In the average American household, the kitchen is a busy place. It’s where meals are cooked, and where family often gathers. If you want your kitchen to remain a safe place, make sure that you read and follow these safety tips when preparing and cooking.

Know how to handle your kitchen cookware – following the recommended care instructions is vital if you want your pots and pans to last. When handling hot cookware, make sure to always use oven mitts, and never take glass dishware from the fridge and put it directly in the oven.

Everyone knows that you should give your fruits and vegetables a quick rinse under running water before you use them, but did you know that this rule also holds when the produce is labeled as ‘pre-washed’? Also, you should not rinse meat before you cook it – washing it only spreads harmful bacteria to your sink and the rest of your kitchen.

Speaking of stopping the spread of bacteria, make sure that you put away your leftover food within two hours of cooking. It only takes two hours for harmful bacteria to grow, so anything left at room temperature for longer than that amount of time should be thrown out. Remember – you don’t want to risk anyone getting food poisoning, so when in doubt, throw it out!

It may come as a surprise when you find out that microwaves are the leading cause of serious scalding and burns in the kitchen. When you use the microwave to heat something up, let it cool before removing it from the microwave, and use oven mitts to protect your hands and arms. When removing a cover from something that was just microwaved, use extreme caution so that you’re not a victim of a steam burn.

Water is not the best way to prevent all fires. In fact, throwing water on a grease fire can make it much worse. When you’re cooking with grease, keep a lid nearby so that you can smother flames if a small grease fire starts. Baking soda is another useful tool when it comes to putting out grease fires, so keep a box nearby.

When a knife is dull, you are more likely to try to force it to cut – and this makes for a very dangerous kitchen situation. Keeping your knives sharp ensures that you only use the force needed to cut something, so get your own knife sharpening tool, or hire a professional to hone your knives.

Adhering to these six safety tips will help to ensure that you stay safe when you prepare and serve meals in your kitchen. To further protect yourself and your loved ones, ask Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency about getting a free home insurance review. Your Boston home insurance is an essential part of your financial safety net, so it needs a yearly checkup – just call 617-298-0655 now to speak to an experiences Massachusetts insurance professional.