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My 2-Step Trick for Keeping Cool on the Hottest Days Is Basically Free (and So Refreshing!)

Sofia Rivera
Sofia RiveraAssociate Lifestyle Editor at Apartment Therapy
The first thing I ever said I wanted to be when I was young was an interior designer. But, after years of waiting by the mailbox for my favorite magazines and seizing every opportunity to write, I decided to pursue journalism. I started my career at Boston magazine, before pivoting into strategic communications, and coming back to journalism when I joined Apartment Therapy in 2022 — the perfect union of my childhood dream and adulthood passion. I edit the Life section, covering wellness, money, career, small-space living, mental health, and all the items, habits, hacks, and pro tips that can help you level up your life at home. I love peeling back the curtain on the myriad fascinating ways people live at home, and relish writing and editing narrative essays, special content packages, and stories that answer that question you’ve always had. When I’m not editing a feature or chasing a hot tip about how to live your best life at home, you can find me rearranging my furniture, perusing a local bookstore (even though I’ve run out of shelf space), writing a newsletter about overthinking pop culture, or taking a veryyy long walk around the city.
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published Aug 31, 2024
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A unique spin on a farmhouse kitchen, with vaulted ceilings and red accents, like a red windowed door and red stools
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Credit: Jessica Isaac

Every time I ascend from the boiling hot inferno of the New York subway in the summer, I wonder: How can I cool off as quickly as humanly possible? Yes, I have a handheld fan (which doubles as a phone charger and triples as a flashlight), but in the intensity of the heat waves this season, even the most multipurpose of miniature fans would need some help. I never expected to find the solution while on a cruise through the Mediterranean. 

Every day, the ship ported in a gorgeous Greek or Italian city where the sun was potent. The heat was dry, my tan lines were ever-evolving, and the ports were so lovely we never wanted to leave. But when we did make our way back to the (fittingly named) Sun Princess, there was always the most magical station to look forward to: Before we boarded the ship, we’d be greeted with a cold, wet washcloth and a frosty glass of citrus or cucumber water (traveler’s choice). 

The idea was to dab away your condensation or cleanse your hands and then rehydrate with an ultra-refreshing glass of naturally flavored water — one small enough to down in a few sips, which maximized the thirst-quenching experience, somehow. 

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Credit: Jessica Rapp

Of course, we were minutes away from walking into an air-conditioned environment and into a room where we could take a nice cold shower. But I can’t overstate how refreshing this little washcloth-and-water treat was. And the best part is that it’s practically free and ridiculously easy to re-create at home.

Though it had started to feel like autumn for a few days here in New York last week, I knew better than to think fall would arrive without a fake-out. It was in the 90s just yesterday, and the long weekend is looking hot. So, to keep the heat at bay in the coming days, I’ll be keeping these things in my fridge: a frosted glass — and maybe a pitcher of citrus water, though I also love the True Lemon packets for a nonperishable dose of citrus — and a washcloth. 

Whether I’m about to jump into the shower or just popping inside for a brief reprieve before heading back out, it’s such a cooling treat to look forward to when coming home from a humid day. And, thanks to the cruise, it’s one I’ll surely keep in my back pocket for many hot ones to come. 

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Wellness