There is a simple and cheap kitchen item trick that could help keep your home cool at night15:09, 09 Jul 2026Britain is bracing itself for the third heatwave of the summer this week, with weather maps showing highs of 34C expected on Thursday (July 9). Forecasters at MetDesk predict at least 10 parts of the country will hit 30C or above by 6pm.‌The south of England is on course for the hottest temperatures, with the south east set to reach 34C. But the mercury will also soar beyond 30C across central England and sections of the Midlands.‌It looks like 10 counties and regions across the UK will experience temperatures topping 30C, including the West Midlands, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Greater London, and Essex.‌The UK Health Security Agency has issued amber heat-health alerts for the Midlands, London, and eastern and southern England.Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster Mark Sidaway, said: "As well as very high daytime temperatures, there will be consecutive nights where temperatures do not drop below 20°C, which is called a Tropical Night. This will make it very hard for people to recover from the daytime heat, exacerbating the heat stress impacts."‌With warm and muggy conditions forecast to stretch into next week, Britons face more uncomfortably sweltering nights ahead as households struggle to keep cool. Most homes across the UK are built to retain heat, and if you're not fortunate enough to have air conditioning, bringing the temperature down quickly can feel like an uphill battle.However, there is an incredibly straightforward and budget-friendly solution to this problem, and it involves nothing more than placing a common kitchen item on your windowsill: a bowl filled with cold water.Energy experts say that positioning a bowl of cold water on windowsills or worktops, close to an open window during warm weather, is a surprisingly effective and inexpensive way to cool the air inside a room.‌This works because cold water absorbs heat from the surrounding air and converts it into vapour, which in turn reduces the overall temperature. When placed near an open window, the incoming breeze helps to circulate this cooler air throughout your home.LEAP Energy Advice said: "Although it may seem peculiar, placing bowls of water around the house can aid in cooling the hot air. This simple technique can be surprisingly effective."If you're looking to speed things up, try filling the bowls with ice cubes rather than cold water, and position one in front of a fan if you have one to hand.‌LEAP added: "If you need to cool down quickly, try placing a bowl of ice and cold water in front of your fan's blades. This will cause the air blowing from the fan to pass over the icy water, creating a refreshing sensation on your skin. It's like having a homemade, DIY air-conditioner!" Using a fan alongside the bowl of water isn't strictly necessary, as the water by itself can help lower the temperature, but you'll achieve far better results if you can generate that cooling breeze as well.Naturally, running a fan will add to your energy bills, but it costs a fraction compared to an air conditioning unit, which can set you back up to 40 times more — so the reward of a pleasantly cool room is arguably well worth it.The trick has been endorsed by major energy supplier British Gas as an affordable method to keep your home, and yourself, comfortable when the mercury rises.Article continues belowBritish Gas said: "While fans aren't the most expensive appliance to run, using one is still likely to impact your fuel bills - but there are some things you can do to get the most out of the energy you're paying for."To really cool down a room with a fan, place a deep dish of ice in the front of it to whip up the water mist and chill the breeze. You can also point a box fan out of an open window in the evenings - this pushes the hot air out instead of just blowing it around the room."