5 simple ways to stay cool at home during extreme heat, using things you likely already have

Here are 5 simple ways to stay cool at home during extreme heat, using things you likely already have:

1. Close curtains/blinds during the day
Up to 30% of unwanted heat comes in through windows. Close curtains or blinds on the sun-facing side of your house in the morning and keep them shut until evening. Light-colored or blackout curtains work best.

2. Create a DIY air cooler with a fan and ice
Place a bowl of ice (or a frozen water bottle) in front of a fan. As the ice melts, the fan blows cooler, slightly humidified air across the room. This can drop the perceived temperature by several degrees.

3. Use fans strategically, not just for airflow

• Put a box fan in a window facing outward in the evening once it’s cooler outside than inside, to pull hot air out.
• Ceiling fans should spin counterclockwise in summer to push air down.
• A fan pointed at your body (not just the room) helps sweat evaporate faster, which cools you directly.

4. Cool your pulse points
Run cool water over your wrists, neck, and the insides of your elbows, or apply a cool damp cloth there. These areas have blood vessels close to the skin, so cooling them helps lower your overall body temperature quickly.

5. Swap bedding and clothing for breathable fabrics
Cotton or linen sheets and loose, light-colored cotton clothing let air circulate and sweat evaporate, unlike synthetic fabrics that trap heat.

Bonus tip: Avoid using the oven or stove during peak heat — cook on a stovetop briefly, use a microwave, or eat cold meals to avoid adding extra heat indoors.

If you don’t have air conditioning and it gets dangerously hot, seek out an air-conditioned public space (library, mall, community cooling center) during the worst hours — these tips help, but they’re not substitutes for real cooling in a genuine heat emergency, especially for young children, older adults, or anyone with health conditions.