When the weather’s hot, things can get desperate. I’ve seen my fair share of hacks — one of my colleagues covered his windows in aluminum foil — but the weirdest one I’ve seen this year also happens to have the backing of actual scientists.
So, why on earth are people spreading yogurt on their windows to help keep the heat out? Well, according to Dr Ben Roberts, a senior lecturer in healthy buildings at Loughborough University, it’s proven to lower the temperature of your home.
Why yogurt can help you keep your cool
Confession time: I’ve covered myself in yogurt before. After picking up a nasty sunburn the day before my graduation, I was willing to try anything to lessen the pain (and the bright red skin), and according to the internet, yogurt works a treat. So, I slathered my legs and arms in the stuff and felt an immediate relief as it cooled down my skin.
As it dried, it did feel like it was drawing out the worst of the heat from my skin. My flatmates thought I was crazy, but I can confirm it worked.
So, is there something magical about yogurt that can keep the heat out?
According to the BBC, the research was attributed largely to the light color of the yogurt when it dried, which reflects the light and creates a layer on the window that can reflect the sunlight.
Better yet, this hack couldn’t be much cheaper. You could say it’s a little wasteful to spread perfectly good food on your windows, but according to the researchers, the layer of yogurt could lower the internal temperature of a home “up to a maximum of 3.5°C [which equates to 6.3°F] cooler” on a hot summer day. And that could be worth it.
Should you try it?
Would I try it? Honestly, I’m not totally against it. I live in London, where we have no AC and are forced to do some crazy things to keep the heat out when a heatwave strikes. And according to the researcher, once the yogurt has dried, there’s no smell.
I took this for a spin on what I’d call a patch test, not willing to coat my entire window quite yet, and I can confirm it wasn’t stinky and dried pretty fast. But I’ll admit that I’ve not put the hack to the test properly, I can’t recommend it to anyone else.
Speaking to the BBC, Dr Roberts said: “It shows the importance of treating windows and heat shielding solutions for windows to reduce overheating.”
So if I were you, I’d consider picking up something a little less messy to cover your windows. We’ve done the aluminum foil hack before, and it actually worked quite well.
Could it damage your windows?
I asked Jade Oliver, stylist at Express Bi-Folding Doors, for her take on spreading yogurt on windows to keep the heat out.
“While the idea of spreading yogurt on the outside of your windows might lower house temperature, we’d strongly advise against it,” she told me. “Yogurt is acidic and, depending on the type, can contain sugars or fats that could potentially damage window seals, attract pests, and leave behind a sticky residue that’s tough to clean off.”
“It’s not designed for use on glazing and could do more harm than good, especially to modern coated or self-cleaning glass, which can be sensitive to abrasive or chemical contamination.”
Joseph Holman, CEO of Green Doors, concurs.
“It’s important to keep your home as cool as you can during a heatwave, but one thing we would draw the line at though, is wasting good food to do so.”
On second thought, maybe I’ll stick to the caveman method.