Air conditioning is a god send in hot weather but, due to the fact that the UK sees so little of summer, most houses aren’t fitted with it. That hasn’t stopped one Reddit user. They wrote, “get one of those huge ice blocks from the grocery store and a shallow bowl or tray to put it in. Stick that in front of your fan” and there you have your own personal air conditioning. While this sounds a little bit questionable they’re not the only one out here getting crafty and WikiHow recommends a similar method to creating a cool environment from ice and a fan.

I feel like it’s age old dad-logic that a hot cup of tea will cool you down in the heat. And one Reddit user offered, “I make a cup of tea.” While drinking a hot beverage in the scorching heat might seem like a bonkers idea and the last thing you want to do, there is some logic behind it. A study conducted by the University of Ottawa in 2012 looked into the effects drinking hot drinks can have on you in the heat. Speaking to the Smithsonian magazine Dr Ollie Jay said, “if you drink a hot drink, it does result in a lower amount of heat stored inside your body, provided the additional sweat that’s produced when you drink the hot drink can evaporate.” So, if you drink a hot drink, it makes you sweat more, which will thus evaporate, leaving you cooler.

This next suggestion might not be one for when you’re in public. “Licking your wrists will help you cool down. I think it was due to the fact that by wetting your wrists the arteries and veins can transfer out heat easier,” wrote one Reddit user, “kangaroos apparently do it.” While the thought of licking your wrists does sound unorthodox there’s some science behind it. By running your wrists under cold water (or licking them) for 30 seconds you’ll cool down your core body temperature.

According to Reddit users, it isn’t just your local indoor shopping centre that might be a good place to hang out in the heat. Going to the cinema, the library, and coffee shops were also presented as good ideas. While it seems wasteful to be indoors during the nice weather, the air conditioning will do you a world of good. One user wrote, “avoid your house during the hottest times of day when it has built-up heat, which is maybe 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. thereabouts depending on sunset.” Another offered, “go and hang out in an air conditioned shopping centre for a while or go see a movie at the cinema? Super markets are always super cold as well.”

This isn’t the most practical suggestion if you have places to be and people to see but one Reddit user wrote, “wet hair helps a lot, though isn't particularly elegant. A slightly damp shirt also helps.” An article in the Stanford News revealed that, like keeping your wrists cool, your neck is a great area to cool your core body temperature. By wetting the collar of your top and your hair you can keep your neck nice and cold.

When the weather starts to get hot it seems like natural instinct to open all of the doors and windows in the house and try and get a breeze blowing through. However, when there's little to no breeze this can feel futile. One Reddit user said, “open the back door and hang a wet towel or sheet in the gap. Seriously, it works wonders.” While this sounds a little bonkers, by hanging a cold wet towel and letting air blow through it, it’ll work in a similar way that air conditioning does.

I can’t stand the thought of anyone or anything touching me once it gets past 35 degrees. Call me a wimp but if it’s unnecessary human contact or clothing it’s not happening. However, a way of staying cool which seemed super popular among Reddit users is wrapping your feet in a cold flannel or towel. One wrote, “if my feet are cold, the rest of me usually starts to feel cool, on hot nights I would put a thin towel over freezer packs and rest my feet on it, those squishy gel freezer packs in a thin towel on each side of or behind your neck feels very nice as well.” Another agreed and said, “wrap your feet with wet towels and alternate the side of the towel every 3-5 minutes. When the towel gets warm, dip it in cold water and soak it lightly. Repeat.”

It's important to make the most of the nice weather while it's here in the UK. However, staying cool and hydrated is a priority. Especially if you've got any intentions to sleep over the next few days. If you've run out of options maybe try one of Reddit's wacky suggestions.