Woman shares life hack she used to cool down her home during heatwave

By Jessica Hehir-Smith via SWNS

A woman has shared her genius one-minute foil blanket hack that has reduced her home’s temperature by up to four DEGREES - and costs only £2 ($2.40).

Jay Virdee came up with the idea after spotting a car with a large sunshade in the windscreen and wondering if she could replicate it in her own home.

Jay was "roasting" in her room and thought there could be an upgrade from the one-way window film which blocks some UV rays she already had.

She first tried tinfoil but found it was too expensive, as she needed multiple rolls to cover her window and it needed replacing regularly as it ripped easily.

It also created a "total blackout" that she didn't want.

After some digging, Jay found that an emergency foil blanket worked perfectly.

They are large, reusable, can be bought in multipacks and are transparent enough to be able to see out whilst reducing between 50-60% of the sun coming in.

Jay’s brilliant hack does come with a couple of safety warnings to ensure that no one is negatively impacted by the use of this emergency item.

Jay, of from Buckinghamshire, England said: “One blanket goes a very long way - it is very big.

“They are only necessary for the windows receiving the most sun so there’s no need to sell out any stores or raid emergency supplies!

“It’s best to apply in the morning or evening and do a 360 check outside the house to ensure it’s not reflecting any sun into vehicles or other houses.

“It should also be applied securely to ensure that children or vulnerable people can’t pull it down and hurt themselves.

“My dog loves ANYTHING crispy-sounding so I’ve made sure it’s out of his reach!”

Jay suffers from lung disease and a rare autoimmune condition, so it is vital for her to stay healthy and safe during extreme weather.

She said: “Extreme heat can cause flare-ups of health conditions that can lead to you feeling very fatigued and unwell.

“Besides feeling cooler, I feel happier as my lungs are nowhere near as affected as they would be in such a heatwave.

“It also stops you from needing to keep the fan on all day - which is great whilst we’re in the midst of a cost of living crisis.”