Did I unplug the hair straightener?

Hair done, makeup done, five minutes late. You grab your keys, and by the time you reach the car, you're replaying the bathroom counter in your head. Was the straightener still plugged in? Was it lying on a towel?

This worry is extremely common, partly because straighteners get used at the most rushed point of the morning. The rush explains most of it, and a couple of small changes to how you put the straightener away can fix it.

Why you can’t remember

A straightener is usually the last tool you use before leaving. As soon as your hair looks right, your brain moves on to the next step: makeup, outfit, finding your shoes. You might set the straightener down and unplug it, but your attention is already elsewhere, so there's very little memory formed.

The bathroom also makes it harder. Straighteners, dryers, toothbrushes and chargers often share one outlet. When you think back, you might remember pulling a plug, but which one? The memory of unplugging the hair dryer can easily pass for the straightener.

Then there's the daily repeat. If you straighten your hair most mornings, those mornings stack up into one generic memory. You can't easily tell whether the unplugging you recall happened today. Checking several times before leaving, or calling home to ask twice, usually makes the uncertainty grow.

How to check right now

• Check whether your model has auto shut-off

  Search the brand and model with "auto shut off." Many straighteners switch off after 30 to 60 minutes. Some show a light or beep when they do.

• Ask someone at home to look

  Have them unplug it and move it onto a heat-proof surface if it's warm. Ask them to check what it's resting on, too.

• Think about where you left it

  On a heat mat or tiled counter, the risk is lower than on a towel or carpet. That doesn't make it safe to leave on, but it helps you judge how urgent this is.

• Go back if there's no auto shut-off

  If your straightener doesn't turn itself off and no one can check, return once. Straighteners get hot enough to scorch surfaces and start fires.

How to stop rechecking

1. Unplug before you set it down

   Make unplugging the first thing you do when you're done, before you put the straightener down or reach for the next product. Doing it first means it can't get skipped.

2. Give it a home away from the outlet

   Keep a heat-proof pouch or mat in a drawer or shelf away from the socket. If the straightener is in its pouch, it's unplugged, and you can see that at a glance.

3. Say it out loud

   "Straightener unplugged." It sounds silly, but saying it with the plug in your hand gives your memory a distinct moment to hold on to.

4. Upgrade to auto shut-off

   If your straightener doesn't have it, a model that does isn't expensive. It won't replace unplugging, but it's a good backup.

5. Take a photo before you leave

   A One Loop camera confirmation of the unplugged cord or the straightener in its pouch gives you a timestamped record. Open it in the car and the question's answered.