This TikTok hack uses tin foil to keep your house cosy

A kitchen cupboard staple could help keep chilly rooms toasty

A TikToker has shared an easy hack that might just help to heat our homes this winter. He explains that if you put tin foil behind your radiators, it helps to keep rooms toasty.

We're always keen to try out some energy-saving tips for the home, so, how does this tin foil radiator hack work?

tin foil

(Image credit: Getty Images)

TikTok tin foil radiator hack

Kyle from That Property Guy says you can give your radiators a boost with standard tin foil or reflector foil, £12.56 from B&Q. Both will reflect some heat back into the room, therefore helping to keep your home warm.

In the short video, he simply puts some folded back tape onto the back of a sheet of reflector foil and slides it behind the radiator. This tin foil radiator hack is especially helpful in retaining heat from external walls, Kyle adds.

The TikToker recommends you pick up the reflector foil from a DIY store, or simply use kitchen foil for a quick fix. The video has attracted a lot of attention on TikTok.

chairs with white wall and flower vase

(Image credit: Future PLC/David Parmiter)

Kyle's post has now had over 65,000 likes and hundreds of comments. It's fair to say the commenters were a mixed blend of converts and skeptics.

'I've done this for years in certain rooms of the house. The rooms without it are colder,' one person commented. 'Made such a difference for me,' wrote another.

'Anything for a bit of heat,' joked a third. Others said it wouldn't make much of a difference because most radiators heat through convection rather than radiation.

painted radiator

(Image credit: Future PLC/Tamara Kelly)

However, if you have a bedroom in your home that gets particularly chilly due to having one or two external walls, there's no harm in trying it. With chilly weather and increased gas bills, more of us are looking for tips on how to keep your house warm in winter.

Since this tin foil radiator hack makes use of a kitchen cupboard staple, we've got nothing to lose in giving it a go. You could also wrap some foil around a piece of cardboard to make it more sturdy.

Speaking of heating, make sure you know the signs of a broken boiler. Spotting problems early could help it from conking out altogether.

Millie Hurst
Senior Content Editor

Millie Hurst was Senior Content Editor at Ideal Home from 2020-2022, and is now Section Editor at Homes & Gardens. Before stepping into the world of interiors, she worked as a Senior SEO Editor for News UK in both London and New York. You can usually find her looking up trending terms and finding real-life budget makeovers our readers love. Millie came up with the website's daily dupes article which gives readers ways to curate a stylish home for less.