Are you wondering how to keep your bub safe from bumps and injuries from the doors in your house? We will tell you everything you need to know about how to baby-proof doors the right way!
A Guide on How to Baby Proof Doors the Right Way to Keep Your Bub Safe!
As a new parent, you will want to ensure that your home is the safest place for your baby to explore. Your concern for their safety can make you wish that you had more than only one pair of eyes! To solve this problem and put your mind at ease, it is important to babyproof your home.
Babyproofing your doors is an essential first step in this journey of making a safe haven for your tots. The doors and its hinges, gaps, locks, handles, and sharp edges can be harmful to kids in many ways. Hence, you need to know how to babyproof the doors the right way.
Door lock mechanisms never fail to fascinate babies who are naturally curious about their surrounding environment. This fascination can accidentally lock them in or out of a room or trap their fingers in the door frame.
To keep this at bay, read on how to babyproof doors and protect your bub!
Why Is It Important to Baby Proof Your Doors?
Babies and toddlers are active and curious by nature and will want to pull handles, open doors, and get into every room in the house! However, they are at risk of accidentally pinching their fingers, taking out sharp objects, and harming themselves.
Baby proofing the doors and cabinets can keep them safe from sharp objects, ledges, or even getting their fingers stuck in the door gaps. With baby locks for your doors, you can let your kids be themselves and explore without fear of injuries.
Let’s start exploring,
11 Different Ways to Baby Proof Doors
Doorknob Cover
Baby proofing the doorknobs is one of the safest and most accessible methods when you wonder how to keep your babies safe near your doors.
The doorknob lock cover will fit over any doorknob in your home and prevent your toddlers from opening or closing any door without parental supervision. All you need to do is press the lock button on the cover before opening it.
As the locks need a lot of strength to unfasten, your toddler’s tiny little arms won’t be able to do this. These doorknob covers are easy to install as they can fit over all existing standard-sized doorknobs.
Door Locks for Lever Handle
Baby-proof door locks are designed so that only adults can open them. I used to pull door levers and handles everywhere in the house to open the doors. I am certain the same situations will arise with your toddler. Install the door locks for lever handles to keep your curious kids away from potential harm.
Like the doorknob covers, the lever handle locks fit onto a door’s handle and have two buttons on both ends. Your tiny tots and their tiny hands cannot press these buttons, which safeguards them from injuries. These locks are easy to install, durable, and completely safe.
Door Monkey Door Lock
A popular product that atops the list of How to Baby Proof Doors is the door Monkey lock. This lock resembles a monkey tail, is easy to install in your home, and effectively baby proofs your doors. This lock is particularly useful as it prevents the door from getting entirely sealed to prevent trapped fingers and toes.
So how does the monkey door lock work? It clamps to the edge of your doorframe and works with doorknobs and lever handles. Due to the partially open position, the Door Monkey lock doubles as a pinch guard and avoids any painful finger injuries on the baby’s fingers or toes. It is easy to install and can be mounted at any height. These locks are also portable, which means it simple to carry on the go and can be used away from home.
Pinch Guard
As toddlers are super active and want to move around the house, there are possibilities they could slam the door behind them. This puts them in the danger of getting their fingers pinched between the door and the doorframe. To avoid these injuries and mishaps, you will want to consider a pinch guard for your doors.
The pinch guard has a u-shaped design that conveniently fits both sides of the door. The pinch guard’s tight grip ensures that it won’t fall out or slide off when the door is slammed or moved repeatedly. After installing pinch guards, you won’t need to worry about your child getting locked inside a room because they also act as a door stopper even during heavy breeze from the window or a draft caused by the air conditioner.
Baby Door Stopper
One of the safest and most effective ways to babyproof doors is by installing a Baby door stopper on your door. As the last lock, it also acts as a pinch guard for your little one’s fingers when they run through the gaps near the door's hinge.
A baby door stopper is placed next to a door’s hinge and stops it from closing, thus protecting your tiny tot’s delicate hands. You can mount the stopper on both sides, the hinge and the lock. The stopper is made from non-toxic material and can be installed and removed on any door!
Baby Gates
Setting up a baby gate near the doorway of any room, main entrance, or even the staircase is one of the best babyproofing measures. If your kid tends to crawl into different rooms, this could be an effective way to keep the play area safe. A baby gate is firm and can be secured to any doorframe without hassle.
Baby gates include multiple safety-lock features and contain wall cups for added security. Most of these gates have a walk-through door for your convenience that only adults can operate. The gates are suitable for babies aged six to twenty-four months and can also double as a safety feature for pets!
Door Top Lock
Learning about how to babyproof doors is an essential process. Babies and toddlers should never be left alone in a room! We tend to imagine the worst-case scenario, but installing a door top lock lets you rest your mind that your child will be safe. Installing a door top lock prevents your child from opening the door and keeps it completely secure whenever you momentarily leave the room.
These locks are mounted or fixed on the top of the doorframe, out of reach from your little one. The locks can't be opened without an adult's intervention, making your toddler a safe and secure environment. The lock is suitable for bathrooms, closets, storage rooms, and any room in your home that your little one may be placed in. If the top of the door frame is out of reach to you, you can attach a rod to the lock to open and close it with ease.
Sliding Door Lock
Sliding doors can also be quite harmful to your little ones when they accidentally hurt themselves by trapping fingers and toes or pinching skin when sliding the doors. A sliding door lock prevents this situation and keeps indoor-outdoor play areas completely safe. This lock can be installed easily and does not require drilling or screws for fitting.
Sliding door locks are fixed on the edge of the doorframe. These locks are safe to use on any doorframe material such as glass, wooden, plastic, and aluminum. The lock is installed up high on the door, making it completely safe for your tiny tots to play near them. The lock is easy to remove and can also be used when traveling.
Sliding Cabinet Lock
If your kid is someone who loves opening cupboards and cabinets to reach for their favorite snacks and candies, a cabinet lock must be your top priority. Sliding cabinet locks provide a solution to this and come with double safety lock buttons, making babyproofing doors an easy job.
These adjustable cabinet locks are suitable for cabinet doors, drawers, and even closet doors. These locks can expand up to six inches and are easy to install and remove when necessary. To unlock them and open the cabinet, all you need to do is press the inner buttons towards each other.
Cabinet Latch Lock
Cabinet latch locks are another effective way for you to babyproof doors. These locks are easy to fix and also work with countertop overhangs. They are installed inside the cabinet door, keeping it hidden from your kid’s attention and discreet for visitors. These locks are mounted using adhesives, making them a strong, reliable, and safe.
These locks can handle up to twenty pounds of pull tension, which is enough to prevent toddlers from opening the doors. Adults can open the doors with just one press against the spring-loaded latch. The latch locks fit in your cabinets regardless of their size and nature.
Refrigerator Baby Lock
Get yourself a refrigerator baby lock if your toddler keeps running to the refrigerator to munch on something or plays with the door. This lock prevents kids from opening the fridge door and eating something unwanted, getting their hands stuck, or injuring themselves. The refrigerator lock is easy to install.
You need to press and pull the lock to open the door and push the door back where its self-locking system comes into place. It is made from resilient PC material, a durable, reliable option when babyproofing your home.
FAQs
Your worries about how to babyproof doors can end here, as baby-proof door locks are designed in a way that adults can only open them. Baby-proof locks have different unlocking methods. For example, a sliding door lock would require you to press the buttons together towards each other, and a refrigerator door lock would need you to press and pull the lock to open the door.
How to make a DIY childproof door lock?
One way to make a DIY childproof door lock is to use a thick towel or a washcloth with many layers and wedge it between the door hinge and the doorframe on the top of the door. This temporary baby proofing method helps prevent the door from closing completely and keeps your child safe from any accidental door dangers. Please remember that this is a temporary fix and that the cloth might not be sturdy and stay up for a long time.