'I tried the weirdest heatwave home cooling method and it worked'

'I tried the weirdest heatwave home cooling method and it worked' Civil engineer Emma Kent tested the bizarre technique and says it actually works A woman who tried a 'fast and cheap' heatwave hack that is said to keep homes cool for several weeks says it works - and doesn't smell as bad as you would think. As the UK suffers through its fifth heatwave this summer, with temperatures potentially hitting 38C, people are searching for ways to keep cool. Emma Kent has taken to using a rather bizarre hack to beat the heat. It involves painting each window with Greek yoghurt. “The yoghurt doesn’t actually cool the home, per se,” said the civil engineer, from Hitchin. “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. 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. It takes just five minutes and costs only £2.50. T he hack was found on the website Heatwave Toolkit. Emma was happy to test it out – and says it’s a winner. 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.”