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Those of us who love cooking, and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, should ensure that we are up to date on all of the latest fire safety information because, the more time you spend in the kitchen, the more likely it is that something will go up in flames at some point, and I’m not talking about flambeing!

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the top fire safety tips to implement in the kitchen:

Always use a qualified electrician

First and foremost, if you are having a new electrical appliance, like a stove, installed, you should always hire a qualified electrician to do the work. It’s so easy for amateurs to wire things up wrong, and when that happens, the risk of the kitchen going up in flames is much higher than average.

Don’t leave the stove unattended

If you are frying, broiling, or boiling food, then you should try to stay in the kitchen until you are done because it only takes a second of inattention for your stove to catch fire, and that could cause your family to be unsafe.

Keep the stovetop clear

You should always ensure you keep towels and anything else that is ignitable, well away from the stove because it is so easy for them to catch fire when in close proximity when you are cooking and are not being as mindful of your surroundings as you otherwise night.

Clean crumbs out of the toaster

Your toaster will collect crumbs every time you use it to heat up bread. When it gets to the point that there is a significant build-up of crumbs in the toaster, that appliance becomes a fire risk because crumbs can and do ignite. Clean out the crumb tray regularly and stay safe.

Let grease cool

If your cooking has produced any leftover grease, then always wait until it has cooled down before you toss it into the trash. Hot grease can ignite your trash and cause a fire to occur. Oh, and don’t throw it down the drain either as it could cause a blockage. Let it cool and then dispose of it safely.

Wear short sleeves

When you are cooking, it is s a good idea to wear short sleeves, or at least roll your sleeves up, so that they are not in danger of catching on the stove and setting you on fire, something which is a lot more common than you might think!

Turn pot handles inwards

Turning pot handles so that they are not facing out into the room is a good way of ensuring that you or the kids do not knock them over whereby they could end up igniting nearby materials or scalding anyone. This is very important if you have young mobile kids as they can knock those pans over so easily.

When it comes to fire, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, so be sure to take these kitchen fire safety tips seriously.