Your kitchen is one of the essential as well as hottest rooms in your home. So, how can you keep yourself cool in a hot kitchen?
You can invest in a kitchen cooling fan, cook smartly, wear light clothes, stay hydrated, and take other steps.
Let’s explore everything you can do to remain cool in a hot kitchen!
How to Remain Cool in a Hot Kitchen
Here are some helpful steps you can take to stay cool in your hot kitchen:
Get a Kitchen Cooling Fan
Appropriate airflow will help keep your hot kitchen cool.
Invest in a fan that is ergonomically designed for kitchen use. You can find various designs for kitchen cooling fans online.
These fans will help you stay cool by circulating cool air in your kitchen. You can put them in different parts of your kitchen.
For instance, if your main fan is installed in the ceiling, you can put the small ones near the stove, microwave, on top of the fridge, etc. Choose positions that will help you move hot air out.
Additionally, when using the stove, turn on the range hood vent. It will remove the fumes, odor, and grease and eliminate the heat, smoke, and steam that can get trapped and heat your kitchen.
Kitchen fans will help you eradicate the heat and stagnation trapped in your kitchen.
A strategically placed fan can move the hot air out of your kitchen. An exhaust fan works wonders for this purpose.
Wear Light Clothing
Whenever you have to step inside your hot kitchen, make sure to wear light clothing to remain cool.
Choose clothes that fit loosely on your body and are made from lightweight, airy materials.
Avoid wearing sweaters, hoodies, scarves, or hats that will generate more body heat. Dress in loose, lightweight cotton shorts, tees, and open clothes to remain cool.
Also, do not wear closed shoes that will trap heat. Instead, wear light sandals or open shoes to ensure your feet get enough air to stay cool.
Maintain Hydration with Ice Water
Hydration is key when you’re working in a hot atmosphere, and running around cooking a meal in a hot kitchen is no different.
Ice cold water will help you stay cool in a hot, humid kitchen.
Always keep a glass of water with two to three big ice cubes near you to keep sipping on it. You can take things up a notch by drinking cucumber-infused water.
You can also boost your electrolyte intake by drinking water mixed with lemon and sea salt.
If you don’t want to use ice cubes, you can put your water in a bottle and keep it in the freezer until the water cools.
If you want to experiment further, you can put chopped strawberries and mint in your water or try different fruit variations. The point is to remain hydrated to beat the heat.
Open Your Kitchen Door & Windows (for better ventilation)
When you’re working in a hot kitchen, you can direct the hot air out of the room by opening the doors and kitchen windows.
Make sure to put your fans in the direction of these openings.
This way, you can ensure that hot air is getting expelled from the room. It will help you balance the temperature of your kitchen, keeping you cool.
However, do put curtains or blinds on the windows to keep insects from entering the kitchen.
Use Lightweight Blinds & Keep Them Closed
Make sure that you don’t expose your kitchen to sunlight. Otherwise, the scorching light will overheat your kitchen. You can keep the room cool by using lightweight blinds.
Using lightweight blinds can ensure that they are not trapping hot air inside the room. You can also fold the curtains to let the cool air through.
It’s best to use sheers to keep your kitchen cool in areas where the space does not get any sunlight.
However, if your kitchen is the main source of natural light and your indoor plants need that light, make sure to replace them or keep the shades slightly drawn.
Only Cook Hot Foods When It Is Cool
Avoid cooking hot meals when the weather is hot, and the sunlight is coming through the window. Stay away from making tea, coffee, or a hot meal, as it will cause you to sweat and feel hot.
It might also cause you to feel dehydrated. You can replace these hot meals with a cold milkshake or some iced coffee or tea.
If you want a meal, you can make a quick sandwich with leftovers or cold meat cuts instead of cooking one on the stove or using the oven.
Moreover, you can strategize and cook your meals when the temperature is cool. Cook in your kitchen in the evening, early morning, or at night. This way, you will be able to avoid feeling too hot.
If you don’t have time to stand by the stove and cook, you can bake meals or cook things that don’t require your constant attention.
Cook in Large Batches & Use Leftovers
When cooking, make sure to prepare large batches of food that you can store and reheat later to keep yourself cool in a hot kitchen.
Precooked leftovers are a lot better than cooking new meals every day.
When you have leftovers, you will not have to heat up your kitchen.
You can roast a chicken in the oven and use its leftovers to prepare various meals later on, such as tacos, sandwiches, salads, nachos, etc.
Don’t Consume Salty Foods
Consuming salty food produces metabolic heat post digestion. It will cause you to sweat more when working in a hot kitchen.
So, limit your intake of salty food when cooking.
You can replace salty stuff with veggies and fruits with lots of water in them. It will help you maintain your water intake.
You can also cool them in the refrigerator before eating to keep yourself cool.
Dampen Your Kitchen Curtains
If you want to ensure you remain cool in a hot kitchen, spritz your curtains with ice-cold water. It will ensure that cool air can circulate in the room.
The air circulation will also keep you cool. All you need for this tip is a spritz bottle.
Fill it with cold water and spritz your curtains so that they are wet. Your curtains should be lightweight for this trick to work.
Keep All Unnecessary Lights Off
Artificial interior lights can also heat up your kitchen.
So, make sure you dim the lights. You certainly don’t have to work in the dark, but you should at least keep the unnecessary lights off.
Only keep on the lights that will help you cook your food. You can turn off the remaining overhead lights. It will help drop the temperature inside your kitchen, keeping you cool.
Moreover, using fewer lights will also save you some bucks on your electricity bills.
Use a DIY Room Cooler
If you cannot invest in an air-conditioner or especially-designed kitchen fan, you can use a DIY room cooler. All you need is a table fan, a bowl full of ice cubes, and maybe some water.
Fill the large bowl with ice cubes and some water. Keep it on a countertop where you’re working in the kitchen. Put a table fan behind the bowl and turn it on.
The ice cubes will trap the hot air in the room and let the cool breeze circulate in the air.
The fan will ensure that the cool air circulates in your kitchen and reaches you, keeping you cool while you work.
Make sure to replace the cubes when they melt so that you can continue feeling cool in a hot kitchen.
Don’t waste the melted cube. You can use that water to wash your dishes or water your plants.
Use Smaller Appliances
Instead of using your oven or stove and heating up the kitchen, try using smaller appliances, such as your toaster oven, Panini press, air fryer, microwave, etc.
These appliances will generate less heat than your oven or stove and help keep you cool in a hot kitchen.
You can look up recipes that will be easier to prepare in these smaller appliances.
The Bottom Line
While most people cannot stop using the kitchen entirely during the summer, you can certainly use the tips above to keep yourself cool in a hot kitchen.
Stay hydrated, use strategically placed kitchen fans, and cook smartly in your kitchen. Also, try DIY infused water recipes and cooling systems for your kitchen.
Moreover, you can keep your kitchen blinds on to prevent sunlight from entering the room and heating it up. Keep the unnecessary lights off to keep the area from heating up.
Wear lightweight clothes, such as loose cotton or chiffon pants, shorts, and tees, and pair them with open slippers to keep yourself cool.
Lastly, cook foods when the weather is relatively cool.
If you are cooking when it’s hot, prepare quick and easy meals that will cool you down, such as milkshakes, iced tea, salads, and cold sandwiches.
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