10 tips to get your home ready for summer
From buzzing bumblebees to the blazing blue sky, summer is a real joy to behold. With alfresco dining season on the horizon (if you haven't already started), now is the perfect time to get your home — and outdoor space — ready for the beautiful, balmy days ahead.
Astronomical summer begins on Thursday 20th June 2024 and ends on Saturday 22nd September, meanwhile metrological summer always begins on 1st June and ends on 31st August. Before you dust off your barbecue, keep reading for the tips and tricks to get your space set for the summer season...
1. Give your home exterior a touch-up
Summer is an ideal season to get exterior paint jobs done, thanks to its reliably dry weather (most of the time). Generally speaking, the best time of year for exterior painting is between April and October, although try to avoid revamping your door or window frames in a heatwave as the paint could end up drying too quickly.
A lick of colour can instantly boost your kerb appeal. Paint jobs to add to your to-do list include repainting your front door, giving your garden fence some love, and touching up tired-looking window frames.
'Your garden fences and walls could be looking unkempt by the time summer arrives, with cold temperatures and rain taking their toll,' explains Charles Taylor, director of sustainable decking brand Composite Prime. 'After clearing the most affected areas with sandpaper or a brush, add a layer of good quality outdoor paint to restore a more uniform colour.'
2. Decorate with summer brights
Nothing changes the mood of a room faster than the addition of bold, bright colour. 'As the lighter evenings and warmer days start to creep in, it's the perfect time to get your home ready for summer. Replacing those moodier, winter colours with some pastel colours is a great way to welcome summer into the home,' Anjelica Delfino, paint and interior expert at Valspar Paint, tells House Beautiful UK.
'Rather than painting the whole space, just focus on a feature wall, painting one wall in sweet colours such as sunshine yellows, blush pinks or bright greens, is a great way to bring a happy vibe into your home as well as brightening up the space.'
If you don't want to paint a wall, Anjelica suggests upcycling old furniture. 'You can incorporate colour into a space by painting and upcycling furniture pieces, such as drawers or side tables. A brightly painted piece of furniture in an otherwise neutral interior adds a modern edge and a burst of character and personality to the room. We would recommend pops of bright greens, or burnt oranges.'
3. Deep clean your BBQ
Barbecues should ideally be cleaned after every use, however, it is recommended that they are deep cleaned on occasion too. With summer approaching, now is the perfect time to slip on your Marigold gloves and remove grease and grime in time for alfresco dining. If left, layers of old, burnt food and excessive oil could be a fire hazard, so it's important to clean yours regularly.
'Summer is BBQ season, so it's essential to ensure that the grills are kept glistening and clean after every use. The key to success in cleaning any barbecue is patience, a whole lot of grind and hot soapy water,' say the cleaning experts at Method. 'To clean your barbecue, submerge the grates into a large bowl or lay them on a tray, then ensure it is covered in soapy water. It's important to let it sit for at least half an hour, to allow old burnt food remnants to loosen.
'Next, comes the manual grind. Once it's finished soaking, scrub off any remnants using a grill brush or microfibre cloth. To leave your grill gleaming, spray and wipe a multipurpose cleaner over the newly shining grills and repeat as necessary throughout the summer.'
4. Spruce up your garden furniture
Dusting off your hanging egg chair from last year? Want to revamp your garden furniture set? Now is an excellent time to take your outdoor tables, chairs and sofas from tired to terrific with a little care. Remove dirt, cobwebs, dead leaves, and other debris from the harsh winter weather (and recent spring storms) by using warm soapy water. It's an inexpensive way to revive what you already have without buying new.
For wooden furniture sets or wooden benches, use a pressure washer to remove built-up grime. If things still need a little perking up, try transforming furniture with weatherproof paint or a glaze of varnish. You'll impress guests in no time.
'Cleaning garden furniture is one of those jobs that's easy to put off but using a pressure washer can easily give furniture a new lease of life and end up saving you money in the long run,' say the team at Kärcher. 'Using a pressure washer also saves approximately 80 per cent of water compared to using a traditional scrubbing brush and garden hose, as well as being virtually effortless.'
5. Swap to summer bedlinen
Our winter coats might be tucked away for another season, but don't forget to swap heavy togs for summer bedlinen.
'If you're wanting to stay as cool as possible in summer, linen is the best choice,' say the experts at Bed Threads. Cotton is a common bedding textile, primarily for its affordability and softness. But linen is just as easy to care for as cotton and is much more durable. While cotton tends to become threadbare as its fibres weaken, linen improves with each wash.
6. Get your garden ready
Sweep up any dead leaves, mow the lawn, remove weeds, prune bushes and plants, and keep your allotments well-watered (especially if you're after a bumper crop of produce). If your garden is looking a little bare, consider sowing speedy annuals, such as night-scented stocks, sunflowers, sweet peas and cornflowers.
'A little bit of pre-summer garden work will go a long way in prepping your home's garden for a wonderful summer,' says Kevin Brown, marketing manager at The Heritage Window Company. 'Bird baths should be thoroughly cleaned and ready for our feathered friends in need of a cool down, debris should be swept up from the windy spring and weeds should be pulled up to protect your patio and plants.
'Weeds flourish when the garden is hot, cropping up the most in late spring and early summer. Spending an hour in the garden in late spring, before it's too hot, will make weeding more forgiving on your body.'
After this, it's time to impress your guests with personal touches and create a truly stunning space to relax in. Invest in hanging egg chairs, string outdoor lights along your fence, purchase a sun lounger, place lanterns to create a pathway, position a garden sofa for reclining, and finish the look with metal garden furniture. Don't forget cosy outdoor cushions, too.
7. Look out for mould growth
Mould spores thrive well during summer, due to increased temperatures and humidity. Inspect your home for a build-up of water, not forgetting to leave washing machine doors open after use, ensuring your bathroom is well-ventilated, and checking sinks and tubs for leakages.
Top tip: Place a Peace Lily in different rooms around your home. These clever plants can absorb excess moisture in the room, and prevent mould growth and mildew formation.
Not sure how to get rid of mould? The team at The Residence Collection explain: 'A crucial part of spring cleaning is dealing with any mould that might have accumulated during the winter. Begin by mixing some soapy water, apply it to the mould, then rinse with a wet cloth and thoroughly dry the area to prevent its return. Remember to dispose of the cloth after use and wear rubber gloves and a mask if possible to avoid inhaling mould spores.'
8. Fill your home with greenery
'Incorporating a little greenery indoors is the perfect way to get your home ready for summer,' says Richard Ferguson, Homebase's home & furniture buying manager. 'A quick and easy way to do this is by collecting and painting a bunch of twigs from the garden. You can then add to this with ribbons, daffodils, and other floral favourites as they come into bloom. You can be creative with how you choose to display them – think about using glass bottles or a vintage-style metal watering can to add a little bit of character.'
Alternatively, it's never a bad idea to add some houseplants to your collection. Fill an empty corner or alcove with a tall indoor plant, or pop small potted plants on a side table, shelf or windowsill to bring the outdoors in.
9. Clean your windows
With snow, sleet and rain (hopefully) out of the way, now is the time to clean your windows, eliminate unhealthy mould and restore their shine – both inside and out. Not sure where to start? Take a look at the easy ways to clean your windows below:
1. Make sure you're using a microfibre or paper cloth to remove any dust before you begin. For uPVC window frames, marks and stains should come off with ease. Fill up a bowl with some warm water and washing-up liquid and use a soft white cloth to wipe down. Avoid using a coloured cloth as the dye can stain plastic.
2. Use a spray consisting of one part distilled (white) vinegar to 10 parts warm water which can be applied directly to a cloth before being rubbed evenly against the glass. For a bit of extra sparkle, sprinkle some baking powder onto the cloth before you add the solution to aid the cleaning process.
3. Finally, don't forget your window frames, these can also get clogged with dirt and debris. To tackle these hard-to-reach areas, take an old toothbrush to loosen any dirt, dust and cobwebs that might be stuck in the frame.
10. Remove any ventilation blockers
'Many clever homeowners use draught excluders in the winter to help keep heat in rooms. It's a great trick to keeping cosy, but is the opposite of great when the heat creeps in,' says Kevin. 'Now is the perfect time to do a once-over on your home and remove any ventilation blockers, helping air circulation throughout the home.'
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