How to stay cool?

[Maggyie]

It's 90 degrees today and we don't have central a/c. We have a window unit for our bedroom but otherwise rely on ceiling fans. It doesn't do much in this high humidity. Our house was built 1932 so the original owners must have known how to handle it. What do you do to stay cool without using a/c?

[Nihil Obstat]

I bought a really good tower fan, the Vornado, so I run that with the balcony door and bedroom window open. If that is not enough, one is forced to remove clothing, drink cold beverages, and eat ice cream.

[Maggyie]

1 minute ago, Nihil Obstat said:

I bought a really good tower fan, the Vornado, so I run that with the balcony door and bedroom window open. If that is not enough, one is forced to remove clothing, drink cold beverages, and eat ice cream.

I like the last part.

 

[little2add]

a tall glass of lemonade with ice is good 

 a damp/wet cold towel on the back of the neck works good too

 

[NadaTeTurbe]

 I live in a region where is 90° on the good days and 100° on bad days in summer, and we don't have A/C or ceilling fans (I discovered both in Canada), and here's how we do : 

a) Wake up at 5 a.m to open the windows so fresh air can enter 
b) Then do whatever you have to do until it's very hot 
c) Then drink a lemonade 
d) Don't do anything 
e) Sleep 
f) Don't move 
g) Siesta ! 
h) Time for another siesta 
i) at 6 p.m you're allowed to have your first beer 

[Nihil Obstat]

6pm? Who knew the French were so inhibited. On a hot day like that, crack a cold one at noon. 

[Makarioi]

Noonooo, Alcohol also suppresses a pituitary gland hormone that is responsible for inhibiting the diuretic effect. This makes your kidneys unable to reabsorb as much liquid as usual. The result is a substantial increase in your urine output---hence, you get dehydrated

[truthfinder]

If you can put in black-out curtains especially on windows that have full-sunshine, it can keep the house from getting so hot.

[NadaTeTurbe]

14 minutes ago, Nihil Obstat said:

6pm? Who knew the French were so inhibited. On a hot day like that, crack a cold one at noon. 

Wine before 6pm, beer at 6-10 pm, after it's a weird regional alcoholic beverage, and after midnight, you can open a bottle of this eau-de-vie your grandfather distilled in 1914  

[Basilisa Marie]

Blackout curtains, open windows when it's cool, closed when it's hot, homemade ice packs if it's super hot, not moving much. Fans. 

[Sponsa-Christi]

If you're hanging out with us, you'll always be cool! 

(Sorry for the bad pun! I can't help myself sometimes...)

[Nihil Obstat]

4 hours ago, Makarioi said:

Noonooo, Alcohol also suppresses a pituitary gland hormone that is responsible for inhibiting the diuretic effect. This makes your kidneys unable to reabsorb as much liquid as usual. The result is a substantial increase in your urine output---hence, you get dehydrated

Alternate beer and lemonade.

[Norseman82]

Well, you could camp out in the frozen foods section of the supermarket (like in the "Married with Children" episode).

Seriously, though, if your house has a basement, spend time there.

Another idea would be to get a dehumidifier or tow.

 

Edited June 12, 2016 by Norseman82

[CatherineM]

Frozen wash rags. Get them wet, wring out as much water as possible. Freeze. 90 degrees, back of neck. 100 degrees add one to top of head. You can also put them on the top of fans to blow cooler air. We'd wear Frozen tshirts to bed. 

[darcy15]

Move to the UK........then you would have no need of any of this! 

[Maggyie]

Good ideas you all. In the winter I forget how miserable summer can be. Baby's teething too and I'm still itchy from bug bites #armageddon #imnotready

[xSilverPhinx]

When things get almost unbearable for me I keep a wet towel nearby and wrap it around my neck. My shirt gets wet but floop it.