If you've got pets or little ones running around the house, safety is probably the first thing you think about before trying anything new — simmer pots included. Here's what to know.
Why no open flame matters
One of the biggest safety advantages of a simmer pot over a candle is that it doesn't require an exposed flame burning in the room for hours. It's simmered on the stove, in a crock pot, or on a warmer — meaning less risk of a curious pet or child getting near an open flame.
What to actually watch for
- Hot water: the pot itself and its contents are hot, so treat it the way you would anything simmering on the stove — out of reach of small hands, and never left simmering unattended in a home with young kids.
- Ingredients: we use real citrus, herbs, and spices with no synthetic fragrance, which means nothing artificial being released into the air. That said, always keep the pot itself out of reach of pets who might try to drink from it or knock it over.
- Essential oils vs. whole ingredients: this is an important distinction. Diffusers using concentrated essential oils can pose real risks to cats especially. A simmer pot using whole ingredients in water is a gentler approach, releasing scent gradually rather than as a concentrated oil.
Best practices for a pet- and kid-friendly home
- Simmer on a back burner or an out-of-reach warmer, not somewhere easily bumped.
- Never leave a simmering pot completely unattended for long stretches, the same way you wouldn't leave any pot on the stove.
- Let the pot cool completely before handling or discarding.
The bottom line: a simmer pot, used the way you'd use any pot on your stove, is a flame-free, synthetic-fragrance-free way to scent a home with pets and kids around — just treat the heat itself with the same care you would anything else simmering in your kitchen.
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