It promises to cool you down in minutes. Summer offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but when temperatures rise uncontrollably, the inside of your home can become an oven, especially if you don’t have air conditioning or a fan. That’s where this practical and easy method comes in. All you need is a 1.5-litre plastic bottle, water and a freezer. Fill the bottle (without filling it to the brim to prevent it from breaking when it freezes), place it in the freezer overnight and, the next day, place it in a high spot in the room,such as on a shelf or tall cupboard, above a container to collect condensation. As the ice melts, cooler air is released, helping to lower the room temperature. In small spaces, the difference can be felt quite quickly. Although this trick can provide temporary relief, its effect is limited. The cooling lasts only as long as the ice melts and is not distributed evenly throughout the room.
Additional tips for keeping your home cool
In addition to the bottle trick, there are other useful strategies. For example, hanging damp towels in the centre of the room helps reduce ambient heat through evaporation. It is also advisable to keep windows closed during the day and open them at night to let in cooler air.
Plants placed near windows can also provide natural insulation from the heat, and using curtains or blinds during the hottest hours of the day helps prevent the sun from heating up the interior.
