How to Keep Your Home Cool in a UK Heatwave: Simple Ways to Beat the Heat
British homes are very good at keeping warmth in.
Most of the year, that is exactly what we want. Then a heatwave arrives, the upstairs bedrooms feel warmer every night and suddenly we're all standing in front of an open window wondering why the house still feels hotter inside than it does outside.
If that sounds familiar, you are definitely not alone.
The trick to keeping your home cool in a UK heatwave is not necessarily owning air conditioning. It is stopping as much heat as possible from getting into the house during the day, then taking advantage of cooler air when temperatures drop.
Some changes are surprisingly simple.
Here are the things worth trying before the next hot night.
1. Don't automatically open every window
This is probably the biggest mistake many of us make.
It feels completely logical: the house is hot, so open all the windows.
But if the air outside is considerably warmer than the air inside, you can simply be inviting more heat into the house.
On very hot days, keep windows closed or only slightly open during the hottest part of the day, particularly on the sunny side of the house. Then, once the temperature outside begins to fall in the evening, open windows and doors where it is safe to do so and let the cooler air move through.
If you can safely open windows on opposite sides of the house, this can create useful cross-ventilation.
UKHSA's advice for keeping cool at home similarly recommends closing windows when the air outside is hotter and opening them when it becomes cooler outside.
The simple rule: if outside feels hotter than inside, keep the heat out. When outside becomes cooler, let the air in.
2. Close blinds and curtains before the room gets hot
Don't wait until a room is already roasting.
If direct sunlight pours through a window for several hours, the room can steadily absorb that heat.
Close blinds or curtains on windows receiving direct sun, particularly during the afternoon.
South- and west-facing rooms can become particularly warm later in the day, so getting into the habit of closing them before you leave for work or go out can make a noticeable difference when you return.
External shading such as awnings and shutters can be particularly effective, but using the curtains or blinds you already have is a good place to start. This is also one of the measures recommended in the Government's official hot-weather home checklist.
Then reopen everything once the direct sun has moved away and the outside temperature begins to fall.
3. Think about which rooms you actually need to keep cool
Trying to cool the whole house at once can feel impossible.
Instead, concentrate on the spaces you really need.
Bedrooms should be the priority if hot nights are affecting sleep. During the day, keep bedroom blinds or curtains closed and avoid leaving unnecessary electrical equipment running.
If one side of your home stays naturally cooler than another, use it.
You might find yourself working from a north-facing room instead of the sunny kitchen table, or spending the afternoon downstairs rather than in an upstairs bedroom.
It doesn't matter whether it is the room you would normally choose.
For a few very hot days, follow the coolest part of the house.
4. Use fans more strategically
A fan doesn't actually make the room itself colder. It moves air across your skin, which can help you feel cooler.
Positioning therefore matters.
During the evening, a fan can help move cooler air through the room when windows are open.
If you have more than one safe opening, experiment with where the fan sits rather than automatically pointing it straight at the bed or sofa.
And remember to turn fans off when they are no longer needed.
If you're working from home, a smaller fan beside your desk may also be more useful than trying to move air around an entire room.
5. Reduce the amount of heat you're creating indoors
There isn't much point carefully keeping the afternoon sun out and then turning the oven on for two hours.
On exceptionally hot days, think about meals that require less cooking.
Salads, cold plates, sandwiches, fruit, mezze-style dinners and food cooked outdoors can all make sense when the kitchen is already warm.
Obviously, outdoor cooking should only be done where it is safe and permitted, particularly during very dry conditions.
It can also be worth running heat-producing appliances such as dishwashers later in the evening rather than during the hottest part of the afternoon.
August doesn't always have to mean complicated cooking anyway.
A bowl of tomatoes, good bread, cheese, olives, fruit and something cold to drink can make a very good dinner.
6. Make your bedroom work harder during the day
If you're searching for how to keep a bedroom cool in summer, the work starts long before bedtime.
Close curtains or blinds before direct sunlight hits the room.
Keep unnecessary lights and electrical items switched off.
Once outside temperatures fall in the evening, open the windows safely and allow the room to ventilate.
Then look at the bed itself.
Heavy duvets, synthetic layers and lots of decorative cushions aren't particularly inviting when the bedroom is already warm.
Strip things back.
Lightweight natural fabrics such as cotton and linen can feel more comfortable against the skin during hot weather, so summer is a good time to swap heavier layers for simpler bedding.
We like rooms to feel softer and more relaxed at this time of year anyway – fewer layers, lighter colours and natural texture rather than lots of unnecessary extras.
7. Take a cooler shower before bed
If you've spent the evening feeling overheated, going straight into a warm bedroom isn't going to feel particularly inviting.
A cool shower can help you feel more comfortable before bed. NHS hot-weather advice also recommends cool showers or using cool water on your skin and clothes to help cool yourself down.
This is also where a good cotton towel comes into its own.
During summer, we tend to prefer towels that feel substantial enough to dry properly but are easy to hang up between uses.
The LiTTLE MARiNER organic cotton towels at Mash + Mint are generous enough for the bathroom, beach or pool and come in Coastal Blue, Sage Green, Dusty Rose and Off-White.
They're one of those pieces that work at home and then simply get packed into the car when you're heading away.
Explore LiTTLE MARiNER organic cotton towels for bathrooms, swimming and summer days away.
8. Choose lighter natural fabrics around the home
We wouldn't suggest buying an entirely new set of homeware simply because the forecast has changed.
But summer is a useful time to reconsider heavy layers.
Linen and cotton work particularly well visually at this time of year because they give rooms a lighter, less cluttered feeling.
That could mean:
- swapping a heavy table covering for linen
- removing unnecessary throws from the sofa
- choosing cotton or linen bedding
- using natural linen napkins for dinner outside
- keeping towels and textiles light rather than layering lots of pieces
You don't need the house to look bare.
Just give it a little more breathing room.
Browse natural linen and summer table textiles at Mash + Mint.
9. Move everyday life outside - at the right time
If the house still feels hot in the evening but the garden has started to cool, move dinner outside.
Not at 2pm when the patio is baking.
Wait until the direct sun has gone and use the cooler parts of the day.
Breakfast outdoors before the temperature builds can be lovely too.
This is one of the simplest ways to make a hot spell more enjoyable rather than spending the whole time trying to escape it.
Take out a tablecloth or placemats, fill a jug with water and add a few glasses. Dinner doesn't need to become an elaborate tablescape just because you're outside.
If you've read our guide to late-summer table setting ideas, you'll know we're firmly in favour of slightly rumpled linen, colourful glasses and food in the middle of the table.
That's more than enough.
Explore our Summer Edit for tableware, glassware and pieces made for long summer days.
10. Keep water close by
This sounds obvious, but it's very easy to reach the end of a busy afternoon and realise you've hardly had anything to drink.
Keep a jug or bottle of water where you'll actually see it.
If you work at a desk, put one beside you.
If everyone is outside, take water outside too rather than repeatedly going back into the house.
NHS advice during hot weather is to drink more fluids and avoid excess alcohol, which can contribute to dehydration.
A beautiful jug and glass won't magically keep you cool, but if leaving them on the table reminds everyone to drink, they are doing a fairly useful job.
11. Be especially careful with conservatories and garden rooms
Any room with lots of glazing can become extremely hot surprisingly quickly.
Close blinds if you have them and avoid treating a conservatory as just another room during the hottest part of the day.
This matters particularly if children, older relatives or pets use the space.
The same applies to cars: never leave someone vulnerable or a pet inside a parked vehicle during hot weather.
Some rooms simply aren't sensible places to spend time during the hottest few hours of a heatwave.
12. Don't try to turn your house into a refrigerator
This may sound counter-intuitive, but there is a point where we can become slightly obsessed with trying to make a British house feel 18°C when it is extremely hot outside.
Aim for more comfortable, rather than freezing.
Close out the heat.
Create shade.
Move to the coolest room.
Let cooler air through in the evening.
Wear light clothing.
Drink plenty of water.
Take a cool shower.
Sometimes several small things together make far more difference than one dramatic "heatwave hack".
And they are usually safer and easier too.
How to cool down your home at night
If you only remember one routine from this article, make it this:
During the hot part of the day:
Keep direct sunlight out and avoid bringing hotter outdoor air inside.
As evening arrives:
Check whether it feels cooler outside.
Once it does:
Safely open windows and allow the cooler air to move through the house.
Before bed:
Take a cool shower, reduce unnecessary bedding and use a fan if you find one comfortable.
Early the following morning:
Ventilate the house while the air is still cooler.
Before temperatures climb again:
Close windows and blinds on the sunny side and start the process again.
It is remarkably simple, but consistency helps.
Our quick heatwave checklist
If you are reading this because it's already hot and you want the short version, start here:
- Close curtains and blinds on sunny windows.
- Don't open windows if it is hotter outside than inside.
- Open windows once the air outside becomes cooler.
- Concentrate on keeping bedrooms and the rooms you actually use comfortable.
- Avoid using the oven during the hottest part of the day where practical.
- Use lighter cotton and linen layers.
- Take a cool shower before bed.
- Keep water somewhere visible and drink regularly.
- Move meals outside in the cooler morning or evening rather than midday.
- Check in on older relatives, neighbours and anyone who may struggle more in hot weather.
A few things not to forget
A hot house is uncomfortable for most of us, but high temperatures can become a genuine health risk.
Older people, babies and young children, and people with some existing health conditions can be particularly vulnerable during hot weather. UKHSA's Heat-Health Alerts are designed to warn when temperatures may have significant health impacts.
Heat exhaustion can include symptoms such as dizziness, headache, feeling sick, excessive sweating, cramps and intense thirst. If someone does not begin to feel better after cooling down, or you are worried they may have heatstroke, follow NHS advice and seek medical help.
Make summer at home feel a little easier
We love summer at Mash + Mint, but we also know that there is a considerable difference between a lovely sunny day and lying awake in a bedroom that still feels tropical at midnight.
The answer doesn't have to be filling the house with gadgets.
Often it is about working with the day instead: shade when the sun is strongest, cooler air when it becomes available, lighter natural fabrics, plenty of water and moving outdoors when the evening temperature finally drops.
And once it does?
Take dinner outside, pour something cold, unfold the linen and make the most of it.
British summer is nothing if not unpredictable.
We may as well enjoy the good bits while they're here.
Explore the Mash + Mint Summer Edit for natural linen, organic cotton towels, colourful glassware and pieces for easy summer living.
