Ultra-hot summer weather is definitely not for the faint of heart. It can turn even the most level-headed person into an unreasonable grump and the most inviting home into an unwelcoming sauna! Hot weather can also be dangerous, both for humans and our four-legged friends. In either case, it can really pay to know a few tips and tricks for cooling off quickly. And it just so happens that that’s exactly what I plan on sharing with you today!
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These tips cover a wide variety of scenarios where you might want to cool something down quickly. From warm drinks to hot cars, and stuffy beds to sweaty faces, there’s sure to be a tip here that will help you “find your chill!” And if you have any brilliant tips for cooling off that aren’t listed here, I’d love to hear about them! Share your tip in a comment at the bottom of this post, and we can keep the conversation going there. :-)
12 Genius Ways To Cool Down Quickly
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1. Ice-Cold Drinks In A Flash
Put your bottles or cans into a tub or container, leaving a little extra room between each drink. Pack the gaps and the area around the bottles and cans with ice. Next, sprinkle one or two cups of salt over the ice, then fill the remaining room in the container with water. (I usually use rock salt for this, but you can also use table salt.)
Salt interferes with water’s ability to freeze, so the water around your drinks will quickly turn colder than normal. It’s definitely the best method to use if you want to cool drinks down really fast! When I’ve tried it, it has only taken about 10-20 minutes to get drinks down to a deliciously frosty and drinkable temperature.
2. Cool Down A Hot Car
I can’t stand sliding into my hot car during the summertime. Ugh! It’s like sitting in an oven. But I recently learned a trick that cools my car off much faster than simply cranking the A/C!
When you get into your hot car, start by rolling all the windows down. Crank the A/C up, but adjust your settings so that it’s coming out of the floor vents only. This creates an airflow that forces hot air up and out of the open windows. Your car will cool off in record time!
3. Cool Down Your Bed & Bedding
I don’t know about you, but I personally find it much harder to fall asleep when it’s hot out. I just can’t seem to relax when I feel all hot and sweaty! If you feel the same way, here are a few tips that might help.
Some people swear by putting their pillowcases and top sheet in the freezer before getting into bed. They say that slipping into chilled sheets is downright heavenly, especially if it’s hot and humid! Another way to cool down at bedtime is to freeze a hot water bottle and place it down by your feet. It won’t keep you cool all night, but it will definitely last long enough for you to fall asleep!
4. Cool Off Overheated Pets
Many pets are sensitive to heat, and they can quickly overheat on very hot days. Keep an eye out for signs that your pet is feeling overheated, including excessive panting, excessive drooling, tongue hanging out, or very red gums. If your pet is showing these signs, make sure they have access to water first. Then soak a couple of towels in cool water (not ice water) and apply them to your pet’s armpit area and groin area. These areas have major blood vessels, so it should help your pet cool off quickly. If your pet’s symptoms haven’t improved after 10 minutes, take your pet to your vet or a pet urgent care clinic.
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5. Make A Cooling Body Spray
If you’re spending a lot of time outdoors in the summer heat, make a simple cooling spray for quick relief! Add one part aloe vera gel and three parts cold water to a small spray bottle. Aloe cools skin by up to five degrees on contact, and it penetrates into the skin which can help keep you cool for a while. Put the mixture into a metal spray bottle to help keep the spray cooler, longer.
6. Put Your Lotions In The Fridge
During the hottest part of the summer, I like to keep my moisturizers and lotions in the fridge. It feels very refreshing to put on cold lotion, and it has a very soothing effect on skin too. Cold moisturizers and lotions can help reduce redness and soothe sunburns too.
7. Drink Up!
When summer temperatures get really high, you sweat more (whether you feel sweaty or not!) So it’s really important to drink lots of water to stay hydrated! Avoid drinking too many caffeinated drinks as well, because their diuretic effect will make it harder to stay hydrated.
8. Run Your Wrists Under Cold Water
If you’re in a rush and want to cool down fast, try running your wrists under cold water. Your blood vessels in your wrists are very close to the surface, so the cold water can actually cool off your blood a little bit. The cooler blood will circulate through your body and you’ll feel cooler in no time.
9. Snack On Frozen Fruit
Hot weather can have us reaching for frozen treats like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles to cool off. Instead, reach for frozen fruit to help you cool down! It’s a healthier choice but you’ll still get the same relief from the heat.
Related: 9 Amazing Ways To Enjoy My Favorite Summertime Treat
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10. Use Fans to Create a Cross Breeze
If hot weather has you sweating yourself silly, use that sweat to cool yourself down by creating a breeze inside your house. Just open windows on opposite sides of the house (or a room, if you’re only cooling down a single room) and place a fan in front of each window, one pointed inward and the other outward. One of the fans will draw the air into the room while the other fan pushes air out the other window. It’s not quite the same as having a functioning air conditioning unit, but it’s a pretty decent solution in a pinch! You may also want to place a bucket filled with ice in front of the fan pointing inward to cool down the warm daytime air.
Creating a breeze like this is even more effective at night when air temperatures are cooler, so be sure to use this trick overnight to get a head start on cooling your house for the day!
11. Sleep Like An Egyptian
I can’t verify the truth of this origin story, but apparently it’s believed that the ancient Egyptians had a method for keeping themselves cool while they slept. And you can use it too! Just dampen a sheet or towel and use it as a blanket. The water will evaporate overnight, keeping you cool. (If a damp towel doesn’t sound like a great blanket to you, try misting your top sheet with a spray bottle before climbing in bed!)
12. Make Your Own Cooling Pillow
The cool side of the pillow is a magical thing, but it only lasts for so long. But you can make your own pillow that will stay cool for hours! I like to call it the “chillow!” Get all the details and instructions on how to make one at the link below.
Related: Stay Cool This Summer By Making Your Own “Chillow”
I leave a couple of inches of water in the bathtub for my dog (I no longer have children at home). She jumps in and out at will then lays under the ceiling fan on her rug. She also has plenty of water to drink if she empties her bowl.
How about going into your basement?
Great idea!
When I worked in the operating room and got over heated we put rubbing alcohol on the back of our necks. It worked great. When we were out of power for 10 days after a hurricane and it was 80 and 90 degrees out side the only way I could sleep was to wet our sheets.
I carry takcum powder in my purse during the summer. Dusting sweaty damp skinn is
almost as good as taking a shower and on humud days skeeps you cool amd dry longer. Baby powder works well too.
Great tip Charlotte!
Keeping wipes in the fridge for a quick cool down is what I do. I bought a chillow years ago it did not stay cool long enough for me.
Coming home on a hot day n want to cool down instantly?? Try this it works for sure.when u wash ur face as soon as u come he dont forgetto wash ur ears!!! The moment u cup ur ears with water u will cool down in a second n also feel absolutely fresh!! Do try it n see the wonder. (obviously tap water, room temp running water,not hot/warm)
I see so many familiar remedies here!! We used to run out wrists under cold water and put cold water on the backs of our necks at Girl Scout camp. That’s also where I discovered that chewing on spearmint leaves -which grew wild next to the cold water fountain- would help you feel cooler. I now put spearmint oil in front of the fans to have that scent permeate the room to the same effect. Mint leaves or cucumber slices in your water -we keep an extra pitcher in the fridge- can make you feel cooler plus make it easier… Read more »
Wow these are super! thanks for sharing!
My husband and I always drank hot coffee in the summer. It kept us cooler (I don’t like hog tea).
Great tips! Thanks Amy!
The fastest way to cool off if overheated is to put your feet in cool water. I overheated on a camping trip once. My husband got cold faucet water in a bowl I put my feet in and I felt better within 5 minutes
Thank you for sharing: I try to experiment with something from your posts regularly and love how your ideas add a bit of fun and variety into everyday life – as well as so often being really useful… Today frozen banana kebabs were a real hit.
A bed with damp sheets/blankets doesn’t seem like a good idea for someone who suffers from night sweats. Nothing worse than clammy, sticky sheets …