Kitchen safety
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Use full-length oven gloves that extend beyond the wrist to protect your forearms from overhead racks and splashes.
Short mitts leave wrists exposed to burns from racks above food.
2 people, independently
Turn pot and pan handles toward the back or side of the stove so they do not extend past the edge.
This prevents children or adults from accidentally knocking over boiling contents and getting burned.
3 people, independently
Do not use towels as substitutes for oven mitts.
Towels often lack full coverage, which can lead to burns even if they are dry.
2 people, independently
Wear shoes or closed-toe footwear when cooking.
This protects toes from falling knives or heavy objects that could sever a toe or tendon.
one person who lived it
Select the proper size for welding gloves to ensure a good grip.
Proper sizing helps with grip.
one person who lived it
Wear pants while cooking to protect your legs from minor burns if hot liquids spill.
Pants can save you significant pain and limit injuries to minor burns or prevent them entirely.
one person who lived it
Discard oven mitts that have holes burned through them.
Using damaged mitts risks abrupt burns.
one person who lived it
Avoid buying safety equipment like oven mitts from dollar stores.
Low-quality materials may fail to provide enough protection, leading to burns.
one person who lived it
Use silicone oven mitts for tasks involving moisture, as they remain effective when wet and are easy to wipe clean.
Cloth mitts become useless when wet; silicone offers forearm protection and dries easily.
2 people, independently
- Wear cloth oven mitts over silicone oven mitts.1