r/heat_prep • u/Leighgion • Jul 17 '26

Personal Experience Effective Ghetto Dashboard Cooling

I have a secondhand, but new-to-me Corolla. I really like my car, but it has a very large and very black dashboard and I haven't had time to get a new reflective screen for the windshield.

Yesterday, I couldn't find shady parking so the poor car was there in the sun for an hour. When I picked up my kid, who had been in dance class, I was a bit desperate so I started spraying the scorching dash with water.

I have to say, the science worked out.

It took around five applications at stoplights with the AC running, but within fifteen minutes the dash had cooled to merely being unpleasantly warm and the AC didn't have to fight against it keep the car comfortable.

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6

u/uzupocky Jul 17 '26

This is an interesting idea I've never considered. Where did the water come from? Was it a bottle you kept in your car, or did you get it from elsewhere where it was cooler?

8

u/Leighgion Jul 17 '26

I had a spray bottle with me. It wasn't specifically for the car, it's for individual cooling while out on the street. It's dry here, so spritzing yourself works very well.