5 Super Cool Kitchen Solutions for This Week’s Massive Heat Wave
If you haven’t noticed, it’s really, really hot outside! Two-thirds of the U.S. are currently experiencing heat waves and, according to weather forecasts, temperatures will only go up as we near the weekend. We know the kitchen isn’t the best place to be when approximately 34 million people in the U.S. have been placed under a heat advisory by the National Weather Service, so we’re here to offer a few suggestions for those of us who need to be in there.
Aside from drinking copious amounts of water, turning off your oven, and parking yourself in front of the AC (if you have it), here are a few additional stay-cool-in-the-kitchen coping mechanisms.
1. Cozy up to frozen water bottles.
Some of you have probably turned to a hot water bottle at some point during the winter when it’s super cold and it’s impossible to warm up. Of course, the last thing anyone would want in a heat wave is a hot water bottle (duh), but what if we reversed the method? Freeze a water bottle and put it in a pillowcase or wrap it in a towel and keep it immediately next to you while you chill, er, lounge.
2. Channel your inner Maid of the Mist.
When your normal kitchen fan just isn’t cutting it (and you’ve already cranked it up as high as it can go), don’t give up. Fill an empty spray bottle with water, give yourself a spritz, and THEN sit in front of the fan’s breeze. The mist will evaporate off your face, creating a cooling sensation.
3. Wet the bottoms of your curtains.
If there’s any sort of breeze situation happening outside and you happen to have linen or cotton curtains, try this trick: Dip the ends in buckets of water (leave them there) and open the window behind the curtains. The water will get absorbed and travel up the fabric and make the breeze feel cooler.
4. Maximize your fan’s potential with a strategically placed block of ice.
This might sound extreme, but hear us out. Put a large block of ice on a sheet pan (or even a bag of ice) and place it in front of your kitchen fan for a makeshift AC unit.
5. Put car shades in your kitchen windows.
The beating sun will make your kitchen even hotter if you have sheers or no curtains in front of your windows. For a short-term quick fix, in lieu of replacing your window treatments, grab a car windshield shade and bounce the light and heat in the opposite direction.
How are you going to stay cool this weekend?