Dear Time Out, It’s very hot in my flat (thanks to a dying AC). Any ideas on how to cool down without buying a new one?
We liked your question so much we wrote a whole feature on it. Well, not on it exactly, but on getting cool. To answer your question, though, yes we’ve discovered (and patented) plenty of ways not to fry in the heat, and we’ll happily share a few with you here.
Your first stop is water, and while we realise you can’t simply wet your T-shirt and walk around (in most respectable places) there are other things you can do with it. If you’re somewhere with access to a bucket and 10 minutes of privacy, soak your feet in cold water and it’ll lower your overall temperature. Heat is released from hands, feet and the head, so cooling any of these will help. Run your wrists under cold water for a minute each for a similar effect, or wet a bandana and wrap it around your head. And, speaking of water, you leak quite a bit of it, so why not put that to good use? Position yourself in front of a breeze if you’re sweating, and consider eating spicy food. Yes, it sounds crazy, but spicy food increases perspiration, which decreases your temperature. We’re all into science here.
Mint is also a winner. Mint creams, soaps and shampoos are great for keeping your skin feeling cool. Other foods to try are cucumbers – no don’t eat them (imagine that) slice one out of the freezer and stick the slice on your forehead. Sounds bizarre, but it really works. Equally bizarre is thinking cold: think about the snowy mountains of Lebanon, imagine yourself a metre deep in snow, or sliding face-down on a frozen lake. Anything works; it won’t reduce your temperature but it will take a hefty chunk out of the associated discomfort.
We also have a nifty trick for dying air-conditioners. Get a damp towel and fill it with ice, hang it between two chairs (using clothespins for instance) and point a regular fan at it. Make sure to keep a bucket beneath it: if your fan isn’t strong enough the towel will drip. It may look like something out of MacGyver or the A-Team, but you can’t complain. It costs next to nothing and works like magic. If you’re not keen on the dripping, a shallow pan filled with ice can produce similar results. Point the fan at it, sit on the other side of it and get chilled. Read a magazine while you’re at it.
