Here in Britain, we are inarguably rubbish at dealing with the heat.
And when so many of us are cooped up in cars to get to work, visit friends or drive to the airport (don’t forget to book your airport parking by the way!), it’s handy to know the best methods to cool yourself down.
Particularly if your air conditioning isn’t that great, or simply non-existent!
So here are 8 ways to stay cool in the car, even without air con!
8) Park in the Shade
Let’s start with the moment you park up.
If you know it’s going to be a scorcher between then and when you next get in, it’s a good idea to find a nice shady spot, not somewhere that’s going to be absolutely blasted by sunlight.
Even if it means walking a little further into work, you’ll thank yourself when you get in and you’re actually able to touch the steering wheel!
7) Use a Sunshade
In addition to parking in the actual shade, it’s a good idea to purchase a car windscreen sunshade.
These sunshades work by keeping all that boiling hot sunlight from beaming directly into your car and making your entire steering wheel and dashboard too hot to touch.
While it won’t do anything about the stagnant heat in the car when you get in, it’s ideal for keeping as much heat out as possible.
You can even get additional sunshades for the passenger windows if you want to minimise light getting in.
6) Blow Out That Hot Air
So you’ve covered up your windows and parked under a tree, but your car’s still too hot to get into…
Worry not, because we’ve got a clever method for circulating some air around it that we first outlined in our 30 car life hacks article.
First, open one of your car windows. Then go round to the opposite door and rapidly open and close it a good few times.
This simple action pushes stagnant hot air out of the car and creates a pleasant breeze, making it much more bearable to sit in.
5) Bring a Spray Bottle
Have yourself equipped with a handy spray bottle filled with water, and just before you get in your car, spray it over everything.
The seats, the steering wheel, the dashboard, the gear stick, the handbrake. Whatever’s likely to get a bit too hot when you touch it, coat it in a layer of spray to cool it down, knowing that it’ll evaporate in no time.
And when you’re driving and you’re still getting too hot, you can spray it on yourself as well.
4) Homemade Ice Packs
Another cheap and easy method to cool your car down is to freeze a few water bottles and bring them into the car as ice packs.
You can rest these ice packs between your neck and the back of the chair, apply them to your wrists for a quick burst of coolness, or behind your knees (but only if you’re not driving!)
And the best thing is that even after they melt you’ll have ice-cold water to keep you hydrated.
3) Drive With Wet Hair
No really!
We know your mum always used to say you’d catch a cold if you didn’t dry your hair properly, but that doesn’t seem too unappealing at this time of year.
Seriously though, the wet hair will keep your head cooled down, and the heat will mean that it’ll dry off in no time anyway.
2) Know When to Open Your Windows
The golden rule is to either open the windows OR turn on the air, but never both as it’s just a waste.
If you’re travelling at low speeds, such as pottering around town, you’ll get the most benefit from opening the windows, as there’s nothing better than proper fresh air blowing past your face in the heat.
However once you get onto the motorway, it’s time to wind those windows up and get the air blowing. Not only will open windows cause a real racket, but you’ll also end up using up to 20% more fuel since all that wind coming into the car is actually making you less aerodynamic!
1) Turbo Charge That Air Vent
If you are bombing it down the motorway and your air vent isn’t quite cutting it, prepare to have your mind blown!
Hang a wet flannel over the air vent to cool down the air that’s blowing around your car. Even if the air that’s blowing isn’t that cold, a damp flannel will bring down the temperature massively, levelling up your air vent.
However, have several cloths on standby as they’ll dry out pretty quickly. And don’t forget to take them out and wash them after your trip!
Those were our 8 favourite ways to stay cool in the car. Have you tried any of them before? What did you think? And don’t forget to leave us your top cooling tips in the comments below!
