Top tips for keeping pets and kids cool this summer

Nobody likes overly hot and humid weather, especially when we're at home and not laying on a sun lounger next to a pool with a cocktail in hand.

Having to carry on with the usual daily tasks feels even more difficult when temperatures start to soar, but it's usually our pets and children that suffer the most when the mercury begins to rise.

Dehydration, heat stroke and heat exhaustion are a common concern for parents and animal lovers during the warmer months, so here are our top tips for keeping little ones and furry friends alike cool this summer.

The frozen bottle trick
If your home is already hot and stuffy, bringing the air temperature down quickly to protect children and pets needs to be a top priority. Opening any available doors and windows can help hot trapped air escape, but if it's already hot outside, this will do little to lower the indoor air temperature.

Have a good quality fan and a few 2 litre frozen bottles of tap water ready in your freezer can help lower the air temperature and create a wind chill effect. Use a tower fan or a high velocity floor fan with a frozen bottle situated in front of it at ground level to cool down pets and small children.

Close curtains or blinds early

If you’ve been living in your property for some time, you’ll probably be aware of the times when the sun hits each side of your home. Before the sun reaches this area, open all of the windows but draw any curtains or blinds to stop the sun’s rays passing through the glass and heating the air inside the room.

For prolonged spells of hot weather, it might be a good idea to invest in a portable air conditioning unit to be moved around the house to keep children and pets cool.

From lowering the temperature so grouchy toddlers can enjoy a nap to positioning the unit in a tiled kitchen or bathroom where dogs and cats can receive some respite from the heat, these clever units offer adjustable fan speeds and a remote control making them a great solution in hot and humid homes.

Photo by Katlyn Boone / Unsplash

**Keep ice cubes handy **

Ice cubes are a cheap and effective way of keeping cool in the summer, so pop a couple in your pet’s water bowl or wrap a few in a soft towel to lower baby’s temperature.

They’re also great for dropping in a bowl and placing in front of a USB powered desk fan if you’re working at home or are feeling hot under the collar in the office.