By HILARY JOHNSON
Keeping Your Bathroom Safe
Many accident occur in the bathroom every year. It’s been proven that bathroom accidents are the most common accidents of any room in the home. Listed below are ways that you can help prevent accidents, whether serious or minor, from happening in your bathroom.
1. Clean up any wet spots on the floor as soon as they occur. If you are remodeling the bathroom, look into getting floors that don’t get slippery when wet. These floors will help to prevent injuries from occurring due to falls. If this option isn’t available to you, place a bath mat in front of the shower. This will help prevent the floor from getting wet just by turning on the shower. Also, slip resistant mats will come in handy.
2. Minimize the moisture build-up by opening a window while taking a shower. Mold can form in your bathroom when moisture is locked in. Some molds are dangerous so it’s vital to ensure that you prevent possible growth. Ideally, having an exhaust fan in your bathroom and running it at all times while taking a shower will help keep moisture and therefore mold at bay.
3. Prevent slips in the bathtub by placing a non-slip mat on the floor of the bathtub. It can get slippery in there while washing yourself, making it very easy to fall.
Bathroom types of falls are very dangerous as the possibility of hitting your head on something hard is increased.
4. Make sure that all electrical outlets are away from a water source. Water and electricity does not mix well and when they come in contact, an electrical fire could start. If rewiring and moving outlets away from your sink is not a possibility, then make sure you have a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet installed to help prevent electrical shocks.
5. Keep all appliances and electronics away from water. Just like the outlets, you need to keep all forms of electricity away from all water. If not, electrical fires could start and cause a lot of damage to your belongings and to yourself.
6. Keep light fixtures away from the possibility of water splatter. Drops of water coming in contact with a hot light bulb can cause the glass to shatter, leaving shards of glass everywhere. In addition, the shattering of the light bulb exposes you to the electrical components.
7. Replace, remodel, and protect the sharp corners and edges of the furniture in your bathroom. If a fall were to occur in the bathroom, those sharp corners and edges can be fatal if you hit it on the right spot.
8. Place child locks on any and all cabinets that may contain any chemicals. If they get into them, it can result in a fatal tragedy.
9. Your bathroom is one of the more slippery rooms in the house. If there are elderly people living in your home, you may want to place some bars in strategic areas to help prevent slips.
Bathrooms are a place where accidents happen, just like any other area in the home. However, in the bathroom you have to be a little more conscious and aware of your surroundings. Follow these tips to stay safe.