When the heat hits hard and your London flat starts feeling like a sauna, it’s time to get creative. You don’t need air conditioning to survive a heatwave. With a few smart, low-tech hacks, you can keep your home and body cool even on the hottest days.
Here are four simple but surprisingly effective ways to beat the heat:
1. Maximise cross-ventilation
One of the most effective cooling strategies is also the easiest: open your windows strategically.
To get proper airflow:
- Open windows on opposite sides of your home.
- Prop doors open to let air move freely between rooms.
- Open lower windows on the cooler side of your home and upper windows on the warmer side to create a chimney effect, drawing hot air up and out.
This works best early in the morning or late in the evening when outdoor temperatures drop.
2. Hang cold, damp towels at your windows
Turn your windows into DIY cooling systems by hanging cold, damp towels or sheets in front of them. As warm air blows through, the moisture evaporates, cooling the air as it enters your home.
Bonus tip: place a fan behind the sheet to boost the effect.
3. Cool your core, not just the room
Your body has built-in ‘cooling valves’ your neck, wrists, ankles, and behind the knees. Applying cold to these areas can bring down your core temperature quickly.
Try this:
- Soak your feet in a bucket of cold water.
- Apply a cold flannel to your neck or wrists.
- Use frozen water bottles as makeshift ice packs or freeze your hot water bottle for a bedtime chill boost.
4. Cool your outdoor space
If you’ve got a garden, balcony or patio, a simple trick can make being outside bearable, even enjoyable.
Just spray cold water on paving stones, concrete or grass. As the water evaporates, it cools the surrounding air, a trick borrowed from traditional Mediterranean courtyards.
It works especially well in the evening, giving your outdoor space a refreshing reset.
These hacks don’t cost much and they don’t require any major renovations, just a bit of timing, creativity and water. With the climate getting hotter in London, it pays to have a few of these cooling tricks up your sleeve.
Stay cool, stay hydrated and don’t underestimate the power of a damp towel on a hot day.
