How can you beat the heat this summer? According to one driver, if you have a sunroof in your car, all you need is a roll of aluminum foil or a sunshade.
TikTok user @ilovemegapixels shared a quick car hack that’s catching attention online. “A little tip for ya,” he said in a video, before sliding open his sunroof to reveal what looked like a foil sunshade tucked inside.
The goal? Blocking out the sun and keeping your car from turning into an oven.
“Makes a HUGE difference,” he said in the text overlay of his clip, adding in the comments he’s used the trick on multiple cars with great results.
As of Saturday, the clip had racked up more than 253,900 views.
It appears to be—and it’s not just sunroofs where foil can help block the sun. According to at least one woman on Facebook, the hack works for home windows too.
Another blogger DIY-ed an insulated panel for his car’s glass roof, similar to @ilovemegapixels. Living in Arizona, where summer temps can hit 115 degrees Fahrenheit, he said his homemade insulator made a dramatic difference.
“I basically put foil home insulation I had lying around from a project and a small ironing mat,” he wrote. “You can’t see the foil backing from the outside of the car. I just take it down when summer’s over and use the factory fabric cover.”
According to him, the results were clear: “When I did a before and after with my infrared thermometer, it dropped the temp on the inside roof like 30 degrees. Just much more pleasant to drive in the summer. I’m personally not a fan of glass roofs.”
Aluminum foil does reflect a significant amount of sunlight, which can help lower interior temperatures. Placing it over a sunroof can reduce heat buildup inside a car and slow down how much heat enters overall.
That said, it’s not as effective as a proper sunshade and may carry some risks—like theft or vandalism—especially if the windows are left slightly cracked.
Another option, according to Garage Living, is a windshield sunshade. They’re less discreet, often folding up in awkward accordion-style panels and featuring that unmistakable reflective foil finish. But they work.
Some high-end shades even use heat-absorbing materials designed to block thermal and ultraviolet rays more efficiently.
If you’ve got the budget—and your state allows it—tinted windows are also worth considering. A quality tint can block a good chunk of UV rays and help keep the cabin cooler.
And if you don’t want to spend anything, you can always crack the windows to let heat escape. Just know it comes with the obvious downside: Someone could break in. If you go this route, be smart about it. Park your car in visible, well-trafficked areas or near security cameras to lower the risk.
But if you’re looking to try something simple, cheap, and maybe even fun? Head to Amazon or Home Depot, grab some sturdy foil, and see if @ilovemegapixels’s trick works for you.
Many drivers who watched @ilovemegapixels’s video said they live in states that get brutally hot in the summer, and couldn’t wait to try the hack themselves.
One woman said, “I live in Texas! I will try ANYTHING!!!!!!!!”
“Thank you! From, an Arizonian,” another added.
“Much appreciated – I’ll try that,” a third chimed in.
One commenter said they’d never considered using adhesive aluminum foil on their sunroof, but were eager to give it a shot: “Will have to see if I can find one that will fit or cut to fit.”
Of course, not everyone was convinced.
“Can cause glass to break,” one TikTok user warned. “Be careful.”
“Wonder if that would explode the glass with all that reflective heat,” another said. “Foam insulation is better.”
To the skeptics, @ilovemegapixels stood firm.
“Been using it for years,” he replied to one.
And to another, he said, “All the glass on cars is tempered and treated for heat – it doesn’t just explode. Been doing this on multiple cars for 10 years with no issue.”
Motor1 has reached out to @ilovemegapixels via a TikTok comment. We’ll update this article when we hear back.
