How To Cool Down A Room UK (2024)

Summer's getting hotter, and many people don't have AC units or even fans to help cool down their homes.

So let's look at how to cool a room without AC or fans. 😍

Use wet sheets

Wet sheets are the surprising answer for how to cool down a room fast.

The water will chill the air as it passes through and provides a natural cooling breeze. 🍃

By placing a soaking wet sheet across an open window, you can cool down a room fast.

Bear in mind that this hack won't be effective without wind.

Close the doors

Keeping doors shut during the day can help keep a room cool because it prevents hot air from entering the room and traps cool air inside. ❄

This is a simple but effective tip if you want to know how to make your room cooler.

It's also important to close curtains to block direct sunlight and stop the room from further warming.

Remember that heat rises

One of the simplest tricks to keep a room cool in summer is choosing which room you are trying to chill.

You'll find rooms downstairs are naturally less hot than those upstairs. 🥵

Avoid cooking inside

Cooking inside can make a room feel hot and sticky, so it's best to avoid it if you want to keep your house cool. 😖

Alternatively, you could cook later in the evening when the temperature drops or use an outdoor BBQ.

This should help you with the task of how to keep a house cool in summer naturally.

Use reflective window film

Reflective window film is super handy if you’re looking for how to cool down a room without a fan.

You can find and purchase the film from various stores, including online giants like Amazon.

The film can be applied to your windows and helps reflect sunlight away. 🌞

Sun rays can cause significant temperature increases.

Blocking sunlight from entering your home will stop things from heating up. ⛔

Though hot nights are less extreme than the days, they can still be quite humid during heat waves.

It’s more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep when it’s hot.

Temperatures above 24°C tend to make us restless ^[1] and unable to enter REM, the deepest stage of sleep.

So, how do you sleep when it's hot? 🤷

Here are some tips for sleeping cool:

Use natural fabrics

Choose natural fabrics such as linen, cotton, and bamboo for your sheets and bedding.

These fabrics are more breathable than synthetic materials and help regulate your body temperature as you sleep. 💤

Sleep downstairs

Since hot air rises, you might find sleeping downstairs cooler than in your bedroom.

This trick works best if you have a supportive camp bed that allows air to flow under your sleeping body.

Avoid using fluffy pillows

Pillows can trap heat and make it difficult to sleep comfortably.

However, sleeping without a pillow isn’t usually recommended since it can cause spinal misalignment.

You’re more likely to wake up with neck and back pain if your spine curves unnaturally in your sleep.

We suggest using a flatter pillow made from a natural and breathable material. 💝

Cooling mattresses and sleep accessories

Avoiding fluffy pillows and snug blankets is an obvious choice for sleeping when it’s hot, but this isn’t always enough.

Some people won’t sleep well in the heat even without all of these things, and others can’t sleep comfortably without at least a light cover and pillow.

If you are an extra hot sleeper, you might want to consider purchasing some cooling sleep products.

Cool mattresses

Cool mattresses employ advanced technology that draws heat away from the body. 🥶

This is a stark contrast to many ordinary mattresses, which often trap heat and keep you too toasty.

A mattress storing heat might be cosy in the winter, but it's unbearable in hot weather.

Memory foam mattresses are especially known for trapping heat. 😭

While spring mattresses tend to have better ventilation and allow cool air in and hot air out of the mattress.

A cooling mattress with natural ventilation or temperature-regulating technology could be a lifesaver if you are a naturally hot sleeper.

The Dreams TheraPur ActiGel Glacier 3600 Mattress combines ActiGel Foam and an ActiCool cover with pocket springs for the ultimate cool and comfy night’s sleep.

BUY THERAPUR ACTIGEL MATTRESS£ 1,399

Cooling mattress toppers

A cooling mattress topper can help to keep you cool at night by drawing body heat away from you.

There are several excellent cooling mattress toppers available for every budget.

We love the hybrid Simba Mattress Topper because it combines mini pocket springs and synthetic latex with high-resilience foam which helps regulate temperature.

BUY SIMBA TOPPER£ 219

If you don't want to spend money on a cooling mattress topper, you can try placing a few ice packs on your bed before you sleep. 🛌

Cooling pillows

It's generally recommended that you avoid pillows when it's extra hot, but you don't have to go without them if you have a cool pillow.

So-called cool pillows regulate temperature and keep you chill as you sleep. 😍

The Kally Cooling Pillow is a perfect option for those who want a firmer cool pillow that is breathable and machine-washable.

Studies ^[2] suggest this is particularly important since our core body temperature needs to drop 1 to 2°C for a great night's sleep.

Our favourite cooling sleep accessories:

There are several ways to cool down a house that is too hot.

Air conditioning (AC) is popular worldwide and can effectively spread cool air, though it is expensive to run. 🤑

Another option is to use room fans or ceiling fans.

Fans circulate the air and can help cool people down, but they don't lower the room's temperature.

If you already own one of these items or plan to buy one, you'll need to know how to get the most from it.

Let's look at how you can increase the effectiveness of your fans, dehumidifiers, and AC units. 👇

Fans

Fans are one of the cheapest devices, but they don't technically cool down a room.

If a room is hot, fans will simply circulate the hot air. 😬

But those who know how to cool down a hot room know how to use fans to help.

For instance, you can use multiple fans to improve airflow and close doors to keep cool air in one space. 💨

When navigating how to cool down a room with a fan, the fastest trick is adding ice.

Placing a deep dish of ice in front of a fan can also help solve how to make your room cold by ensuring your fan is circulating cool rather than warm air. 🧊

If you keep your windows open at night and windows and curtains closed during the day, you can keep air temperatures lower, meaning your fan can create a cool breeze.

Dehumidifiers

Like fans, dehumidifiers don't technically lower a room's temperature, but they can still have a cooling effect. 😊

That might sound confusing, so let us explain:

Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air and help prevent condensation. ⛄

The less humid the environment is, the cooler a room tends to feel.

You should also close windows and doors before turning your dehumidifier on, especially if it's less powerful.

Closing doors and windows mean the dehumidifier can more effectively remove moisture from one space, and you will maximise the cooling impact. 👏

Air conditioning

What is the fastest way to cool down a room, you ask?

Air conditioning lowers home temperatures in the shortest time.

An AC unit is the only tool that literally cools a room by blowing cold air, but these devices aren't super common in the UK.

Air conditioning is generally the most effective way to cool down a house. 😄

It is also the most expensive option.

There are portable air conditioning units for those who want something more effective but don't want to install an entirely new cooling and heating system in their home. 👌

So how do you make the most of air conditioning units if you have them?

1. Clean it regularly since debris can build up and partially block airflow.
2. Close windows and doors so your AC has a smaller area to cool and maintain; otherwise, the unit will have to work much harder as warm air re-enters from other rooms or outside areas. 😖
3. Ensure air vents are well-directed and not directly facing anything that could block the air.

Air conditioning units aren't the cheapest things to run, so don't make yours work any harder than needed to keep you cool.

Rising electric costs

Those who have AC, fans, and dehumidifiers may be reluctant to use them, given the skyrocketing cost of electric bills ^[5]. 💸

Luckily, other options (as discussed above) don't rely on tech or electrics.

The UK isn't exactly known for its sunny weather, and we certainly aren't prepped to handle the heat. 🌞

It's no surprise that most buildings do little to protect us against hot weather.

In fact, most of our homes are built to keep the heat in, not out.

As temperatures rise, you may want to consider alternative and longer-term solutions to help keep your house cool. 🤔

Let's look at longer-term solutions to keep your home from becoming a furnace.

• Install air conditioning to help quickly reduce temperatures during hotter periods.
• Insulate your walls and ceiling. This will help to keep heat from entering your home in the first place.
• Use awnings to keep the sun away from your windows so rooms aren't exposed to the sun for long periods and can stay cooler.

It is generally easier to keep a room cool than to cool it down when it is hot. 👍

Though these solutions aren't the cheapest, implementing them would help keep your house cool in summer naturally. 🍃