Top 5 Steps to Help Avoid Kitchen Fires

The majority of home fires begin in the kitchen, which gets the most traffic throughout the day. While your first reaction may be to hang up the apron for good or keep the kitchen off-limits for Airbnb guests, measures don’t have to be so drastic. Instead, check out the top 5 ways you can reduce the possibility of fire and injury.

Never leave your pot or pan unattended

1. This is the leading cause of kitchen fires. It takes less than 30 seconds for smoke to turn into fire, so just leaving the room for a moment could be dangerous.
2. If you need to leave the room, turn off the burner and move the hot pan to a cool burner.
3. Don’t cook when tired or intoxicated.
4. Use a timer and check food regularly.

Keep cooking areas clean and clutter-free

1. Flammable items, such as cookbooks, towels, even loose sleeves, shouldn’t be near the stove. A good rule of thumb is to keep combustible items at least three feet away from the cooking area.
2. Never use the stovetop or oven as storage, even if you only use it once in a while.
3. Regularly wipe down surfaces and clean inside the oven to keep the area free of grease, food particles, and other materials that can catch on fire when the burners heat up.
4. If any ingredients in the recipe you’re using are stored above the stove, make sure to bring them down beforehand so you don’t reach over a hot skillet to gather them.
5. Never put metal in the microwave and never put paper-based items in the oven unless the product’s directions say so.

Keep fire extinguishing materials within reach in case you need them

1. Store a Class K fire extinguisher close by, ideally between the kitchen and nearest exit.
2. Baking soda and salt can be used to smother flame.
3. Keep a metal lid on a nearby counter in case of a pot fire and store baking sheets nearby (not under the stove, since they’ll be inaccessible if that’s where the fire is).
4. Make sure your smoke alarm works.

Don’t overheat your oils and dispose of them properly

1. Keep grease at the recommended temperature. Use a thermometer to monitor. Never put an oil with a low smoke point into a high heat pan. Overheated oils can smoke and bubble, eventually spilling over. Besides being a fire hazard, overheated oils are thought to contain free radicals that can result in cancer.
2. Heat oil slowly and add food slowly and gently to avoid splatter. When deep frying, only fill the pot 1/3 full with oil.
3. Wait for grease to cool before throwing it in the garbage can. If possible, pour into an old food or coffee can before throwing it away.

Use appliances wisely

1. Read instructions and safety warnings for all appliances.
2. Register new appliances so you will be updated on recalls.
3. Unplug and cool small appliances before storing them.
4. Plug appliances directly into outlets.
5. Regularly inspect power cords and replace them if damaged.
6. Clean appliances and have them serviced regularly to keep them in optimum working condition.

Following these steps can reduce the likelihood of a kitchen fire, but knowing what to do in the event of one is important as well. Check out this post on how to put out grease fires for more information.

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Victor Jablokov is the CEO of Wallflower Labs, a technology company based in Boston, MA that is developing products to reduce home fires caused by cooking. Learn more at wallflower.com.