To ask how to remove window condensation

[crochetmonkey74]

Morning
I have condensation inside my windows on cold mornings. Currently I'm opening windows to get rid but a friend mentioned a vacuum thing you can get. They are fairly expensive so what do you guys do? I was thinking of a chamois block?

This - I'm not sure how using a roll of kitchen roll a day is better for the environment than using a window vac!

Brilliant things - have genuinely improved my life. We used to do the window blade/ cloth technique but it took forever and was much messier.

We have a Karcher window vac . I don’t rate it. It drips and is time consuming. I’ve gone back to a quick wipe with kitchen roll .

I can’t see how kitchen roll can be less wasteful and better for the environment than the vacuum.
Before we had a dehumidifier, I would have needed about 3 packs of kitchen roll a week to clean the condensation up.
On the other hand, I’ve had the £40 vacuum for almost 5 years, I just charge it up when the battery runs out and windows are clean and dry in less than 10 minutes. It was a no brainier. Obviously if you don’t get that much water on your window, you won’t need one.

I used to have this problem and got a dehumidifier. It stopped it happening in the first place so then there's no need for the kitchen roll v window vac debate 😂

Dehumidifier for me

Karcher Window vac. The basic one is fine.
Make sure it's Karcher as you can use it sideways unlike the other brands.

Can also be used for floor spills, shower doors etc.

It's great fun to use too!!

You say that like kitchen roll is free.

I open all the windows wide for an hour in the morning (before I do the school run usually) and then wipe them dry with a microfiber cloth and spray with one spray of bleach
Then once there closed I put the heating on for an hour
I also have those plastic disposable damp trap things on each window sill.

I'm probably doing it wrong but it seems to be working and we used to get really bad condensation and black mould but since treating the mould (astonish mould spray and antimould paint) we haven't had it come back- yet ...

I have a window vac, but haven't used it since my sister told me to put chalk on the window ledges. I thought it would be bullshit, but it does work. I got the big sticks of sidewalk chalk and have a stick at either end of the ledge. I haven't had condensation since and it's been over 12 months since I started. It used to be really bad at the front of the house.

We have a series of barred Georgian style windows that would fit a standard width vacuum head if it were turned 90° and pulled along horizontally, but not if they can only be used vertically

I know you've already now ordered one but you can get a narrower head attachment. I find I'd much easier on the side panes and tops of my bay windows.

When I bought my first one about 8 years ago I paid a little more to get the extras. You can order them separately if yours doesn't come with one.

There's no way it's more efficient and environmentally friendly to use the tonne of kitchen roll we'd need to mop it all up over the next 5 months and if we used towels they'd have to be washed, then tumble dried.

Window vac takes minutes. Also use it to wash windows and get rid of the extra bathroom condensation on the tiles etc.
I've even quickly cleaned liquid spills on hard floors with it.

Worth every penny to me. As was my meaco dehumidifier. Only a 'waste' if it doesn't get used. To me it's as much of a necessity as the vacuum cleaner.

Some people have coffee makers or ninja food processors. I could say those are a waste because I wouldn't use either. To others they are an essential.

@LostAtTheCrossRoad i can use mine both horizontally and vertically. I have a Bosch as the size of the window attachment was more suited to the smaller panes in my sash and case windows.

@Tiree1965 @SpacePotato @KaarijasBowlCut and everyone with a window vac - I AM CONVERTED!!! Totally, utterly and forever more! I worship the altar of window vaccing! It doesn't take any less time in the actual window I think, but my god the lack of mess and tidying and ringing out and drying cloths off afterwards. Dear lord it's worth every penny. Taken off approx 100mls of water from just four standard bedroom panes this morning. Have another two to do when the grumpy teen surfaces. There's an art to getting the angle and speed right I think, but I'm all in now! Makes me weep the amount of water going in to the walls and air every day over the years!

Congrats Lost. Welcome to the club 😂

I even use mine on my car windows in the winter.

@crochetmonkey74 Lidl has an own-brand version of the window vac in stock at the mo (in our Lidl anyway), £19.99. We've had a Lidl one for a couple of years and it's great.

After 2 winters trying to dry with cloths we bought a dehumidifier from a friend who was emigrating and a window vac.

Condensation occurs when the room is too cold to hold the water in the air so it condenses on cold surfaces. We used the dehumidifier in the evenings and into the night if we could stand the noise then window vac'd the following morning

If feasible look into improve the insulation in the house. If it stays warmer the air will hold more moisture without it condensing.

Some houses are definitely more prone to it than others. Our first house was awful (1930s) our 2nd and 3rd houses have been much better and we haven't needed to run the dehumidifier nearly as often. Both houses are 70s houses so not build to be warmed by coal like our first house!

The vacuum is way better than a cloth. My old windows used to be soaking with condensation- crap double glazing, eventually had to change them.

The Karcher is good on larger paned Victorian windows but a pain in the bum on Georgian windows made up of tiny multi panes, ime. Even with the smaller head. TBH, as beautiful as they are, Georgian windows are a PITA full stop!

I got my karcher for Xmas one year (thank you mum) and I love it.
30 seconds in a morning to run over my very very wet window.
I got nearly half a tank of mucky water this morning.

Just open the windows a smidge for 30 mins - no cost and you get the added benefit of letting the farts out

The cloth will stay wet - either you wash it or it will release moisture back into the air. So uses energy/money.

Paper towels cost money, and when wet need to not be left in the house.

Window vac collects water and then you pour it down the sink, removing the moisture from the environment.

Window vac people, how do you stop the drag marks they leave behind? I can't work out whether I'm pressing on too hard or not hard enough. Or whether my windows aren't clean enough.

We have a decent dehumidifier, we also have 40+ year old aluminium framed double glazing, some of the windows the seals have gone as well.

We bought a fairly cheap window vac last year and it definitely made a difference - I'd also run it over the tiles in the bathroom after a shower. Easily removed a couple of mugs worth of water a day.

Never close my bedroom window, can't sleep in a stuffy room. Still get condensation on it.

They're less wasteful than using heaps of kitchen roll for months on end.

Not that expensive either, I bought mine 7 years ago for about £100 and it's more than paid for itself.

They're excellent for actually cleaning interior glass as well. My kids leave the windows minging and they need a scrub with soapy water to get them clean.

Advise cleaning the window to stop the streaks - give the blade a wipe too.