Ah, summertime – bikinis, out-of-town vacations, beach parties, slushy cocktails, top-down cars, and more. But do you know what’s not so awesome about this weather? The challenge of staying cool in your car during summer. Going inside a car that’s parked under the scorching heat can be unbearable and pose health risks, not to mention the potential damage to your vehicle.
Knowing that there’s no direct way to avoid this kind of heat from the sun, we can still say that apart from using your air conditioning, there are other smart hacks you can do to keep you and your car not too uncomfortable during summer.
We’re here to share with you these effective ways how to stay cool in your car despite the hot and humid summertime:
- Park Wisely
This is probably the easiest thing you can do to avoid the scorching rays of the sun, especially if all your other options have gone out the window. No matter how much of a hassle it’ll be, the best way is to always park your car in covered parking areas and shaded spots. That way, the sun’s rays won’t directly and easily penetrate your car interiors. Now, should you have no other choice because the place you’re going to doesn’t have trees nor a covered parking area, then you should park your car in a direction turning back from the sun. By doing so, you’ll avoid having to sit on heated car seats and touching a burning steering wheel.
- Ensure air ventilation.
We all know that the hot and humid steam inside a car that’s parked under the summer sun is just the worst. So unless you have a car with a remote starter, one that will enable you to wait until the inside of your car is cooled down by the A/C, there’s one thing left for you to do: crack your windows open for enough ventilation. Of course, it’s but foolish to keep your car parked with windows completely open. To explain exactly, leave them with a small opening (size less than the width of a person’s arm). In that way, the hot air or steam won’t be trapped inside for you to suffer with.
- Invest in window coverings and cooling accessories.
Now speaking of windows, there are actually car accessories you can invest in so that you won’t have to directly bear the burning heat while you are inside your vehicle. Check out these “cool” add-ons you can choose from depending on your needs and budget:
- Windshield sun shades (front and rear)
- Window sun shades
- Solar powered cool ventilation fans
- Auto Sun Up Window Curtains/Blinds
- Cooling Seat Cushions
- Air conditioned seats
- Hydrate!
We all know that the heat of the summer sun is something we cannot control, that’s why most of us are used to just putting up with it no matter how uncomfortable it is. But as we have mentioned earlier, this kind of heat is also detrimental to our health. So to protect not only our skin from getting burned, but more importantly our total body condition, here are some things you can do:
- Dress according to the weather. Choose clothes with light fabrics and bright colors. Use caps, sunglasses, and of course sun protection lotions.
- Always keep a bottle of ice-cold (or even freezing) water handy.
- If you can’t drive barefoot, drive in slippers or flip-flops.
- Drive with wet hair.
- Bring wet rags – to wipe burning seats and parts, to put in your AC vent, etc.
- Take rest stops and water breaks once you feel really uncomfortable with the heat.
- Plan your travel time well.
If possible, plan your travel times ahead of time. If you really can’t travel at night, schedule driving times during early mornings or late afternoons. Plus, you can also plan your routes wisely. During summer, the heat will be more bearable if you’re in a continuous long journey than in a stop-and-go traffic. So avoid heavily congested roads and highways as much as possible.
- Make use of ice!
Ice is not only great to quench our thirst but also to fight the heat and humidity inside our cars. These are the things you can do:
- Get a 10-pound block of ice with you and put it in a much bigger tray or container. Place it on your car floor and leave some of your windows (an inch or two) open. This will help the air ventilate a lot faster.
- Bring some ice cubes and place them in a thermocol (polystyrene container). Keep its lid open and place it under an unused seat or simply on the floor. As the ice inside melts, it’ll also help cool the inside of your car.
- Freeze water bottles not to drink but also to use as ice packs to keep some parts of your body cool.
With these smart, hassle-free, affordable, and effective tips to keep cool in your car, it’s now easier to enjoy the rest of summer without having to think of the heat you’ll experience while driving and inside your car.