Wildlife experts have revealed the one job you should be doing every day in July to support birds and other garden wildlife – and it will only take up a minute of your time.

If you have a wildlife garden or love attracting birds to your outside space, it’s paramount that your garden has everything our feathered friends would need to stay happy and healthy. This is often the big three: water, food and shelter.

In summer, hot weather and drought conditions can mean fresh water is hard to come by for birds. This is why wildlife experts are urging gardeners to leave out a fresh source of water for birds every day in July.

How to support birds in July

To help birds in hot weather, water is one of the most important things you can provide. Birds can’t sweat like humans, so water is one method they use to cool down. As a result, it’s a good idea to provide a bird bath (like this traditional-style £14.50 bird bath at B&Q) so birds can drink, bathe and play as they please.

‘The most important thing that you can do in July to support birds is to refill bird baths with fresh water daily. The warmer weather we experience in July means that other sources of water relied on by birds may have dried up, and they need to drink to replace the fluids they lose in the heat,’ says Lucy Taylor, a wildlife expert from Vine House Farm.

‘You do not necessarily need a bird bath to give birds water, as a shallow dish will work just as well. Any bird baths or water dishes should be emptied and cleaned daily, then allowed to dry before filling, as this will reduce the spread of disease.

You’ll want to consider where to put a bird bath, as when in direct sunlight, water can evaporate and algae growth can be accelerated, while being too close to dense shrubs puts birds at greater risk of predators. The sweet spot is somewhere that stays relatively cool, and birds can spot danger – a couple of meters away from your hedgerow.

You also should think about purchasing a copper disk (£7.99, Amazon) or adding a penny to your bird bath, as copper can help reduce the growth of algae in your bird bath, improving its hygiene.

‘Providing water in the month of July is so important for many reasons, the main and most obvious one being the warmer weather. In July, rainfall is limited, and temperatures tend to be higher, making it more difficult for birds to access water to cool down, hydrate and maintain their feathers,’ adds James Ewens, bird specialist at Green Feathers.

‘Leaving out a shallow bowl of water takes away that extra stress for birds, ensuring they have a safe place to hydrate in the hot weather. It’s important to replenish this, especially in a heatwave.

‘Bathing also helps to prevent diseases by allowing birds to physically dislodge debris and mites. Birds need to be able to distribute their natural oils that naturally repel bacteria and deter feather-eating parasites.’

Bird baths

Refreshing a bird bath or bowl of water in your garden is a quick and easy job that you can commit to every day. And if you do, your birds and other garden wildlife will thank you for it.

I write about garden lighting almost every day in the summer, so it takes quite a bit to impress me. However, cult favourite lighting brand Pooky’s new outdoor rechargeable lantern caught my attention immediately. I got to see these stylish garden lights IRL on the day of the launch – and to say that I ‘liked’ them would be a huge understatement.

The Pooky Stefan lantern by The Novogratz is easily the prettiest garden lighting idea I’ve seen this year. And I don’t say this lightly, especially since I’ve already seen some lovely outdoor lamps and lighting solutions this season as stylish and whimsical lighting is one of the biggest garden trends.

The outdoor rechargeable lanterns were created in collaboration with US design duo Cortney and Robert Novogratz, also known as The Novogratz. Available in five pretty colours, the collection was previously launched in the US last year, but now it’s landed in the UK.

Pooky’s interior wireless lamps have been a huge success since day one and are among the brand’s top sellers. But this is the British brand’s first foray into outdoor rechargeable lights, utilising the same signature Genesis cell to power it as the company’s other wireless designs. This allows the lanterns to illuminate your outdoor space for anywhere from nine to 17 hours, depending on the chosen brightness, which can in turn be controlled with the included remote control.

I’m certain these outdoor lights will fly off the shelves in no time, especially given their unique design. I’ve never seen lanterns take on such a charming shape, reminiscent of bird houses or even bird feeders – but in the best way possible. And this becomes especially obvious if you choose to hang them up as Pooky is selling a specially designed lantern hook for £40 to go with these lanterns.

Not only do these lanterns boast an original shape and come in five beautiful shades, but there are also three sizes available to choose from, with prices starting at £140 for the smallest (and cutest) one.

Shop the range

The lanterns were launched in the US, on The Novogratz duo’s home turf, last year. Originally, they planned to keep the launch to the US, but after much demand they decided to bring them back to the UK.

When speaking to Jo Plant, chief creative officer at Pooky, she revealed that it was the dark blue ‘denim’ colourway that turned out to be the bestseller in the US, to her surprise. However, it’s the green ‘moss’ and the pink ‘blush’ that she predicts will do well here in the UK.

For Cortney Novogratz, the colourful aspect of the design was perhaps the most important and exciting, ‘What I love most is how we’ve brought much-needed colour to outdoor spaces – especially that vintage-toned pink – and the way the cordless technology allows these stunning designs to enhance any gathering without limitations.’

But if you’d like to bring some whimsy into your interiors, you can use these Pooky lanterns indoors, too, as I have done with my little denim blue number.

Which colourway have you got your eye on?

I’m somewhat obsessive about keeping a clean sink area. Seeing as I don’t own a built-in dishwasher, keeping standards high can be difficult, but I think it’s about to get a little bit easier with my discovery of IKEA’S £4 dishdrainer that’s designed to be neatly hidden after use.

The concept of the IKEA SPJUTLILJA is simple: it’s a slim bucket-shaped dish rack that you can use to quickly and efficiently put your dishes away once they are dry. It’s tailor-made for small kitchens like mine and is compact enough to be easily packed away after use, too, so that I can have that clean-countertops look I’ve always dreamed of.

As a renter, until I can employ one of the off-worktop dish rack solutions of my dreams, this excellent £4 buy is going to see me through. Here’s a closer look.

Despite its very enticing £4 price tag there are a few features built-in to this handy little buy that go a long way to helping keep your kitchen clean. The first of those is handles, so that you can take this mini bucket from the sink to your cupboards and cutlery draw with no difficult manoeuvring neccesary.

And if you’re eagled eyed, you will have noticed that the SPJUTLILJA also has no holes for draingage. That’s great news for carrying it around your kitchen but you may think is a lot less useful for successful drying.

That’s where the textured surface on the bottom of this drainer comes into its own. The grooves and edges are designed to keep your dishes lifted above the base of the drainer, where the water will gather, leading to dry dishes that are quickly ready to be put away.

As well as being ideal for compact kitchens (like mine!), this drainer also doubles up as a handy travel piece if you own a mobile home or like to go camping. As per IKEA’s website, it is only suitable for the washing up of 1-2 people due to its small nature. But if you wanted a supplementary putting away drainer for your larger family kitchen, it could work for that too.

If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, this drainer could be another supplementary piece to help you lift everything out of your appliance and put it away around your kitchen too.

Keeping a sink area tidy is a topic of constant discussion here at Ideal Home. Just last week our Editor-in-Chief Heather Young was singing the praises of this inexpensive stone rest, which is perfect for keeping the area dry and banishing damp.

Lots of editors on the team also swear by Joseph Joseph for their sink essentials. Their dish drying racks have genius features, including multi-levels and carry-away cutlery holders. Here’s a few of the tidy-sink picks that the team couldn’t be without.

Alternatives

With these clever buys, you’ll be closer to a cleaner sink at all times of the day – I guarantee it!

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!

1. Clean your kitchen bins

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.

2. Clean and check your extrator fan

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.

3. Clean the dishwasher

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.’

4. Plan no-oven meals

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.

5. Wash cleaning cloths

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.

6. Give your fridge and freezer a clean and clear out

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.’

What you need

How many of these jobs have you ticked off so far?