The heatwave is here. From avoiding caffeine to turning off all electrics that aren’t in direct use, ways to stay cool and make the most of household objects, as well as tricks are all over social media.
Some of them are great, and others are less so. I decided to give a few of the internet’s favourite ‘heatwave hacks’ a go and see whether or not they made a difference in 38 degree heat.
Bedding in the fridge or freezer
I had high hopes for this hack, according to Twitter, it’s a lifesaver. I thought I’d give it a go and freeze some bedding, put some in the fridge and see if it could make a cooled down couch.
I popped my duvet cover in the freezer and pillow in the fridge and left them to cool for a couple of hours. I returned, excited at the prospect of a chilled out pleather sofa that wouldn’t stick or sweat.
Instead, I had a sofa with a duvet cover on it. Nothing about this duvet cover would have let anyone know it had been popped in the freezer for two hours. It was perfectly room temperature, or, hot.
The pillow however, was a little more successful and perhaps due to the pillow’s fluffy interior kept cooler for longer. Sadly, it was short lived and the cold side of the pillow never got to exist as it warmed back up to room temperature within minutes.
Hot water bottle in the freezer
This hack was a success. However, it has been reported that freezing a hot water bottle can cause damage to the rubber and therefore cause issues when you go to use it in the winter.
I did not fully freeze my (cold) water bottle, but not for lack of trying. The bottle was in the freezer for four hours and came out nice and cool.
Removing its fleecy jacket was a stroke of genius and really helped with getting the most out of the bottle’s chilly feeling. The bottle stayed chilled for about two hours and made an excellent addition to my work chair as a cooling back device.
Closing blinds and shutting windows
While this one might feel counter intuitive, shutting windows and blocking the light or closing the blinds and curtains when the sun is up will help to keep hot air out of the home.
I spent yesterday with my windows and blinds open and endured the hot breeze that came through. Today, I opted for a different approach and instead closed the blinds, windows, and internal doors throughout my home to see if it made any difference. At the peak of 38 C and later at 33 C, the rooms feel cooler than yesterday and definitely less sweaty.
Ice water foot bath
This is a hack that has both pros and cons. A cool box of water under the desk is glorious. It helps to regulate your body’s temperature and is quite fun to splash about in.
However, initially, I tried an ice water foot bath and plopped a good few ice cubes into my plastic tub. This was simply uncomfortable and caused me to feel both freezing cold and horrifically sweaty at the same time.
Tap water temperature all the way.
