How to cool your apartment in hot weather

Though there's a lot to love about summer heat, sometimes you might want your apartment to be that little bit cooler. So, what to do if your home gets too hot?

1. Make the most of your blinds

Our first tip is simple: close your blinds or draw the curtains when it's super sunny. The blinds beat the heat best with the rounded side facing out.

Ideally, keep the windows closed during the day if it's hotter out than in. Instead, open the windows in the evening or at night to flood your apartment with cooler air. If possible, create a cross-draught by opening at least two windows on different sides of the apartment.

If you have a glazed balcony or a terrace, keep the glass panes open during the day.

2. Put ice cubes in front of your fan

You can boost the effects of a table fan by placing a large bowl of ice cubes in front of it.

To maximise ventilation, ensure that the apartment's air vents are clean and not covered, for example by curtains. It's also worth washing the extractor fan's grease filter regularly either in the dishwasher or by hand.

On the hottest days, it's a good idea to pull the fridge and freezer a little bit away from the wall and dust the back with a brush or vacuum cleaner if necessary.

3. Fill up your thermos flask

Our last tip is to do with cooking: avoid using the oven on the hottest days and make refreshing salads instead.

Don't forget to drink a lot of water. If you like to carry a water bottle with you, opt for a thermos flask instead of a plastic bottle and add ice cubes to your drink so it keeps cooler for longer.

Finally, feast on ice-cream! It'll instantly cool you both inside and out.