill the vertical slots with plastic and only open up when you push a switch inside.
If you have children crawling or walking, it would be a good idea to replace your old power outlets with the GFCI type. If not, try getting a cover for electrical socket and make a rule that says your toddler should never touch anything connected to an outlet unless he has adult's supervision. Also, teach him that outlets are meant for plugging in appliances only.
Before taking care of any electrical object inside your home, read its manual carefully to find out if there is something you could add on it such as electric socket covers or child safety plugs for sockets and TRR outlets. These additions may help prevent injuries caused by electricity.
Just remember: Power outlets can be dangerous when they're exposed and accessible because curious little hands and curiosity may lead to injuries. So, it's up to you to make sure that your child stays away from these items and only uses them when he/she is older.
Your baby won’t be able to put anything inside. If you have these outlets in the house, you don’t have to worry about childproofing.
Difference between the outlets
The next thing to figure out would be the difference between the outlets; whether you have a standard one or a Decora outlet, it would decide what baby proofing products you require to secure the boards.
The process through which the outlet cover clutches to the receptacle determines the difference. A standard one uses a screw, while a Decora one grips to the case. Before you start babyproofing your outlets, make sure that they are completely turned off.
Also, it is important to replace the covers of the outlets with covers that have a larger grip or bigger wings on which you can hook up something. This way, it would be impossible for the child to pull them out. Even if he does manage to do so, there will be no electrical danger as these covers won’t open until you push down and turn the outlet itself off.
Locking Outlet Covers: Standard or Decora?
The standard locking outlet cover has a screw in place and needs only a tool such as an Allen wrench (which comes along with most packages) to take care of everything yourself without needing a professional to do it.
A Decora locking outlet cover, however, is a bit more complex as these are designed with a child-resistant function built-in. There is no tool required to secure this type of outlet as they have pressure locks that need to be pushed down for the outlets not to work.
If you want a manual installation for this type of babyproofing solution, you would require a reset pin that comes along with the package and can only be inserted by an adult after taking out all the pressure from the lock. Reset pin takes up space inside the outlets which means that even if someone manages to put something in between or grab them without turning off your appliances or devices plugged into them; there will be no danger as nothing will be able to reach the wiring.
In case you would like to go with a safer option, opt for GFCI outlets as they have a test button and a reset button that makes it impossible for your child to touch any bare wires or plugs connected inside them. The best thing about these is that even if they are turned on without any protective cover, there won’t be any danger as these outlets cut off power when something goes wrong.
Once you determine what power outlet you own, we can move on to the baby-proofing products.
Shop for these products at large retail chains, hardware stores, or baby supply shops.
Purchasing outlets that are designed with child safety functions means that you will never have to wonder if your child has access to something dangerous inside the house again. These outlets come in various styles, shapes and colors but work on the same mechanism of preventing any electrical shocks by turning off all power when anything goes wrong (i.e., there is a short circuit).
Outlet plugs make sure that no one can simply stick their fingers in between and get shocked; they close automatically when there is no plugin place; either because it got pulled out or someone tried to insert something into them. They also prevent children from reaching in with other objects due to the spring design.
The best part about these covers is that they block out dust and debris from the outlets. It prevents the accumulation of dirt on the boards which means that you will not have to deal with electrical hazards such as short circuiting or overloading, especially in humid weather.
When there isn’t any protective cover and your child tries to insert something into an outlet (which can be dangerous if it has power), nothing would happen because the plug automatically closes when removed or empty.
Another benefit of having these outlets is that they are easy to install without requiring any tools or professional help. You just need to screw them onto existing outlets, press down for an automatic lock, turn off electricity flow by pushing down and turning the switch and voila – you have done it!
Childproofing empty power outlets
Electrical outlet caps cover the casing and prevent your child from poking anything inside.
You can use the below-mentioned products to childproof empty electrical outlets.
- Individual outlet plugs: These outlet caps are super inexpensive, easy to install, and protect your toddler from sticking stuff inside.
- Press-fit outlet plugs: These plugs are pretty convenient to remove and cover the vertical slots for frequent use. However, they are a bit pricey.
- Press-fit socket caps: These are even more convenient as you can use them on outlets over cords or cables.
Covering the entire outlet with clear tape is probably the easiest, cheapest, and safest way to childproof empty electrical outlets. However, this will not keep your toddler or pets away from electrical appliances that you might use frequently like lamps, TVS etc.
You can purchase these products at large retail chains, hardware stores, or baby supply shops.
Baby proofing cords
Messy electrical cords lying on the ground can cause various types of accidents. Not only can your kid put a wire in his mouth but get electrocuted by pulling the plug or inserting it inside.
Try the below-mentioned methods for baby-proofing electrical cords.
- Cut down electrical cords that are too long and could trip the baby.
- Wrap up the cords of electrical appliances like the sandwich maker or toaster carefully, as your kid could pull a hanging cord along with the product, causing an injury to them.
- Secure all cords that you want to keep plugged in so the baby doesn’t pull them out. You can do this by wrapping them underneath the furniture or use cable ties to keep them in place.
- Tape electrical cords on the ground along with some biker stickers as a deterrent.
Using electric cord covers will help prevent your baby from pulling out the plug, sticking their fingers inside, and hurting themselves.
Again, you can purchase all of these products at large retail chains, hardware stores, or baby supply shops.
Outlets that are used for frequently accessed appliances need covers that are more durable than others so that they last longer. These objects have greater adhesive capabilities to ensure strong adhesion to plastic surfaces without losing their stickiness even after several uses.
Preventing an accident is always better than treating one! Make sure you take action to childproof your home so that you provide the best protection for your babies.
Final Thoughts
You must cover all empty outlets fitted on the wall, secure extension cords and power strips in the house to protect your baby from indulging in dangerous acts.
Home is where your family lives and it is important that you keep them safe by childproofing everything in the house.
You can secure cords around the house using electrical cord covers if they are too hazardous to leave unsecured.
Never undervalue how dangerous electricity can be, especially for babies who might not know better than sticking something inside an open outlet.
At last, never forget to carry out regular inspections of your home for any possible safety risks so that you will always be aware of all potential hazards for your baby.
Hopefully, this guide will help you to secure everything electrical in your home sensibly.