Bathtub Safety

Updated on May 22, 2010
A.R. asks from Keller, TX
28 answers

I have a master garden tub in a new home and need some advice. For whatever reason builders put the water controls on the outside corner of the tub...making it super easy to reach by my 18 month old. The knobs are the easy push knobs, and I can not keep my little girl from turning them on. In fact she thinks it is quite fun and the cats love it too. I am concerned that she will turn the hot water on and scold herself. I have looked everywhere (online, 1st step, home depot, babies r us, everywhere)for a safety lock to put on these knobs...can anyone offer some suggestions where else I might try. Thanks for any advice.

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L.P.

answers from Amarillo on

How about either building or buying like a shelf box. It would sit over the knobs but you could reach them from inside the tub and you could put decorations on the box. Seal it with thompsons first and you can use tub caulk the clear to help it stick to the tub so she can not move it.

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

I think she's old enough that you can teach her "No touch" and "Hot" and if she does, she goes to time out or other punishment.

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D.T.

answers from Dallas on

I would keep the bathroom door closed and locked or put a gate up to keep her out. My youngest was always into trouble and I just kept the bathroom locked. I kept the "key" (a long stick) on top of the door frame and just unlocked it for my other daughter when she needed in. It was a pain, but she stayed safe.

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S.H.

answers from Dallas on

I know it sounds a bit drastic, but we had the same problem and we removed the knobs for about a two years and kept them in a drawer. Keeping the door closed only works part of the time-come on! What mom doesn't get followed into the bathroom EVERY TIME she goes in??? Ours was where you could slide them on, use them, and remove them without screwing them back into place. Don't know if this will work with your type of faucet, but it worked great for us-just be sure to keep them somewhere your little girl can't get to them-you will be surprised at how fast she figures out how to slide the knobs into place to make them work!

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H.L.

answers from Dallas on

Mine is setup the same way. My son used to do the same thing. My handles to my water faucet base unscrew and are flush when I remove the handle sides, so there is no protruding screw. See if yours easily come off and that may work.
You can also take a hairband, like the large ones and wrap a hand towel around the handles with the hair band...maybe they can't lift it off.

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

just a suggestion, you could keep your bathroom door closed and put on the safety knobs that slip over the handle, that way she can't open the door.

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P.T.

answers from Dallas on

We had the same problem! My daughter is two now and we actually wound up removing the hot water knob. Ours just slid right off and I stored it under the sink (with child locks :-)unless I needed to fill the tub. She is mostly over this now, but I still worry about the hot water so it is still off for the most part....good luck.

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

My first thought was shut your bathroom door. She doesn't need to be in there un supervised. It will not be long before she tries to eat your toothpaste too! I have a 3 and 2yo and my house has shifted where it is hard for us to shut our doors, we have learned to keep our ears open. There are door knob locks.

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P.L.

answers from Dallas on

Split tennis balls open and put them over the knobs, a child does not have enough hand strength to remove the tennis balls, but it is easy for you when you need the tub. I have two grown sons and two grandsons under school age, we had to do some childproofing for common areas such as locks on the cabinet drawers and doors, as well as the toilet seats, AND attempted to keep the bathroom doors closed--not always successfully, someone always forgets. As I noted from your posting, the baby is in the bathroom with you while you are getting ready to go out, this is a necessity and you certainly cannot be looking at the child every minute, so a little prevention can save a lot of anguish. Don't let people guilt trip you about "not watching your child" NO ONE can be looking at their child every minute of the day, life must happen. Good luck! (^_~)

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J.P.

answers from Dallas on

I have no idea!lol I just taught my kids the word H-O-T very early. They never got burned.....Good Luck!:)

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C.H.

answers from Dallas on

The babyproof option is:
Turn down your hot water heater to a safe level so it can never get hot enough to burn the skin no matter which faucet it is.
good luck

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D.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

I am having the same issue. Since we live a an apartment I cannot control the hot water temp and my son is just obsessed with trying to turn on the hot when he is in the tub. I have tried warning him and telling him "NO" but he continues. I am thinking of ordering the Aquatopia Safety Faucet and Tap Protector from Target.com. Hope it works.

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L.T.

answers from Dallas on

I would just turn down your water heater so that the water won't scald her if she turns it on. It may still hurt but it won't burn her. It is only a matter of time before she will be able to turn on all the faucets in your house. Also, it is probably a good idea to maybe babyproof the doors to your bathroom, that way she can't get in there unless you are will her. With another on the way, you definately want to get your house babyproofed such that she can only wander into rooms that are safe.

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H.G.

answers from Dallas on

A.,
I just unscrewed mine and put them away and that took care of the problem.
H.

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M.B.

answers from Wilmington on

Someone invent this needed safety lock! My grandchildren escaped being hurt BUT picture this! The "grand dogs" were kept in the master bath during the work day and managed to hit against the hot water knob (positioned on the outside like yours) which ran for hours into the garden tub with a closed drain! I found them at noon in a flooded bathroom. His and her closets and master bedroom and entrance hall were also flooded! They are now outside dogs:)

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S.W.

answers from Dallas on

Can you just remove the knob? If you're the only one who wants control, you should be able to turn the hot water off and on with wrench or pliers once the knob is removed. if I were you, I'd remove both the hot and cold knobs. The last thing you want is for your child to turn on any amount of water and then possibly fall into the tub. If you don't want to remove the knobs, then I'd just keep the bathroom door closed with a doorknob cover to prevent her from getting into the bathroom in the first place.

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E.C.

answers from Dallas on

I have a similar tub that my 21 month old can access. She has been trying to turn the hot water knob since she was small. I have taught her since she was little to not touch b/c it is "hot". However, this works about 90% of the time. I also have a drawer in the bathroom that is filled with stuff that she can play with while I get ready. That seems to distract her quite a bit. Also, we have turned our water heater down so that if she should turn the hot water on anywhere in the house she shouldn't get burned. As far as any lock; I am not aware of one.

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R.F.

answers from Dallas on

Can you call the builders or manufacturer to see if there is something they suggest, or maybe can provide you?
Would the oven knob protectors work?
Good luck!

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A.R.

answers from Dallas on

Shut your bathroom door.

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

We had the exact same issue and with my daughter she knew no meant no, but my twin boys...forget it. No means its really cool to play with so when moms not around lets sneak in and play!! : )
I finally asked me husband about it and I didnt even realize that a portion of the knob comes off. It twists and screws off/on. So check and see if your's maybe do that. I wouldnt even have realized they come off (didnt look like they did) until my hubby started tinkering with them. So we took them off for awhile. I agree though, whoever the builder is that came up with putting the knobs on the outside section of the tub probably does NOT have young kids! ; )

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H.L.

answers from Dallas on

Wow! People sure are being preachy/opinionated on this one. I have the same set up and similar concerns. My son knows not to play with them when it is not bathtime, but I let him take his bath in there the other day and he immediately started turning the knobs. He's 2 1/2 and knows the word hot and not to touch hot, but was still very tempted by these easy to turn handles. For now we are just not bathing in that tub. Anyway, hope you find something that works well for you.

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

Safety gate on the bathroom door. Don't let her in there without you.

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N.H.

answers from Dallas on

Have you brought the safety issue up with your builder? Have him replace the easy knobs for something else. Have you tried to use the door knob covers that clip together and you have to squeeze in order to turn the door? They may snap over the top.
Maybe this is your entrepreneurial calling.....invent one!

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S.C.

answers from Dallas on

I have the same issue with our bath tub. My son LOVES to go in there and turn them on. We have taught him to only turn on the cold knob. We stand there with him when he wants to play with the knob and the second he tries to turn the hot knob we tell him "NO, that's HOT! Only this one." (and take his hands off the hot knob and put them over on the cold one) Then if he does it again we pick him up and take him out of the bathroom. Now he RARELY touches the hot knob. We just make sure we are watching him like a hawk when he is in there with us.

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A.

answers from Dallas on

Well, for sure have your hot water turned down, but why is she playing in the bathroom? It is time to childproof for sure, and the best way to avoid a bathroom disaster is to prevent her from being in there yet. There are so many things that could go wrong, so for me prevention is key!! ~A.~

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J.D.

answers from Dallas on

If your water gets so hot that it may scald your baby, you need to turn down the temp on your water heater until you child(ren) are of an age to know better. Hot water is nice, but the safety of your baby is more important. What's a few years? :)

GL!

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M.C.

answers from Dallas on

We have the same issue with our tub. We took off the knobs. Ours are very easy to remove and put back on when we need to use the tub. When removed, however, they leave big bolts exposed, so I'm using rubber pieces to cover them. This isn't the perfect solution, either, though! Good luck.

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