Eliminate the danger in your kitchen and stay fire free
The kitchen is the number one room in the home where fires start. As I always say, prevention is better than cure. Here are my 14 top tips to prevent kitchen fires.
1. Never leave your cooking alone
Whether frying, boiling, or grilling, don’t leave your pots and pans unattended. According to the National Fire Protection Association, this is the number one cause of kitchen fires. So, we’ve put it in the top spot on our list of kitchen fire prevention tips.
Remember that cooking food is like kids – they tend to do things they shouldn’t when left alone, too.
2. Use a timer
If you’re in the kitchen and have the oven on, it’s easy to lose track of time while preparing other dishes. Set the timer. That way you don’t have to remember that the oven could be about to explode into flames!
3. Wear your best chef’s gear!
Chef’s don’t wear their pristine outfits to look good. Their cloths fit snugly so they don’t have flapping sleeves or other loose clothing that could catch fire or knock pots full of hot oil to the floor. Best you follow the lead of the professionals.
4. Keep the kids out of the kitchen
OK, so you want to teach the kids to cook. It’s a life skill that will stay with them forever. But at the hot stage, it’s best to make sure your kids are banned from the kitchen – or at least kept a healthy distance from the stove.
5. Keep inflammable materials away from the stove
Oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper, food packaging, and so on – keep them all far away from the stove top.
6. Keep your stove and oven clean
Don’t let grease build up. Keep it clean. Wipe away the spills and avoid instantaneous combustion!
7. If the oven catches fire, close the door
Fire needs oxygen. If your oven does catch alight, close the door and starve the fire of its oxygen. Turn the oven off, too, to reduce the heat. Your turkey may not survive, but your kitchen will.
8. Disconnect sparking electrical appliances
If your microwave, toaster, or other electrical appliances start sparking, disconnect immediately. Faulty appliances are another major cause of kitchen fires.
9. Always have a fire extinguisher to hand
Why wouldn’t you?
10. Install and maintain a smoke alarm
A smoke alarm is an essential piece of kitchen equipment. If you don’t have one in your kitchen, install one. Test it at least once a month. Change the batteries every six months. You never know when it may save your life.
11. Check the kitchen before you go to bed
Before going to bed, check that your stove and oven are turned off. Disconnect small appliances such as the microwave.
12. Never use water on a grease fire
Pour water on grease, and you’ll make the fire ten times worse.
13. Don’t trash hot grease
While we’re talking about grease, always wait until it is cool before you trash it. You can’t be sure what’s in your garbage, and a little bit of heat could ignite a fire.
14. Smother a pan fire with a damp cloth
If a pan bursts into flames while on your stove, turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid.
Hopefully, you’ll never suffer a kitchen fire. But if you do, and you can’t control it quickly, get out of the kitchen. Close the door and call 911. Rather a kitchen that needs renovation than… well, let’s not think about the consequence of trying to be a hero in your own home.
If you have had a kitchen fire in your NJ home, contact Porter’s Cleaning today – we’ll be happy to provide a no-obligation quote for any clean-up and restoration work that may be needed.