How to child proof refrigerator
5 Easy Ways to Baby Proof Refrigerators
If your baby gets into the fridge untended, you can be certain of two situations—first, an upset belly from unwanted food, and second, a mess around the floor.
Not all children are drawn to the fridge and play with it. But for some, it is like a light to a moth, just like mine. My two little kids used to mount the fridge for fun when they were around 4 years of age.
And now that you are here, I assume that the fridge is an issue for you too, and you are looking for ways to baby proof refrigerators. Well then, let us get right into the guide.
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How to Keep a Baby or Toddler Out of The Fridge?
Your little kid can now walk and start to explore for experience in every corner of your house. You have placed child locks on the cabinets, removed unsafe chemicals. But, just like almost everything else in the house, the freezer can pose a threat to your children. Or even if it doesn’t, it can irritate you.
Dig in to know the simple ways to child proof refrigerators.
Baby Proofing Refrigerator: 5 Simple ways
If your kids have become obsessed with exploring the fridge, it is high time to develop a solution as a parent. So, I present you with 5 most simple tips to babyproofing your refrigerator, and here they are:
1# Child Safety Strap LocksThe first way is, you can buy Child Safety Strap Locks to childproof your refrigerator. You most probably already used it for your cabinets, oven, drawer, dishwasher, or closets while childproofing your house.
If not, Child Safety Strap Locks are effortless and tool-free installation. These Strap Locks can take up to a minute to childproof refrigerators and are discreet, practical & hassle-free.
These safety straps attach with a strong 3M adhesive to secure your home and can adjust from 3″ to 7″. They will fit almost any size of appliances.
#2 Lock Combination Coded Fridge LockAlso, it comes with 10 years of manufacturer warranty.
Coded fridge locks are designed to set your code and press the button to open your freezer lock. So, no trouble of losing keys, therefore, no need to look for keys.
Lock Combination Coded Fridge Lock’s configuration is much more than just a freezer door lock. You can also use it to lock
- Cupboards
- Drawers & cabinets
- Health care securities
- Printer trays
- Oven drawers
- Bottom freezer drawers
- Sheds
- Unscrewed floor vents
You will find it easy to install, too, and no extra tool is needed. It just takes seconds to stick to the fridge. Simply clean the area you are applying the lock on, and stick the lockplates; do not require drilling or screws.
Lock Combination Coded Fridge Lock uses strong 3M adhesive tapes and 4 mm cable with a protective rubber case.
NOTE: It is advised to wait till 24 hours before using any force.
#3 Magnetic LockMagnetic locks are super convenient and easy configuration and come with a key made of magnets. Just put the magnetic key in the unlocking position, and you can easily remove the hasps and open the refrigerator lock.
They are easy to install, and no drilling is required. Just peel the damage-free 3M adhesive, then stick the refrigerator locks. It will also work pretty well for a side by side refrigerator.
Magnetic locks are solid and durable also. They use the strongest 3M VHB adhesive tested for a stronghold; wire cable with white protective rubber is also strong.
The magnetic refrigerator doors lock is secure and stylish and will help protect against your young children’s unwanted access.
#4 Latch Catch Toddler Cabinet LocksNOTE: Use it after 24 hours of sticking; that will work better.
Latch catch toddler cabinet locks are a one-hand operation. It will unlock and open the fridge door simultaneously just by pulling the two buttons of the lock. In addition, their self-locking system will lock the fridge automatically without any extra steps when you close the fridge door.
A unique double button design makes it easy for adults to open with one hand, whereas harder for babies with both hands.
Exclusive design for childproofing refrigerators ONLY. No spare parts and belts are needed—no tension of clamping the lock when opening and closing. They come with two different color ranges to pick from; black and gray.
Their unique T shape design makes installation and functions much more effortless and elegant. And has a larger area for adhesive to install the lock, no need for drills or extra tools.
3M Tape with viscous solid. Only 3 steps to install the fridge lock- tear, paste and press.
NOTE: Effect will be better after 72 hours.
#5 Simply Restrict AccessThe final step you can take is to restrict your children’s access to the kitchen, fireplace or wherever you keep your fridge. In that case, your option is a baby gate. A good and protective baby gate should be enough to keep your children off the fridge. In addition, it will also keep him/her safe from unnecessary hazards and danger in the kitchen (or wherever you keep your fridge in).
Also read:
Curved Baby Gates for Spiral Staircase
Best Baby Gates for Wrought Iron Railing
5 Ways to Childproof Sink Faucet
Finally, if you tell me to recommend one of the following ways for you, I would say choose Latch catch toddler cabinet locks. In fact, this is the one I used to seal my refrigerator doors for my 4year toddler. And it worked wonders for me!
I bought their two different color shades, black and gray. And that configuration incorporated them into a part of our fridge after installation and didn’t attract the baby’s attention at all. Plus, they have an elegant look that matched my home decor perfectly.
Also read:
8 ways to Baby Proof Bookshelf: The Ultimate Guide
10 tips to Child Proofing Toilet Paper Holder
Childproof Blinds with Cords: Easy solution
Best Baby gate for uneven walls or a huge open floor
How to Child Proof Garbage Can?
Babyproof your Stairs with no wall
Ways to Baby Proof Dog Bowls
How Do You Childproof A Refrigerator Water Dispenser?
The older children get, the more curious and playful they become. Their home becomes their playground, where they find new things to explore every day.
If the refrigerator has caught your toddler’s eye and become the latest object of their curiosity, this post is for you.
We’re sharing a few ways you can childproof the area around the refrigerator as well as the water dispenser on the fridge, which is a common temptation for children as they get taller and can reach the lever.
How do you childproof a refrigerator water dispenser?There are a few simple steps you can take to childproof a refrigerator water dispenser. While they aren’t permanent, they are effective at deterring a child from making a huge mess in the kitchen.
Switch the default setting to iceYou can change the default setting on the dispenser panel on your refrigerator to ice instead of water. This way, if your child makes it to the fridge and is able to push the lever, ice will come out instead of water.
Ice isn’t ideal to clean up in the kitchen either, but it’s certainly less messy than water. Ice won’t soak your child and turn into a huge mess that you’ll have to clean up.
Put plastic or a block of wood behind the dispenser leverGet a small piece of plastic or wood and push it carefully behind the lever so it can’t be pushed backward. Doing this will prevent the lever from dispensing water or ice, so hopefully, your child will get bored when nothing happens and move on to explore something else.
You can easily remove the block when you need to use the dispenser, and put the piece of wood back in when you’re done.
Turn the water dispenser offMost refrigerators have a shut-off valve somewhere on the refrigerator that you can turn so the dispenser is completely off. If you find it easier to just remove the possibility of your child playing with the fridge, that’s an option as well.
Once your toddler is older and they aren’t interested in the refrigerator water dispenser, you can turn the water back on.
When all else fails… install a baby gateIt’s certainly not the ideal solution, but remember that most phases are temporary for children. If you need to block off your kitchen from an unruly toddler who won’t leave the refrigerator alone, then you gotta do what you gotta do!
Baby gates are great because they’re mobile and can be folded down and stored away when necessary.
How do I lock my water dispenser?Most refrigerator water dispenser panels have an option to lock the water dispenser. Most are locked by pressing and holding down the “lock” button for 3-5 seconds, and they can be unlocked the same way.
It depends on what model and brand of fridge you have, but you can easily do a Google search for your refrigerator model and “how to lock my water dispenser” to find out or visit the manufacturer’s website for more information.
You can also refer to the owner’s manual for your refrigerator, which will have instructions on how to lock and unlock the water dispenser.
Older refrigerators may not have this option on the control panel, but we still recommend consulting the owner’s manual to see if they include any suggestions for parents.
Oftentimes, children and toddlers need to learn from their own mistakes in a safe, controlled environment. Obviously, spilling water all over the floor is a mess most parents don’t want to deal with, especially on repeat.
Allowing your child to see what happens when they play with the fridge may teach them faster than any other deterrent will. They’ll find out that having cold water all over them is uncomfortable, and may move on after getting soaked a few times.
Did we cover the best ways to childproof a refrigerator water dispenser? Have you tried any of these for your own children yet? Leave us a comment!
Refrigerator lock from children
All parents have different methods of raising children, someone prefers to follow their every step, and someone sometimes allows himself to relax his vigilance. The last category of parents needs to make sure that the child does not harm himself by exploring dangerous objects around him. After plugging the sockets with plugs, turning off the stove and fixing the opening pieces of furniture, do not forget about the refrigerator. The lock on the refrigerator from children will ensure the safety of not only the child, but also food that the child can spoil. nine0003
Is it necessary to close the refrigerator from the child
You can learn a lot by observing your baby carefully. The natural behavior of the child betrays him with his head, including revealing the intention to communicate with the refrigerator. Far from always, such communication turns into trouble, the main thing is not to show it and additionally not to draw the attention of the child to the main kitchen appliance. About half the time, the child will satisfy his curiosity and turn his attention to some other thing. nine0003
If, nevertheless, the child shows an increased interest in the refrigerator, playing with the door or throwing food out of it, then urgent measures must be taken. Don't wait until your kid pulls a pot of borscht out of the fridge and scatters its contents all over the kitchen. There are many ways to securely lock the refrigerator. Let's talk about them in more detail.
The main ways to lock the refrigerator
The modern market offers many clever devices that allow you to lock the refrigerator not only from children, but also from adults who want to limit themselves to food. A refrigerator lock is a radical method, and it is also quite expensive. In almost all cases, you can get by with special latches-clamps. In addition to factory locking devices, there are many more folk ways to fix the refrigerator door. Here are the ways. nine0003
- You can wrap rubber around the refrigerator door. In this case, the child will not be able to open the door, but adults will also have to remove this rubber band every time in order to get some food. And if you take into account how many times we open the refrigerator for one reason or another, it turns out not very convenient.
- Another method involves the use of a variety of adhesive tape. However, constantly gluing the door is also not an option. The adhesive tape needs to be constantly changed, and besides, the children will seize the moment and still open the door when the tape is not glued well enough. nine0016
- The refrigerator is protected from children with a rope or a long scarf tied around its body, but this causes the same inconvenience for adults as with an elastic band. A scarf or a rope needs to be constantly untied and it looks, to put it mildly, not aesthetically pleasing.
Important! If you decide to use adhesive tape to fix the refrigerator door, take a medical plaster. It is much more resistant and will withstand a couple of dozen openings.
Refrigerator door locks for children
Refrigerator locks are not as popular with parents as latches. They are cheap compared to locks, they are easy to use, and most importantly they do their job well, what else do you need? Here are some examples.
- Inexpensive and reliable refrigerator door lock from Safety. This is a very simple retainer, consisting of a flexible plastic tape, along the edges of which are self-adhesive devices. No additional fasteners that can damage the refrigerator are required. nine0016
- Clippasafe refrigerator holder. Outwardly aesthetic and inexpensive latch-clamp. Easily glued to the body and door of the refrigerator and does not create obstacles for adults. If necessary, the device can be removed, while light traces of glue can be removed with a cotton swab with alcohol.
- The Child infant baby kids retainer also has two self-adhesive plastic elements, but unlike the above samples, these elements are connected with a fabric tape and equipped with a very convenient latch. It will be easy for an adult to cope with this latch, but for a child it will be “too tough”. nine0016
Types of locking devices for the refrigerator
A full-fledged lock on the refrigerator cannot be installed without damaging the body of the device. After all, its fasteners are not attached to glue, but to self-tapping screws of small length. It is preferable to install a modern electromagnetic lock. Thanks to software control, it protects the refrigerator not only from children, but also from adults, annoying neighbors in a communal apartment or someone from a family member who decides to go on a diet. nine0003
An expensive electromagnetic lock is not the only way out. You can, without spending a lot of money, use the old-fashioned method and install a mechanical padlock on the refrigerator. And it is not at all necessary to hang a two-kilogram barn lock on rusty hinges. You can choose a neat locking device with a body and ears to match the color of the refrigerator.
In this case, it will not be so noticeable, but at the same time it will definitely protect your refrigerator from a small child and, if necessary, from yourself. One problem with such a lock can arise for sure - the loss of the key. Therefore, there is nothing better than a modern electromagnetic locking device. nine0003
Important! The electromagnetic lock is good because it can be used even after the child grows up. For example, he goes on a diet well with him. I set the timer to close the locking device at 19:00 and until 7:00 the lock will not allow you to get to the food for anything.
In conclusion, we note that it is not so difficult to lock the refrigerator from a small child, because there are so many methods and methods, not to mention locks. Latches-clamps, like modern locks, look very aesthetically pleasing on the refrigerator and do an excellent job of their function. Latches are a budget option to close the refrigerator from a child, but this cannot be said about the lock, but it can then be operated for many years, because it brings a lot of benefits. nine0003
Electronic refrigerator locks to keep children and neighbors away
What do you know about electronic refrigerator locks? Most will answer that they have seen such locks in stores on refrigerators with drinks. The seller opened them remotely from the remote control and the buyer could take the selected drink.
There is a fairly large selection of electronic refrigerator locks: magnetic, coded, remote. What for? There are different situations in life.
Refrigerator lock
Possible applications of electronic refrigerator lock
Electronic locks have found their successful application in medicine and pharmaceutical industry. The combination lock on the refrigerator securely locks pharmaceuticals in special cooling cabinets.
Such a lock is often necessary for those living in a hostel or communal apartment to hide the contents of the refrigerator from curious neighbors. It’s good if the neighbors are just curious, but if, through the fault of the neighbors, food sometimes disappears from the refrigerator? nine0003
Office workers also store food in refrigerators. There are conflict situations between neighboring organizations whose refrigerators are located in the same room. A lock on the refrigerator from the neighbors is a great way out.
In a family with small children, the purchase and installation of an electronic lock will be additional insurance. Your child will not be able to get into the refrigerator to play, put things in order there. This can be unsafe, both for the child and for the equipment. Curious little kids love to pull things out and drop them, forgetting to close the refrigerator door. The lock on the refrigerator from children will become a reliable protection of the integrity of the contents of the refrigerator, it will prevent wasting electricity if the refrigerator door remained open for a long time after the child's raid. nine0003
When is an electronic refrigerator lock useful?
A lady on a diet, aiming to lose the hated kilograms, by purchasing a "dietary" lock, will insure herself against raids on the refrigerator at night.
This lock is available in two types:
- with timer;
- with a program in the form of a quiz.
An alarm is programmed for a certain time, say overnight. The electric impulse of the lock with a timer will wake up the whole house at night with its sharp sound. nine0003
Lock with timer
The quiz option will not open the cherished door until you answer its questions. As a result of these manipulations, hunger can pass, the need to open the refrigerator at an inopportune time will disappear. A very useful castle for the younger generation.
When you try to open it, you need to strain your intellect, since questions can be from various fields of knowledge. Having resorted to reference books and the Internet to answer the question, you can forget why the refrigerator was opened. And the question - whether to approach such a refrigerator at night, will disappear by itself. nine0003
Types of electronic refrigerator locks
Modern marketing offers several types of refrigerator locks:
- magnetic;
- code;
- fitted with a timer;
- with remote control.
Electronic locks are made in the form of latches, Velcro on magnets. Installing them is easy.
Electronic refrigerator lock
What is better to choose
What is better to choose: a combination refrigerator lock or a simple latch depends on your wallet and preferences. nine0003
If the goal is to prevent a small child from entering the refrigerator, then the latch is ideal. The latch has a small lever that can only be opened by an adult. Easily attached with your own hands. Before making a decision, check out how such a castle looks in the photo. It is very inexpensive, and the service will do a good job.
As an option, a magnetic lock on the refrigerator is suitable in this case. This is a magnetic Velcro, equipped with disks with magnets located in them. Tape discs are attached to the door and side wall of the refrigerator at a height inaccessible to the child. The magnetic lock can be attached not only to the refrigerator, but to any other household appliances. nine0003
Magnetic refrigerator lock
Combination lock models look attractive. The code is a reliable constipation for the contents of the refrigerator. Known only to you, he will not allow a stranger to look into the refrigerator. The code works only when a certain combination is dialed. The castle is illuminated in the dark, the neighbors are unlikely to risk touching your refrigerator.
Combination lock
The only difficulty is not to forget the code yourself. Installing the lock is easy with your own hands. A special pad for the lock is screwed onto the door, so you will have to make holes before installing it. But the installation of this lock can be carried out on a door of any shape. It can also be used on a separate mini-container for products if they are prohibited for one of the family members. nine0003
This lock is good for fridge-bars and mini-refrigerators. Its installation is a reliable insurance against the raids of adolescents and persons who are intemperate in the use of alcoholic beverages.
Remote control locks are widely used in trade. Such a lock can be installed on a home refrigerator in order to open it at home from the remote control without getting up from the sofa. The installation of this lock has a plus - it is mounted inside the refrigerator. The remote control distance should not exceed 70 meters. nine0003
Gone are the days when, in order to protect the contents of the refrigerator from neighbors, children or former relatives, it was necessary to hang a barn lock on it. This occupation required a lot of work, and the end result was unaesthetic, spoiled the product.
Now, having studied the available options presented by the photos of electronic locks, you can easily decide on the choice of the locking device that is right for you. Modern electronic locks have an attractive appearance, harmoniously fit into the interior of an apartment, supermarket, mini-shop, pharmaceutical room, without violating the integrity, reliably guarding your interests.