How to Babyproof Your Home (2025)

As a new genitor myself, I tin show you unequivocally that erstwhile babies go mobile, nan world becomes their playground. Coffee tables go climbing gyms, cabinets go wealth troves, and telephone chargers go statement toys. Babyproofing your location isn’t astir bubble-wrapping your life; it’s astir reasoning for illustration a young mind and getting 1 measurement up of curiosity. We’re present to help: This guideline will thief you spot hidden dangers, make smart fixes, and supply a safe abstraction for small ones to research without hazards astir each corner.

Need a childproofing master to thief pinch nan job? The International Association for Child Safety has a database to find 1 adjacent to you.

For recommendations connected our favourite babe gear, cheque retired our guides to nan Best Strollers, Best Travel Strollers, Best Baby Monitors, Best Breast Pumps, and Best Baby Carriers.

Before Baby Is Born

Whether you’re expecting aliases your babe is still firmly successful nan murphy stage, it’s champion to commencement babyproofing sooner alternatively than later. Baby and toddler information master Holly Choi—whose business, Safe Beginnings, offers CPR courses, information consultations, and more—warns that small ones often beforehand faster than you think. “Some kids tin spell from zero to 100 successful a week,” she says. “They’re perpetually practicing successful their crib. Half nan clip we don’t moreover spot it, and past suddenly, they’re successful everything.” Think of babyproofing little arsenic a play task and much arsenic an ongoing manner shift.

Both fume detectors and c monoxide detectors should beryllium installed connected each level of your home, particularly successful aliases adjacent sleeping areas. Test them monthly by pressing nan built-in trial fastener (usually successful nan halfway aliases connected nan side), and switch nan batteries erstwhile a year, aliases correct distant if you perceive that low-battery chirp.

The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 87 percent of homes built earlier 1940 person immoderate lead-based paint, which tin beryllium a superior consequence to children and pregnant women. The safest measurement to norm retired lead-based overgarment is to prosecute a licensed lead inspector pinch your municipality’s section of health.

A safe slumber starts pinch nan correct mattress. A newborn mattress should beryllium patient pinch nary give, and it must fresh snugly in its bassinet aliases crib pinch nary gaps astir nan edges. (Fellow WIRED parenting writer Nena Farrell loved nan 1 supra for her son.) Stick to a fitted expanse designed for a mattress that size, and skip other add-ons for illustration pillows, blankets, and stuffies.

As cozy arsenic rugs are, they tin beryllium a tripping hazard, which is nan past point you want erstwhile you’re carrying a newborn successful your arms. Use nonslip pads beneath your rugs aliases double-sided rug portion to support them successful place, and debar mini rugs altogether successful high-traffic areas. Also clear nan premises of different obstacles for illustration loose toys aliases cords that could drawback your ft mid-step, particularly connected nan stairs. "One successful 4 babies injured connected nan stairs were being carried by an adult,” Choi says.

Introducing a babe into a location wherever pets norm tin beryllium stressful for everyone involved, truthful establishing routines pinch them early will thief make things smoother for nan full family. Before Baby arrives, activity connected basal obedience pinch your pets. Teach dogs to beryllium and stay, and make judge they cognize nan off-limit areas successful nan house. Help cats get comfortable pinch babe gates and closed doors.

Not a accepted babyproofing checklist item, per se, but unthinkable accidents hap nary matter really prepped your location whitethorn be. Check your section infirmary aliases nan Red Cross for courses (they moreover connection them online) to prep you earlier babe arrives.

How to Babyproof Your Home's Interior

Babies are people curious. We’ll break down nan applicable steps to make your abstraction safer.

"If you are going to do 1 thing, period, I want it to beryllium anchoring your furniture,” Choi says. “Tip-over injuries are truthful fast, and furnishings is astir apt nan largest hazard we each person successful our home. You're really fortunate if you get a 2nd chance pinch tip-over injuries."

It takes amazingly small unit to extremity complete moreover dense pieces of furniture, and nan risks are serious. Use wall anchors to unafraid thing successful your location that could topple over, particularly tall, constrictive pieces and successful areas wherever your babe is nan astir mobile. Mounting furnishings takes minutes, and astir kits travel pinch nan basal hardware you need. And don't hide astir TVs, which should beryllium mounted to nan wall aliases secured pinch anti-tip straps.

Eye-level cords and outlets are peculiarly inviting for babies to flick and prod. Snap-in aliases slide-in outlet information covers support mini fingers and toys blocked from danger.

Hide aliases unafraid cords from electronics for illustration lamps and chargers—they tin beryllium pulled, chewed on, tripped over, and dangling wires tin beryllium an opportunity to propulsion and bring dense electronics down pinch it. Cord covers, level strips, and cablegram boxes are each smart ways to support electrical cords retired of reach.

Stairs, kitchens, and bathrooms tin beryllium threat zones erstwhile a babe starts moving, and babe gates are your first statement of defense. (WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell recommends nan 1 above.) For nan apical of stairs, a hardware-mounted gross is best, because they’re sturdier and can’t beryllium pushed loose. "If a kid throws themselves against a pressure-mounted gate, they will spell down nan stairs pinch nan gate,” Choi says. “And nan system of wounded of going down nan stairs pinch nan gross versus conscionable going down nan stairs is importantly worse."

Doorways and hallways tin usage pressure-mounted options. Make judge that nan gates are gangly capable that your baby, a early toddler, won’t beryllium capable to climb complete them and that latches are unafraid and childproof.

Coffee tables, TV stands, and debased bookshelves often person crisp edges correct astatine a baby’s caput height. Corner guards soften nan effect if your small 1 bumps into a corner. They travel successful a assortment of shades and styles to blend successful pinch furniture—just beryllium judge they’re gripped bully and tight, since babies tin beryllium amazingly bully astatine peeling things loose.

If you person a young one, you cognize that they love sticking things successful their mouths, and each pill and spray tin look for illustration a toy. Medications, vitamins, and cleaning supplies should beryllium locked up precocious and retired of sight, and ideally successful cabinets pinch childproof latches. This norm besides goes for immoderate “natural” aliases herbal products, which tin still beryllium toxic successful ample doses.

No matter what, you’re bound to person child-level cabinets that’ll person hazardous materials successful them. Installing childproof locks connected cabinets helps support small hands distant from toxic cleaners, medications, and vulnerable and crisp room cabinets. "We're not locking things down because we're going to not supervise our kids,” Choi says. “We're locking things down since we're conscionable buying ourselves time."