Thanksgiving is just around the corner! If you’re preparing your family’s holiday meal, you may feel rushed and overwhelmed with all the cooking, which ends up being very dangerous.

According to the USFA, Thanksgiving is the nation’s leading holiday for fires and injuries caused by cooking. To help prevent danger during this holiday’s festivities, follow these Thanksgiving cooking safety tips:

• Work with clean appliances. Before cooking, be sure to remove any food or grease from your oven, burners, and stovetop. Leftover food and/or grease can easily catch fire from the smallest spark.
• Stock up on potholders! There are a lot of hot pots and pans being used in a short amount of time and the last thing you want to do is grab a hot pan and burn yourself. Do not use a towel to grab a hot pot or pan, the heat will quickly move through the towel and burn your hand!
• Another great Thanksgiving cooking safety tips is to turn your pot handles to the side while cookies! A handle hanging over the edge of a stovetop is very tempting for small children to try to grab, and makes for an easy target to run into, causing hot food to spill/splash everywhere.
• Be sure to keep children away from the kitchen during the chaos of Thanksgiving cooking. Using the back burners of the stove will help keep hot pots out of the reach of children if they do make their way into the kitchen.
• Do not leave cooking food unattended. Food or other materials can quickly catch fire, so keeping a close eye is important.

• Clear the kitchen floor. Make sure all backpacks, shoes, toys, etc. are picked up off the floor so nobody trips over anything while carrying a hot pot.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. If a small fire sparks, you’ll want to grab it immediately and begin to smother the flame while someone else calls 9-1-1.

Bonus Tip: Do not use water to try to extinguish a grease fire – smother the flame with flour or salt instead. Water will only cause the fire to spread faster.

Hazards of Turkey Fryers

The NFPA strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers due to their high temperatures and use of oil. The combination of high heat and oil can cause very serious injuries and dangerous fires. If you do choose to use a turkey fryer for your holiday feast, please be very cautious and follow these safety tips:

• Never leave the fryer unattended
• Never use a turkey fryer inside, in the garage, or on a covered patio
• Do not overfill with oil. Fill your fryer with water first and mark the waterline. Then, submerge the turkey to make sure the water does not overflow
• Do not allow children near the fryer, as they can easily tip over
• Be aware that the sides, top, and handle may be extremely hot
• Turn off the gas supply immediately if you begin to see smoke

We hope these Thanksgiving cooking safety tips keep you, your family, and your home safe. Happy Thanksgiving!

About Woodard Cleaning & Restoration

Woodard Cleaning & Restoration was founded in 1946 by Earl and Nancy Woodard. Today, the company is run by 3rd generation, Justin Woodard. Located in St. Louis, Missouri, Woodard services the greater metro area (Illinois, St. Charles County, Jefferson County, St. Louis County, and many more). Woodard is proud to serve as the preferred provider for cleaning & restoration services. Our cleaning services include carpet, hard surface, furniture, and rug cleaning for both residential and commercial properties. We also provide water, fire, board-up, storm and smoke restoration services for residential and commercial clients. For information or questions submit a form online or call us at 314-227-3932.

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