It occurred. Little Leo, our once innocent crawling sensation, officially became “explorer of all things taboo.” One instant, he was happily chewing away on a teething toy, and the next, he was attempting to climb the dishwasher or retrieve every pan from the cupboard underneath the sink. That’s when I knew: it was time to get serious about babyproofing, especially when it came to locks.
I’d heard all the horror stories – adorable babies with fingers in threatening proximity to ower outlets or small hands opening cupboards full of bleach. The NHS advises keeping sharp objects out of reach and fitting catches on appliances and windows. I was on edge. The mere diversity of locks available appeared to be just another parenting hurdle that I wasn’t prepared for. Magnetic? Sticky? Latches? I was baffled!
My Lock Choice Factors
With many an hour of online browsing and consulting my mum-friends, my chief criteria for baby locks fell into some general categories:
Effectiveness
No wiggle room on this one. The lock would have to repel Leo. No “it kind of works,” no “eventually he’ll get it.” It simply had to work.
Ease of Use for Adults
While locking Leo out, I didn’t want to wrestle with a lock when I needed a spoon or a cleaning wipe. Grouching around with finicky mechanisms when you’re half asleep or carrying a baby doesn’t help.
Discreetness
My house is not a show home, but I truly did not feel like having humongous, tacky plastic contraptions attached to every corner. While safety does precede aesthetic appeal, a tidy home with a serene environment certainly does my sanity some justice.
Damage-Free
We homeowners simply desired items that would not create screw holes or sticky residue if babyproofing were no longer needed. This is especially useful for renters!
Versatility
Would a single type of lock do lots of things, or would we have a different one for each and every cupboard and drawer? The thought of having lots of them was tempting.
After weighing up all the options – and there are a few decent brands available in the UK like Dreambaby, Clippasafe, and now very hip magnetic ones from companies like BABYGO – I decided to go for magnetic cupboard locks on most of our cupboards and drawers. On more difficult places like the oven or loo seat, I resorted to a few multi function latches.
Magnetic locks seemed very smart: hidden inside, opened with a key. Brilliance! The multipurpose ones seemed useful for picky handles or devices.
Installation Insights
As I was conducting my thorough research, my husband, Tom, was the one who bravely attempted the installation. Here’s what he found to be the secret of most adhesive locks:
Cleanliness
Seriously, if you are using adhesive locks (and most baby locks nowadays are), wipe down the surface really well with a degreaser or alcohol wipe. The grease or dirt will reduce the stickiness by a big factor. Don’t skip this step!
Measure Twice, Stick Once
This is Tom’s DIY mantra. For magnetic locks, getting the catch plate and lock mechanism aligned is crucial. Most kits, bless their souls, come with an alignment tool – use it! If you mess up, it will be a pain to take apart and might ruin your cabinet finish.
Pressure and Patience
Once the lock is installed, press it firmly down for at least 30 seconds. Then, and the hardest part, allow it to cure. Most manufacturers recommend allowing the adhesive to set for a minimum of 24 hours, or longer if you can manage it, before using the lock. The desire to use it as soon as possible is strong, but don’t! This allows the adhesive to set strongly and prevents your little Hercules from popping it off on day one, which would leave you with a useless lock on your bag.
Magnetic Cabinet Locks
These were our favorite. A small latch is mounted inside the cabinet frame, and a magnetic “catch” plate is mounted on the rear of the door. The latch catches when the door is closed. To close, you simply hold a strong magnetic key on the outside of the cabinet, and the lock opens.
Installation was extremely straightforward with the alignment aids provided. The secret is full alignment so that the magnet works. Adjustable catches are even provided by some makers, and this is a godsend if your cabinet door will not lie flat against the frame.
Watch your cabinet thickness; the magnet needs to be powerful enough to pass through the material. Regular kitchen cabinets are fine, but very thick or metal-lined doors might be an issue.
Think about where you will keep the magnetic key. Most have a sticky base to keep it out of the way but within easy reach. We even bought some spares – losing that key would be hell!
A handy addition to some magnetic locks is a disable switch, allowing you to turn them off when not in use (e.g., when having visiting grandparents, or as soon as the children are older). The majority are adhesive, but some have optional screws for added security. If you’re not lazy about drilling and don’t plan on removing them, this offers complete peace of mind. We put screws on cabinets where poisonous cleaners were stored.
Multi-Purpose Latches
These were great to use on fridges, toilets, and ovens. They consist of a stretchy strap with adhesive pads on both ends and a push-release catch. You stick one end on the surface/appliance and the other on the frame and pull it right across the gap.
Clean surfaces are the secret, again. Get the measurement of how far you will need to stretch to get the gap covered without being too tight or too loose.
While normally dependable, adhesive hold can be tested by a very hard child’s tug, so check them often. They work most effectively on smooth, non-porous surfaces. Double button releases are a bit clumsy to open one-handed, so practice first!
Sliding Cabinet Locks
These U-shaped locks go around two adjacent cabinet knobs or handles, preventing them from being pulled open. There is no more to installing them than looping them over.
These only work if your handles or knobs are far enough apart that the U-shape envelops them. An incredibly determined and clever toddler might also be able to slide them off or break them if they’re thin plastic. We utilized these for temporary repairs or lesser areas.
Conclusion
Babyproofing felt like an endless task, and the initial cost of locks and other safety equipment wasn’t cheap. But seeing Leo now, confidently exploring his world (within protected boundaries, due to the locks!) is great. Being able to know the cleaning products are inaccessible, or that he can’t pull open a drawer full of sharp blades, allows me to breathe a little more easily. It’s a small investment for monumental peace of mind.
