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Burns: how to prevent them in the kitchen and bathroom

Prevent burns: a practical guide

⏱ 2 min read

Kitchen, bathroom, 20 minutes of cooling. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone.app and works without internet.

Open in the app (works offline)

Most burns happen at home: from boiling water, hot coffee, oil from a pan, an iron. Young children are especially at risk because their skin is thin and their curiosity huge.

A few changes in the kitchen and bathroom greatly reduce the risk.

Kitchen

  1. Cook on the back rings and turn pan handles towards the wall.
  2. Do not hold a child near the cooker or drink hot coffee with a child on your lap.
  3. Put hot drinks well away from the table edge, not on a tablecloth a child can pull.
  4. Place the kettle and its cable where they cannot be pulled down.

Bathroom

  1. When running a child's bath, put cold water in first, then hot, and check the temperature. If you can, set the water heater lower or fit a thermostatic mixer tap.

Other sources

  1. Irons, hair straighteners, fireplaces, barbecues and fireworks are common causes of burns. Put hot devices out of children's reach. Keep chemicals in their original containers and up high.

Remember one rule

  1. For a burn, cool the area with cool running water for at least 20 minutes. Do not use ice, butter or creams. For a large burn, a burn on a child, or on the face or hands, call 112 or go to hospital.

Checklist

  1. Cooking on the back rings
  2. Pan handles towards the wall
  3. Hot drinks away from children
  4. Cold water first in the bath
  5. Thermostatic tap or lower water temperature
  6. Iron and straighteners out of reach
  7. The 20-minute cooling rule

See also

Frequently asked questions

How long should I cool a burn?

At least 20 minutes under cool running water. Do not use ice.

Can I put butter on a burn?

No. Butter, oils and creams keep the heat in and raise the risk of infection.

How do I protect a child from burns in the kitchen?

Cook on the back rings, turn pan handles to the wall and do not drink hot drinks with a child in your arms.

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Sources

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-11-04.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.