This Simple Tip Can Make Bathtime Safer For Little Ones

January is National Bath Safety Month. That might seem like one of those weirdly specific and unnecessary “holidays” to you, but bath safety is a really big deal. Every year, an estimated 58 children die from drowning in the bath, per the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. So it’s really important to brush up on bath safety before you scrub your little ones down.

We spoke with professional childproofer Peter Kerin for Baby Safety Month back in September. Kerin has been in the professional childproofing industry (yes! That’s a thing!) for more than 20 years now and is the president of the International Association for Child Safety. One of our favorite tips from him (of the 13 stellar ones he shared!) was about bathtime.  

You probably know that constant touch supervision is a safety must and that you’ll want to be gentle when using soap — both for the sake of their skin and their eyes. Both practices (rightfully) require constant vigilance, but Kerin shared a “wonderfully simple” tip that you only have to think about once.

It’s all about water temperature. For a kid’s bath, you’ll want to keep the water around 100 degrees Fahrenheit. You can get a sense of that with your wrist or elbow (they’re more sensitive than your hand) or get an accurate read with something like this cute rubber ducky thermometer.

But we all know that accidents happen.

So Kerin always recommends that families set their water heater to a max of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. That way, it can never get to scalding temperatures. In most homes, with most water heaters, families just have to turn a dial to lower the maximum temperature.

“It’s a matter of taking that little digital meat thermometer that so many people have, putting it in a coffee cup, and letting the water run into the cup until that temperature stops climbing,” Kerin told SheKnows.

If the meat thermometer has surpassed 120, turn the dial on the water heater to the cooler side. Then wait three hours for all the water in that big tank to adjust and try again. Repeat the process until you’re at 120 (or lower if you prefer!) and call it a day.

“Once you set it, forget it,” Kerin says.

So if you have a curious kiddo who likes to reach for the nozzle, or if your elbow is unfazed by hot water, you never have to worry that your kid will get burned. They may get way too hot (so still keep an eye on them!), but it’s a simple way to have some added peace of mind.