Cooking is great. Food is yummy. But cooking involves heat – a lot of heat. And what can happen if things get a little too toasty? Well, a kitchen fire. So – how can you reduce the chance of the kitchen going up in flames?
Here are a few tips to prevent a kitchen fire.
- Pay attention. No, the food that is boiling, broiling, baking, roasting or what have you cannot supervise itself. Don’t walk away from the food that’s cooking.
- Use the outlets for kitchen appliances. Toasters, microwaves, and so on should be plugged into the wall, not an extension cord.
- Use timers. No, timers are not for squares. Use them.
- Keep stuff away from the stove. Things like oven mitts, packaging, and so on should not be near the stove. That could turn out not-so-great.
- Keep the kids and pets away. You don’t want anyone to get hurt in the kitchen because they get too close to the stove or oven.
- Be careful with the microwave. Aluminum and metal do NOT belong in the microwave. They just don’t. Also don’t heat things that aren’t in microwave-safe containers.
Well, if all else fails…
Okay, so preventing a kitchen fire is great, but you should also be prepared in case a small fire does break out at your house. Here’s the deal:
- If there’s a small grease fire. You should have a lid nearby. Slide the lid over the pan to smother the flames, turn off the heat, then wait for the pan to cool completely.
- If there’s a fire in the oven. Turn the oven off and leave the door closed.
- If there’s a fire in the microwave. Turn it off. Keep the door closed. Unplug it. Wait for the fire to die out before opening the door.
- Also… Make sure to have the appliance inspected carefully by a professional before using it again if there’s a fire.
(It’s also a good idea to have a home fire escape plan.)
So…yeah, it all seems kinda common sense, but still – a few simple things can keep a major disaster in the form of a kitchen fire from happening!
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