The Malaysian meteorological department may have warned of rainy days ahead, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the days – or even nights – are cool.

In fact, coupled with the high humidity, temperatures can remain in the region of 30°C and above, with “realfeel” even reaching 40°C on some days.

Luckily, there are simple ways for Malaysians to cool down when things get too hot. Here are five simple ways to beat the heat.

1. Cool a can of soft drink

The best way to cool down internally is obviously to drink something cold. But what do you do if you’ve forgotten to put your can of soft drink in the fridge?

Try this easy hack. Add some salt to a bowl of ice water and put your can of soft drink into the bowl. Your drink should cool in approximately five minutes.

If you don’t have any ice, you could also wrap your drink with a wet paper towel and place it in the freezer for approximately 20 minutes.

2. Keep ice creams soft

Ice creams are lifesavers that can help you cool down quickly when the weather is blazing hot. But these slushy or creamy treats tend to be rock solid when they first come out of the freezer.

One easy way to soften ice cream would be to place the container at room temperature for 10-15 minutes prior to scooping. Alternatively, if the container is microwave safe, nuke it for about 10 seconds.

If it’s still too hard, you can heat up your scoop or spoon by dipping it in hot water before digging in.

You can also keep your ice cream soft by storing the container in an airtight bag before putting it in the freezer.

3. Stay cool with peppermint

Some people love it, some people hate it, but peppermint always provides a cool sensation.

Survive the hot weather with your favorite peppermint item: chewing gum, tea, spray, essential oil, shampoo, body scrub – you name it.

Remember to not go overboard though, or you might get allergies, diarrhoea, or other complications, especially with the use of essential oils. Pregnant women should aim to avoid peppermint altogether.

4. Make it dark

You might assume it would get stuffy indoors if you closed all your curtains and blinds, but a lot of heat actually comes through your windows. By keeping the sun out, you can stay indoors without unwanted high temperatures.

Alternatively, get your windows tinted, so you will be able to enjoy the sunlight and remain cool at the same time.

5. Chill skincare products

For those of you who regularly use skincare products, you might find the extra layer a little suffocating when you’re trying to endure the heat. But here’s how you can fix this.

Simply store your skincare products in the fridge – but NOT the freezer – and enjoy the cool sensation when you use them later on. Those who have easily irritated skin might also get an extra calming effect from a cold face mask, moisturiser or cream.

Bonus

When the weather is hot all year round, there’s only so many things that you can do to survive the heat. To make things easier, install an air conditioner in your home to enjoy the cool breeze!

This article first appeared in kaodim.com, Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing platform that connects users to dependable and professional local service providers – fast and hassle-free. With the Kaodim app, users can access professional services for home renovation, office cleaning, and much more.