Lynsey Crombie shared the tasks not to do in the heat (Image: undefined)
If you’re battling through Britain’s soaring temperatures, there’s nothing more dispiriting than household chores. However, Lynsey Crombie, known as The Queen of Clean, has now granted you permission to relax until conditions cool down once more, as certain tasks should be completely avoided during hot weather.
It can prove extremely tempting to rush through laundry to dry outdoors or dust the lounge as the natural daylight reveals every speck, yet during a heatwave, it’s not strictly essential. That’s because particular chores can actually render your home hotter, more uncomfortable, and even leave you with inferior cleaning outcomes than if you’d simply waited.
Yet Lynsey revealed there are tasks she’d bypass at present.
1. Avoid the tumble dryer if possible
It may seem like the fastest method to tackle the washing mountain, but tumble dryers produce an enormous amount of heat. On an already blistering day, you’re merely pumping additional warm air throughout your property.
If conditions permit, hang your laundry outdoors instead. During a heatwave, garments frequently dry in a fraction of the normal time, providing you with fresh washing and a considerably cooler household.
Don’t leave washing outside in a heatwave for excessive periods, as it can bleach out colour; an hour ought to suffice.
Lynsey reckons these tasks should wait (Image: undefined)
2. Avoid cleaning your oven
Deep-cleaning the oven isn’t a job I’d recommend during a heatwave. Numerous oven cleaning products require time to be effective, and you’ll frequently need to use the oven subsequently to complete the procedure.
The last thing anyone wants is to make their kitchen even warmer. Leave this chore for a milder day and enjoy the sunshine instead. Try to steer clear of using the oven, too!
3. Don’t clean windows in direct sunshine
This is among the most common errors people commit during warm spells.
The sun’s heat causes window cleaning solution to evaporate excessively quickly, resulting in streaks, smears and watermarks. For gleaming glass, hold off until the windows are shaded, or tackle them early morning or late evening.
4. Avoid hoovering at the hottest parts of the day
Vacuum cleaners produce heat while operating, especially when cleaning a bigger property or multiple spaces.
Where possible, vacuum early morning before temperatures climb, or postpone until evening once your property has cooled down. It’ll prove far more pleasant, and you’ll expend considerably less energy yourself, too.
In this instance, the warmest period of the day is typically between 3pm and 7pm.
5. Don’t use your steam cleaner
Steam cleaners are excellent for thorough cleaning of kitchens, bathrooms and hard flooring, but during hot spells they can transform your property into a sauna.
They emit both heat and moisture, rendering already warm spaces even more stifling. It’s a job that’s much better saved for when temperatures return to normal.
Another top tip…
When temperatures climb, avoid placing pressure on yourself to undertake thorough cleaning. Instead, concentrate on swift maintenance tasks that maintain your home’s freshness without generating additional heat.
Open your windows early in the morning while the air remains cool, then draw the curtains or blinds during the warmest part of the day to help maintain comfortable room temperatures. The more substantial cleaning tasks will remain when the weather becomes cooler, and they’ll prove far simpler to address then.
I always roll up rugs during a heatwave, and leave the floorboards bare as this can make rooms cooler.
Lynsey Crombie, known as @lynsey_queenofclean on social media, is the UK’s No1 home expert and TV presenter. Lynsey’s website is packed with cleaning hacks, tips and advice. While her best-selling book ‘The 15 Minute Clean’ is available to buy from Amazon.