As parents, you want to observe all safety precautions when it comes to your child’s wellbeing. And as a new parent, you’re probably more anxious not to make any drastic mistake.
This, therefore, means that you will take additional steps to observe all safety precautions, especially when it concerns what you use on your precious ones, such as their cosmetics. So, is baby oil flammable? Can baby oil catch fire?
Technically, considering the fact that the flashing point of baby oil is 335 degrees Fahrenheit, it doesn’t exactly qualify as a flammable liquid. However, baby oil catches fire quite easily because it is made with combustible materials – so, you don’t want to place your oiled baby close to a burning flame.
Now, let’s take a closer look at how flammable baby oil is and the fire hazards that it can present.
Contents
What is Baby Oil Made of?
As the name implies, baby oil is a general term used to keep a baby’s skin soft and supple. It is popularly advertised that the use of baby oil will leave your baby’s skin very soft.
The application of baby oils to the skin of a newborn is routinely practiced in many countries. In addition, these oils are used by adults for skincare and massage.
What then is baby oil made of? Most popular baby oil products like Johnson’s baby oil contain 98% mineral oil and 2% fragrance.
The 98% of mineral oil is usually petroleum jelly, a byproduct that’s leftover when oil is refined. Baby oil is further refined until it’s safe for skincare and other beauty uses.
However, there are some plant-based baby oils too used by parents on their baby’s skin. Some of these oils are coconut oil, sunflower oil, almond oil, etc.
These types of oil are produced by plants, with the highest concentration being present in seeds and fruits.
This oil consists primarily of triglycerides with other accompanying substance as phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfoxides, squalene, carotenoids, vitamin E, polyphenols and triterpene alcohols.
Is Baby Oil Flammable?
For baby oils made with mineral oil and slight fragrance, they are not considered technically flammable. However, when they are close to a fire, they will catch fire.
To access how flammable baby oil is, we need to ask a background question: Is Mineral Oil Flammable?
According to the OSHA standards, mineral oil is not strictly classified as a flammable liquid because it has a flashpoint around 335 degrees Fahrenheit (168 Celsius). Note that, although mineral oil is not a flammable liquid, it can easily catch fire.
Since most baby oils are made of mineral oil, it follows that they are not flammable per se but can easily catch fire used in the presence of a naked flame.
You can safely experiment with how easily your baby oil can catch fire by pouring it into a burning flame. You will notice that the fire flames up almost immediately.
So, while the container of your baby oil might not precisely warn you that the oil catches fire easily, you shouldn’t place baby oil close to a naked burning flame.
What About Plant-Based Baby Oil?
Remember that we mentioned that not all baby oils are made with mineral oil. Some baby oils are made from plants. Most plant-based or vegetable oils for babies are made with a high concentration in seeds and fruits.
These oils are composed of triglycerides, saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, glycolipids, sulfoxides, squalene, carotenoids, vitamin E, polyphenols, and triterpene alcohols.
Since this post talks about the flammability of baby oil, a follow-up question will be, are plant-based baby oil flammable? The answer to this question will be answered in the preceding paragraph.
Are Plant-Based Baby Oils Flammable?
If you prefer plant-based baby oils for your children like coconut or olive oil, the question will bother you at some point.
As a rule, most of these vegetable oils are not strictly classified as flammable liquids. However, you don’t want to place them close to a burning flame.
For instance, plant-based baby oil like olive oil made from olive extracts and fatty acids is not exactly termed flammable liquids. Still, it can easily catch fire when placed too close to a burning flame.
Conclusion | Can Baby Oil Catch Fire?
Is baby oil flammable? No, it is not. But while baby oil might not exactly be termed a flammable liquid, it will definitely catch fire easily.
Thus, you will need to take some safety measures when using baby oils. Always place your bottle of baby oil at least a few meters away from a burning flame.
Also, manage oil spills effectively. Even if they don’t catch fire per se, we are pretty certain you don’t want to slip on them and sustain injuries.
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