Everyone loves a nice, warm bath or shower. Just make sure it’s not too warm; when warm becomes too hot, the water can pose a serious risk to both adults and small children.

But the bathtub isn’t the only place in the home where a scald injury can occur. Liquids at 140 degrees can burn people of all ages in as little as 30 seconds. For small children, a scald at this temperature can occur more quickly – in as little as five seconds.

The Home Safety Council offers the following advice to help reduce the risk of scald injuries around the home:

¢ Lower your water heater to 120 degrees or less by adjusting the temperature gauge on the heater. If you rent, ask the building owner to lower the temperature.

¢ Check the water temperature of a bath with a thermometer before placing a child in the tub. Turn the cold water on first, then mix in warmer water and keep the temperature at about 100 degrees.

¢ Stay within arm’s reach of young children when they are near standing water.

¢ Use heavy oven mitts and hot pads when cooking. Avoid using a wet towel to hold a hot pan because the heat from the pan can build hot steam that can scald.

¢ Test heated food and bottles before feeding children.

¢ Microwaved food and steam can cause injury. Use caution when removing food from the microwave and when removing covers from heated plates. Pull covers away from you, not toward you.

¢ Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove to help reduce the risk of spilling boiling water or other hot contents.

¢ When drinking hot beverages, keep the container away from the edge of tables and counters so children can’t reach them.

¢ When using tablecloths, center food and beverages in the middle of the table. Don’t place hot beverages on lower tables, where children can reach them easily.

¢ Avoid drinking hot beverages when holding a young child. A “commuter mug” with a tight-fitting lid can help reduce a hot spill.

¢ Treat a minor burn injury immediately with cool-running water for 3 to 5 minutes. Do not apply ice, which can harm the skin. Do not apply butter or lotions, because this can keep the skin temperature hot, increasing the injury. Apply a sterile bandage to the injured area. If the scald is serious, seek medical treatment immediately.