Texas summers can be brutally hot. Try these tips and tricks for keeping cool in your car this season.

Sponsored Content, By Chelsea Bancroft, Photo by RJ Gilliam

Chelsea Bancroft

Park in the shade when you can and crack the windows.

Parking in the shade may be obvious, but it makes a huge difference, especially if your car has a dark exterior. Keeping the windows cracked, even just the slightest bit, will help the circulation in your car. Just be sure the crack is not large enough that a hand or arm could fit inside.

Try this hack for the fastest way to cool down your car.

The quickest way to cool down your car is to roll down the front passenger window, then open and close the driver’s-side door five to six times. It sounds crazy, but it really works.

Consider window tint.

Tinted windows have been proven to make a huge difference when it comes to keeping your car’s interior cooler in the summer.

Turn the steering wheel 180 degrees when you park.

When parking your car, turn the wheel 180 degrees. That way, the side you touch to drive won’t be been in direct sunlight and the steering wheel won’t burn your hands.

Use your car’s sunshade.

I’ll be the first to admit I never used to use one, but they can really help keep the interior of your car cool, not to mention the dash and steering wheel. You can also get some that stick to the windows.

Use a fine-mist spray bottle.

Cool down hot metal seat belts or plastic by using a fine-mist spray bottle. Evaporation will quickly cool down the surface. You could also use a damp cloth.

Protect your kids’ car seats.

Prevent kiddos from burning themselves on hot car seats by getting a reflective sunshade that fits right over the car seat. Just search “car-seat sunshade” on Amazon and you’ll find tons of options, and most cost less than $10.

Remove kids’ items.

Always check what your kids may have brought into the car and, more importantly, what they left behind. Hot Texas summers and a box of crayons are not a good mix. Trust me on this one. Food will also spoil faster, so check for leftover milk cartons, snacks, etc., to prevent nasty, unwanted smells.

Buy cooling seat covers.

Did you know you can actually buy cooling car-seat covers that plug into your car’s cigarette lighter? Many cars already have this feature built in, but if yours doesn’t, you can purchase one for less than $50 on Amazon.

Prepare your car for the heat.

Last and certainly not least, make sure your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date and that it’s prepared for the heat. That includes checking the AC, tire pressure (you don’t want tires too full), oil and fluid levels, battery status (heat takes a toll), brakes, etc.

I hope these hacks help you to stay cool this summer. From all of us at Roger Beasley, please remember to never leave children or pets unattended in the car, even if it’s just for a minute. It can have deadly consequences.


Chelsea Bancroft is the strategic-partnerships and social-media manager at Roger Beasley Mazda and a blogger at onechelofanadventure.com.


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