A Brit has revealed the fast and cheap heatwave hack that can keep homes cool for several weeks – but prepare for the stench.
As the UK suffers through its fifth heatwave this summer, with temperatures reaching a scoring 35c in the capital today, people are searching for ways to keep cool.
And with fans, as well as air conditioning units, selling out like hotcakes, it’s time to use our imaginations.
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That was certainly the case for Emma Kent, anyway, who has taken to using a rather bizarre – and quite smelly – hack to beat the heat.
It involves painting each window with a white substance: Greek yoghurt.
“The yoghurt doesn’t actually cool the home, per se,” the civil engineer, from Hitchin, told creatorzine.com.
“But when painted on outside of the windows, the yoghurt prevents sunlight from entering and therefore stops your home from heating up.
“I noticed the results the next day after we had cooled the house down overnight.
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“And then it helped prevent heat gain immediately.”
The 42-year-old says it made a 1.5c difference in the top-floor room where it was painted, as well as reducing solar glare and discomfort from the sunshine.
She suggests applying it once and then leaving it to dry into a hard layer, which should last until it’s washed off – or up to several weeks.
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It takes just five minutes and costs only £2.50.
It wasn’t all her idea, though.
The hack was found on the website Heatwave Toolkit.
However, Emma was happy to test it out – and says it’s a winner.
But prepare for a slight stench.
She added, “It smelled for about two minutes, then dried into an opaque, hard paste, with no smell.
“There were no files or any of the issues you might imagine.
“I did feel a bit silly getting the decorating gear out, then filling a paint tray with yoghurt.
“But I trusted in the process.
“I was glad I did it as it worked well.
“The window cleaner came round soon after my first batch, and it washed off easily, so I chose to reapply it.
“Obviously it’s a cheap, quick fix and external shading such as shutters, blinds or shade sails would be more effective.”
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