Items that Should Not be Together to Avoid Fires

Anything can happen in your home. Before you know it, an accident might occur that can substantially damage your house. People are often unaware that there are certain things that shouldn’t be done in order to avoid serious home tragedies. There are the more known one, like leaving the door unlocked or forgetting turn off the water and electronic appliances. And there’s also some that are lesser-known, such as pairing certain objects together to avoid fire. When it comes to fires, they can start in an instant and spread like wildfire in a snap. And before you know it, it’s too late to save anything from the devastation.

Fortunately, there are preventive measures you can take in order to decrease the chances of starting a fire at home. It’s as simple as not letting tow objects near each other, as both can either start or help spread wild flames. To make things clearer, here are items that should not be together to avoid fires.


Electronic Cords

Too much electronic cords in one area is a recipe for a fire disaster. In any socket or extension cord, there shouldn’t be more than two connected working appliances at a time. Even when they’re not in use, they can still start a spark that can lead to a dangerous house fire. If you feel the need to use an appliance or gadget, fine sockets that only have one slot. For extension cords, you can share them with another appliance at most, but never more than that!

Foil Paper and Lamps

Foil paper absorbs and contracts heat better than any other kind. This is why such are used to cover pans and dishes when using the oven or the microwave. The silver and shimmery material reflects light much more effectively than any other kind of paper and is, therefore, able to produce more heat as well. So if you leave some foil paper to an area that has a lot of light, you’re actually increasing the chances of starting a fire.

Loose Batteries and Metals

Oftentimes, small items such as loose AA batteries and metal coins are stored together for easy access and less desk clutter. However, pairing both in the same space can lead to spark, which might eventually grow into a devastating fire. Unbeknown to many, loose battery can be an extremely dangerous fire hazard when close to metal objects. The material increases the temperatures of the batteries, leading to a spark and, if not careful, full-blown flames. It’s best to keep coins and other metal objects away from these things.

Laptops on Beds, Sofas, Pillows

When you want to use your laptop, you’d like to get comfortable. You’d usually use these gadgets on your bed or while sitting on the sofa. But what you might now know is that placing a laptop on them, or any other soft surface for that matter, is a fire hazard. Putting the two against each other considerably restricts the airflow of the laptop, which causes it to overheat. Overheated laptops are common causes of wild home fires and it’s best to avoid such as much as you can.

Wax and Cotton

Wax and cotton are two of the driest materials that can ever be found in a home. Just by themselves, they’re seemingly harmless. But just by a little spark, these two objects can help spread the fire like no one’s business. This is especially if both are dry and haven’t been moistened for quite some time. In the event of even just a small kitchen fire, the two things that should never go together are wax materials, whether candles or floor polish and any cotton fabric ranging from your clothes to tablecloths.

Oil and any Fabric

Many people argue that fabric helps spread fire better than paper. Ultimately, this is true, but none more so when they’re drenched in oil. You might know it, but oil-drenched clothing or any fabric is more common in households today. They’re either washcloths used on your car or food-stained clothing. Such articles need to be washed as soon as possible in order to prevent a wildfire from happening in your home. just a small spark and these items will go up in flames, spreading the fire in the process.

Lint and Oil

Similarly, oiled-up lint can also be a fire-spreader like no one’s ever seen before. Lint is usually found in your dryers, so when they’re not in use, take all the lint out and away from your house as far as possible. You never know oil can suddenly drench this material, and when it does, they become an extremely dangerous fire-hazard. In fact, oil and lint might be more likely to start or spread the fire than any other object-pairings in this list.

Greasy Foods

Oil seems to be a common factor among object-pairings that could start or spread a fire. But it’s not just the regular mechanical oil that’s dangerous, it’s all types of oil. Even oil from your food can be a fire-hazard to watch out for. The grease from the fast foods or the olive oils in your salads can potentially lead to a devastating tragedy in your home. As much as possible, separate all oily foods and dishes from each other. The farther they are from each other, the less dangerous potential fires can be.

Ash and Coal

Everyone knows ash and coal help keep the fire burning, so why not separate them from each other? Ash can be taken out as there’s little to no use of such in the home, and as for the coal that can cook your meet, keep them safeguarded near the grill and nowhere else. Both items are not much of any use if you’re not having a barbecue or a campfire, so leaving them together is unnecessary and unwise. Doing so will just spread sparks and flames that might eventually destroy your home.

Wooden Objects

Practically one of the most common way of starting a fire is to rub two wooden sticks together. But if you’re not planning to start a campfire and you don’t even have a fireplace to heat up your home, then there isn’t any reason to put wooden objects together. Save for some antique furniture, the less wood there is in your house, the safer it is from dangerous fires. Fire burns wood fast and strong, to a point wherein you might not be able to put it out in time.

You can never be too prepared in avoiding or fighting a house fire. They can start in a snap, but if you’re wise enough to store certain objects away from each other, there’s nothing to worry about.