If you’ve noticed the temperature is about to spike once again at the end of the week, don’t panic. Experts have revealed six jobs to prepare your kitchen in time for the July heatwave.
While the last heatwave left us desperately seeking ways to cool a home, purchasing the best fans and desperately checking to see if the best portable air conditioners were back in stock, this time around, it pays to be prepared.
When you’re hot and bothered, the last thing you want to do is clean a kitchen. So, experts recommend completing these six kitchen tasks now before the weather heats up. You’ll thank yourself later!
Unfortunately, stinky bins are often synonymous with hot weather. Heat speeds up the process of decay, which can cause some pretty funky smells. So, it’s really important to keep on top of bin hygiene when the weather heats up to avoid attracting flies and making your kitchen stink.
‘The warm weather provides the ideal conditions for bacterial growth and the breakdown of food, which is why kitchen bins are often the biggest culprits for unpleasant smells in the summer,’ explains Heather Nixon, sustainability manager at Bio-D.
‘Giving your kitchen bin a thorough wash before temperatures rise removes food residue that causes the odours. It’s also worth emptying food waste more regularly during hot spells as this reduces the window of opportunity for odours and bacteria to develop.’
To help reduce odour, you can buy charcoal bin filters for £14.50 at Amazon. These are great at absorbing and neutralising unpleasant odours.
Do you remember the last time you cleaned your extractor fan? Well, now is as good a time as any, as these fans can be really helpful when your kitchen feels too hot.
‘Extractor fans can be your friends in heatwaves as they pull warm, humid air out of the kitchen, especially when you’re cooking or doing the washing up. Before the heat arrives, give the fan and filter a deep clean to make sure it’s working as efficiently as possible, so it can help stop hot, stuffy air sitting in the room,’ says Angus Struthers, Managing Director at BOXT, heating and cooling specialists.
While your dishwasher is likely to be your best friend during a heatwave, it’s a good idea to give it a clean before the heat hits, particularly if you want to reduce the risk of bad smells.
‘Dishwashers can easily become a hidden source of unpleasant odours during hot weather. The remaining food particles, grease, and moisture from previous cycles can build up around the filter and door seals and combined with higher temperatures, it can make smells that usually go undetected much more noticeable,’ says Heather.
‘Pre-empting this before a heatwave begins by removing the dishwasher filter, wiping around the rubber seals and running an empty maintenance cycle with some rinse aid is an easy way of reducing odours and preventing homes from becoming even more uncomfortable with the heat.’
During a heatwave, my kitchen is a firm no-oven zone. I normally opt for plenty of salads (MOB Fresh has some delicious non-boring salads) during the summer, so I don’t have to use my hob or oven. This helps reduce the amount of excess heat in my kitchen.
In the meantime, it’s a good idea to degrease your oven and give the inside a clean to remove any food residue before the heat hits (and causes potential odour), and so it is lovely and clean when the time comes to return to heart
‘We all love a home-cooked meal, but this can actually turn your kitchen into a furnace without you realising. Ovens and hobs are some of the biggest culprits in the kitchen. We’ve all got to eat, but if you can plan a few meals that don’t need the oven, or can be cooked earlier in the day or later in the evening, it can help stop the kitchen from becoming unbearably hot during the afternoon,’ says Angus.
Lastly, you’ll need to clean your kitchen cleaning cloths ahead of the temperature increase. Not only do they become smelly, but they can harbour bacteria, too. Two things that contradict the whole point of a cleaning cloth!
‘Damp dishcloths and cleaning cloths can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria, and this is sped up when temperatures rise. Before a heatwave arrives, give your kitchen cloths a thorough wash and make sure they’re able to dry completely between uses, rather than leaving them scrunched up beside the sink. This is a simple yet effective preventative habit to get into to stop further bacterial and odour build-up,’ says Heather.
Now is also the perfect time to clean your fridge and freezer. Bin any old food, and ensure you wipe away any stains or spillages. This helps reduce smells and helps your appliance work more efficiently.
‘The warmer it gets, the more strain is put on your fridge-freezer, so getting a few small jobs done before the hot weather hits can help prevent it from breaking down just as you need to stock up on ice cream,’ says Nathan Blackler, home insurance expert at Go.Compare.
‘First, give your fridge and freezer a quick clear-out. Throw away any out-of-date food, nearly empty jars or gone-off vegetables, and make sure you’re not overpacking shelves or blocking the air vents. While a reasonably full fridge and freezer can help maintain a stable temperature, good airflow is key to keeping the appliance running efficiently during hot weather.
‘It is also worth giving the fridge-freezer a quick maintenance check. Pull it slightly away from the wall if you can, so there is enough ventilation around the back, and try to keep it out of direct sunlight. Wiping up spills, checking the door seals and making sure nothing is blocking the vents can all help the appliance cope better when the kitchen is warm.’
These filters stick to the lid of your bin and absorbs and neutralises bad smells.
If you’re saying goodbye to the oven in hot weather, you’ll need some delicous salads to fill you up. I’ve added this to my cart already.
White vinegar is a brilliant, eco-friendly cleaning product that can tackle multiple cleaning tasks. This one smells lovely, too.
How many of these jobs have you ticked off so far?
Since buying my first home with a tiny outdoor space, I’ve become obsessed with outdoor hosting. This week, I’m plotting a weekend BBQ to take advantage of the weather, and I’ve already made plans for a few other gatherings later this month. However, entertaining in a petite outdoor space can be challenging, so I have to be very selective about the things I choose to invest in for my garden, but I’ve spotted some outdoor hosting gems at Argos.
Currently, I’ve been getting by in my garden with a little bistro set and one of the best electric BBQs, the Lumin Webber available at Argos, for whipping up snacks. However, I think it’s time for an upgrade. I don’t have space for a full outdoor kitchen, but I have spied several bargains at Argos on Ninja’s Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven and the Ninja Frostvault, both of which are reduced by 20%, which will do the trick in creating a micro outdoor kitchen instead.
I’ve also been eyeing up the Argos Home folding patio set to give me a little more space for people to sit when entertaining, but I can easily fold it away when it’s not in use.
Over the past few months of gathering friends in my garden, I’ve realised that it’s also the small things that make a difference. Whether that’s a little Bluetooth speaker to have music bubbling in the background or some chic glasses that make my little courtyard feel like a trendy restaurant.
If you’re looking to elevate your next outdoor gathering, I thought I’d share my wishlist of hosting essentials I’m snapping up this summer at Argos.
I only discovered the wonders of folding outdoor tables this year, and I love the look of this six-seater one. I plan to have it up in the centre of my tiny garden when guests are around, but fold it down and tuck it next to a garden storage box when not in use.
Garden lighting ideas are essential for outdoor hosting, and I’ve been desperate to drape some festoon lights along my garden fence for an outdoor bistro look. This set has a lovely warm glow that will create a cosy feeling on a summer evening.
I don’t want to be an obnoxious neighbour blasting music, but I’d like some music playing softly in the background. Or I might be tempted to hook it up with a projector to screen a big game outdoors or one of the summer festivals during a garden party.
A little flair goes along way when hosting outdoors, I’ve found. I plan to use this serving tray indoors and outdoors to circulate bowls of olives and crisps. You honestly can never have enough trays.
No garden party would be complete without nibble bowls. I love the reactive glaze on this set of three, which looks so much more expensive than it’s £10 price point.
Stemmed glasses make me nervous outdoors, but I still want to use smart glassware to impress my guests and this set of stemless wine glasses is the perfect solution whether you’re serving up an aperol or rose.
I tested the Ninja Outdoor Pizza oven last year and was impressed with how easy to use and how practical it was for entertaining in a tiny outdoor space. I could whip up pizzas in record time and had a handy automatic timer to make sure I didn’t burn any. It’s also reduced by 20% with code ELEC20 right now at Argos.
I wish I had space for a mini fridge in my garden, but this impressive hard cooler will do the job and allow guests to help themselves to an ice-cold drink. It’s also reduced by 20% with code NINJA20, making it a more enticing price point.
These wiggle salad servers are another clever way I’m planning to add some flair to my outdoor table without taking up to much space. Who said practical items couldn’t be pretty too?
There are so many reasons to celebrate outdoors this summer and I can’t wait to make the most of my tiny garden.
