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A Hongkonger whose air conditioner broke down during the city’s first Very Hot Weather Warning of the year turned to social media for survival tips, prompting netizens to share a range of cooling advice — including one option costing just HK$17.90.
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The warning was issued on Tuesday as maximum temperatures were expected to reach 33 degrees Celsius for four consecutive days, with some parts of the New Territories possibly hitting 35 degrees.
The poster said they were urgently looking for products or methods to make life without air conditioning more bearable.
According to the poster, replacing the unit was difficult because of home constraints.
“A window-type air conditioner could not be installed for his home, while a split-type unit would require costly scaffolding…Meanwhile, portable air conditioners could make the room more humid,” he said.
The poster said his skin was already “sticky with sweat,” adding that even being “naked with a fan on” still left him sweating. Taking a cold shower and then sitting in front of a fan also did little to help, as the room temperature was so high that only hot air was blowing.
Netizens quickly offered different ways to cope with the heat.
The most popular suggestions involved physical cooling products. One commenter strongly recommended Gatsby’s “Extremely Cool” body wipes from Japan, claiming they could leave users feeling “so cold you shiver.”
According to Watsons’ online store as of May 26, a 10-sheet pack of Gatsby Cooling Body Wipes was priced at HK$17.90.
Other suggestions included applying cooling powder after showering, placing cooling patches on the wrists and neck, and putting ice packs in front of a fan to create a cooler breeze.
However, some experienced users warned that ice packs could produce condensation and increase indoor humidity, making the room feel stuffier and more tiring.
Others joked that the poster should seek advice from former Hong Kong Observatory director Lam Chiu-ying, who is known for advocating a zero-air-conditioning lifestyle. Lam has previously shared tips on staying cool and saving energy without using air conditioning.
Despite the flood of advice, many netizens urged the poster not to suffer unnecessarily, suggesting he consider renting a hotel room for a few days if the heat became unbearable.
