How to Baby-Proof Your Home: A Room-by-Room Guide

The Short Answer

Start baby-proofing by 6 months — before your baby can crawl or pull to standing. The most serious hazards are drowning, falls from height, poisoning, strangulation, and choking. Begin with the rooms where your baby spends the most time and expand from there.

When to Start

• 6 months: Before crawling begins; address floor-level hazards
• 8–10 months: Before pulling to stand; secure furniture and stairs
• 12–18 months: Before walking and climbing; reassess everything at toddler height
• Baby-proofing is not a one-time task — repeat as your child gains new abilities

Living Room / Common Areas

Falls and Furniture

• Anchor heavy furniture to the wall: bookshelves, TV stands, dressers, and wardrobes can tip if a child climbs or pulls on them. Use anti-tip straps (available in hardware stores). In the USA, furniture tip-overs cause around 11,000 emergency department visits for children each year (CPSC).
• Add corner and edge protectors to sharp coffee tables and hearths
• Remove or secure unstable furniture (wobbly side tables, unsecured plant stands)

TVs and Electronics

• Mount TVs to the wall or push them as far back on the stand as possible
• Secure trailing cables with cable clips or covers
• Keep remote controls, batteries, and small electronics out of reach (button batteries are a serious swallowing hazard — they can cause internal burns within 2 hours)

Choking Hazards

• Conduct a floor-level inspection on your hands and knees — anything small enough to fit through a toilet paper roll is a choking risk
• Common hazards: coins, small toys, pen caps, earrings, dried beans, hard sweets

Blind Cords

Looped blind and curtain cords are a strangulation risk. The UK banned looped cords on new blinds in 2014. Replace older blinds or use cord wind-ups. Keep all blind cords well out of reach. The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) lists these as a serious hazard.

Kitchen

• Stove knob covers prevent toddlers from turning on burners
• Install oven door locks (oven door glass gets very hot)
• Keep knives, scissors, and peelers in a locked drawer or high cupboard
• Use magnetic or child-proof cabinet locks on all lower cabinets
• Store cleaning products, dishwasher tablets, and chemicals in a locked cabinet or high shelf — dishwasher pods are particularly dangerous (brightly coloured, gel-filled, and highly caustic)
• Never leave buckets, bowls, or the sink full of water — young children can drown in as little as 5 cm of water
• Use back burners where possible and turn pot handles towards the wall

Bathroom

• Empty the bath immediately after use — never leave a child unattended near water
• Install a toilet lock (toddlers can fall in head-first)
• Store all medications, vitamins, and toiletries in a locked cabinet — this includes mouthwash, which contains alcohol
• Set your water heater to 48°C / 120°F or lower to prevent scalds. A baby's skin burns in seconds at 60°C
• Add non-slip mats inside the bath and on the floor

Nursery and Bedroom

• Check the crib/cot for safety: slat spacing no more than 6 cm, no loose screws, no drop-side (banned in UK and USA), no soft bedding, pillows, or bumpers in the crib (SIDS risk)
• Remove all cords and cables from the floor near the cot
• Keep the nappy changing area stocked but never leave a baby unattended on a changing table — babies roll unexpectedly

Stairs and Doors

• Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all staircases. Use a screw-mounted gate at the top (pressure-mounted gates can be pushed out by a child's weight on the stairs). Look for gates that meet EN 1930 (Europe) or JPMA (USA) certification.
• Add door pinch guards to prevent fingers being caught in closing doors
• Use door knob covers to keep toddlers out of rooms they should not access
• Check that balcony and deck railings have no gaps wider than 10 cm

Electrical and Miscellaneous

• Cover all unused electrical outlets with socket covers or sliding plug guards
• Keep extension cords out of reach or run through cable conduit
• Check houseplants — many common plants (dieffenbachia, pothos, peace lily) are toxic. See the ASPCA toxic plant list for full details
• Store all alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigarette liquids out of reach and locked
• Programme the Poison Control number into your phone: UK: 111 / USA: 1-800-222-1222 / Norway: 22 59 13 00

Baby-Proofing Products Checklist

Key Sources

• NHS — Keeping Your Baby Safe
• CPSC — Home Safety for Babies and Toddlers
• Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) — Home Safety
• AAP — Safety in the Home