People spend more time outdoors and in the sun as the weather warms. Summer is perfect for fun, relaxation, longer days, and events. With so much to enjoy and prepare for, summer hacks are essential to make the season run smoothly. In the article below, you’ll find some simple tips and tricks to help you make the most out of the summer season. From keeping your scalp protected to keeping bugs at bay below, you’ll find various impressive tips.
Create a DIY AC
If you’re tired of your sky-high electric bill from running your AC all summer or don’t have one, try this summer hack to keep you cool. Fill a styrofoam cooler with ice and get three small fans. Place one of the fans in the middle, with the fan facing down into the cooler. By blowing the warm air in your home into the ice, you help cool it down.
Then place the other two fans on the opposite ends of the middle fan, and have those fans face outward, blowing the cool air out of your cooler. This gadget will help you cool down the warm air around your home while blowing the cooled air out to circulate airflow.
Switch the direction of your fan.
If you have any ceiling fans in your home, they typically run clockwise year-round. Heated air rises in your home, and the clockwise direction helps to circulate the air, so your house feels warmer, and you save on heating costs. However, during the summer, this isn’t what you want. As summer approaches, switch your fan’s direction counterclockwise to help bring the cooled air down to your level and allow the cooled air from your AC unit to circulate adequately.
Dab toothpaste on bug bites
Similarly to humans spending more time outside during the warmer months, the bugs enjoy the party too. Summer is a notorious season for bug bites, especially near bodies of water or humid areas. Instead of spending your summer itchy and miserable, try applying toothpaste to your bug bites. Toothpaste is an astringent, helping withdraw the itchy venom from bug bites out of your skin as it dries. While the menthol in toothpaste creates a cooling sensation on your skin, you feel more comfortable and less irritated by the bug bite.
Protect your scalp
You probably already know it’s essential to apply sunscreen on your skin during the summer, but don’t forget your scalp also needs to be protected. Many people don’t know you experience more hair loss during the summertime. The heat and sun can cause damage to your hair, not to mention the effects of chlorine and saltwater on your hair. To keep your scalp protected, wear loose-fitting hats. Additionally, consider applying hair products with UV protection. You should also reduce the amount you wash your hair during the warmer months to keep your hair from becoming dry and brittle.
Coffee grounds to keep ants away
You likely make coffee every morning, but did you know your coffee grounds are a powerful weapon against ant infestations? Instead of bringing harsh chemicals into your home to keep the bugs out, try this natural remedy. Sprinkle some fresh or used coffee grounds around your entranceways or areas you know ants are coming in through. The nitrogen in coffee is a natural deterrent to ants because it’s poisonous. Due to the strong odor, ant colonies will skip your home and look for other ways to find some food.
Pour aloe into ice trays
Despite all the sunscreen you apply, sometimes you can’t avoid sunburns. If you know you get sunburnt every summer, be prepared with this cooling summer hack. Harvest or purchase fresh aloe or aloe gel and snag an empty ice tray. But the aloe gel into each cube and freeze. After you’ve spent the day in the sun or feel a sunburn coming on, take the frozen aloe and run it on your burns. The ice helps cool and soothe your burns down while applying your treatment.
Use dryer lint to start bonfires
We know people love to soak up the sun during summer, but we also are big fans of starting bonfires as the sun goes down. If you’ve been wasting paper and other materials trying to get your fire to light, save up your dryer lint instead. Laundry always piles up, and you’ve probably been throwing dryer lint out without knowing it’s a powerful way to spark your fire. Dryer lint is very flammable and will save you from struggling to get your fire to start going.
* Please be very careful when you use the dryer lint in a bonfire. Make sure you have sufficient distance from the fire as well as no dryer lint or other flammable material around the fire that could start a fire. Also have a product that you can use immediately to douse the fire if the fire
ets out of hand.
Dryer sheets to repel bugs
In addition to dryer lint helping you light your bonfires, dryer sheets are another valuable tool for the summertime. If you plan on spending time outside even as the sun goes down, fill some cups with dryer sheets and speak them around your backyard. Dryer sheets derive ingredients from lavender, coriander, and basil, all known to act as natural insect repellents. Instead of letting bugs like mosquitoes eat you alive, try this summer hack to keep the itchiness at bay.
Get supplies from the dollar store.
Have you ever found lost beach toys at the beach or pool? Instead of wasting money on toys that will inevitably get lost or thrown away, head to your local dollar store. The dollar store has plenty of toys and games to entertain children. Should they get lost, dirty, or thrown away, you won’t feel as bad knowing it only cost a dollar. Additionally, children love new toys and quickly get bored of old ones, so this is a cost-effective hack for keeping them entertained without hurting your wallet.
Summer hacks for a better season
In conclusion, while you spend your summer going on adventures, relaxing, and having lots of fun, these simple tips can help to maximize your season. By implementing some of these summer hacks we’ve mentioned, you’ll save money and ensure you enjoy all the season has to offer.
Ashley Nielsen
Ashley Nielsen earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University. She is a freelance writer who loves to share knowledge about general business, marketing, lifestyle, wellness, and financial tips. During her free time, she enjoys being outside, staying active, reading a book, or diving deep into her favorite music.