The Missing Feature That's Making Your Kitchen An Oven During The Heatwave

When you're cooking a meal, the last thing you want is extra heat. Between heat from the oven and the stove, it's easy to get a sweat on while prepping food, and this is made even worse during hot days when the sun is beaming in through the window. Still, there's a deceptively simple solution to this problem, and that's adding some form of cover to your windows. Not only will they look aesthetically pleasing, but adding blinds and curtains to your windows will block out a large amount of sunlight, preventing your kitchen from becoming too warm even on the hottest of days.

Your kitchen may become hot for a number of reasons. Cooking with kitchen appliances will naturally generate more heat as you cook your food, but you should never underestimate a sunny day and the sun's ability to heat a room. However, not only is it unpleasant for you, but your kitchen being too hot can also have negative consequences for your food, causing items that aren't refrigerated to have a reduced shelf life. Here's how to block the sun's rays most effectively so you can chop, dice, and bake in comfort.

Speaking to Homes & Gardens, Liz Yang, co-founder of Air Smartly, revealed, "Direct sunlight can quickly turn your kitchen into an oven. Invest in blinds or curtains that can block out the sun's rays during the hottest parts of the day." One of the best upgrades you can make to your kitchen is to buy curtains that fit the vibe of your existing decor so they look stylish and serve a purpose at the same time. As for the types of curtains you should opt for, covers made from fabrics like cotton and linen are both popular curtain styles. Additionally, look for curtains/blinds that feature lighter colors like beige, cream, and white.

Window treatments in these shades will stop the sun's rays from coming in but won't block out all-natural light. This way, you'll still reap the benefits of natural light without the accompanying heat. If you don't like the look of curtains, heat-reflective film is a good alternative. It works by reflecting the sun's rays in the opposite direction, therefore reducing the temperature in your kitchen. Whether you choose heat-reflective film or curtains/blinds, you're sure to notice the difference in temperature almost immediately the next time you cook.