Top 5 Summer Hacks

1. Icy drinks every time
When you need a drink to cool down, warm water is not going to cut it. Try filling a water bottle quarter way, so that when on its side, the water settles just below the bottle neck. When the water is frozen it will make an ice block on the side of the bottle, but doesn’t block the opening. Now when you need to cool off just take a bottle from the freezer, fill it up with your favourite drink, and you’ve got an instant, icy cold beverage ready to go.

2. Anti-ant hack
As with most homes in South Africa, ants are the unwelcome guests who just keep coming back. If you’re looking for a natural form of pest control, try measuring out a cup of popcorn kernels. Blend these on high speed and you’ll end up with a fresh batch of homemade cornmeal. Take the ground kernels and make a few piles of it around the ant trails. Within a few days, your ant problem will be no more.

3. Secret storage
If you’re planning a trip to the beach, reduce the chances of your belongings being stolen by making a secret container. Take an empty shampoo/conditioner bottle and twist the top so that it snaps right off. Clean it out and cut a hole in the top that’s just big enough to store your valuables inside (cash, jewellery, phone), but small enough so that the top still pops back on. Now your secret stash is perfectly concealed and shampoo thieves aren’t likely to be combing the beaches for their next victim.

4. Fruit Fly hack
Summer is the season for flies, so before they invade your kitchen, slice a few bananas and mix them with a leftover mango peel. Find some small containers and add the fruit mixture. Now stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the top and use something like a chopstick tip or skewer to poke a small hole in the centre that’s just bigger than a fly. You can now set it down and forget about it. Within minutes you’ll find the flies gathering around the container to investigate the sweet scent and once one goes in, you can be sure his friends won’t be far behind. After a few days simply place the lid of the container back on, sealing your prisoners inside.

5. Quick and clean sauces
Hot summer days usually means a hot summer braai. We’ve all had the problem of condiments and sauces taking up half the table and queues to get to them seem endless. Solve the problem by putting all your sauces into a muffin pan. This way your sauces are easy to access, and your lines will move along quickly. You’ll also increase the table space, so more place for the salads and snacks.