NOW CLOSED: Let’s talk cleaning windows: Win one of two top of the range Karcher WV 70 Window Vacs (£99.99) for your thoughts...

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by the team at Kärcher to find out your thoughts on cleaning windows - inside and out. They'd also love to get your feedback on the idea of their Window Vac.

Kärcher say "With Kärcher Window Vacuums you can save time when cleaning smooth surfaces such as windows, tiles and mirrors - without leaving streaks. The innovative water recovery system takes up dirty water before it drips - and it can be used anywhere because it is battery-operated!"

So please let us know on this thread......

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

Add your thoughts and you'll be entered into a prize draw where two MNers will each win a Kärcher Window Vac worth £99.99 (top of the range one )

Thanks, MNHQ

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

Urgh - I try to have a window cleaner but have no luck! I think the second one will never return now - it's a mystery as I have a perfectly normal house and none of that diamond pane stuff - just ordinary windows too! Back to the drawing board, trying to find another one

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Not as often as they should...

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
Smears - I get arm-ache and then look in irritation at the things. My partner wouldn't clean the windows. I would do it more often if I thought I'd get results I was happy with

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
I've thought about a water-vacuum thing for the shower - we have very hard water. We don't have one but I have heard of it and thought about it.

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
I clean the windows if something has happened, so if there are visible finger print marks or dog nose prints on them, I'll quickly wipe them down. My DP is in charge of proper window cleaning because he's such a perfectionist they're always super clear when he's finished, and his arms are long enough to reach the outsides too so he can give them a quick wipe. I'd pay someone to come do the outside, but I never get round to looking someone up.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Very rarely, DP has to be in the mood to clean them and I don't care enough to force him to do it. They've probably not been cleaned properly this year, but I can still see out of them so we're okay.

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
I'll spend a couple of minutes a window, spray, wipe with cloth, wipe with dry towel onto the next. DP will spend ages per window making sure every mark and smudge is gone. He'll then spend just as long pointing out to everyone just how clean his windows are!
The problem is DP spends so much time cleaning them that he gets a bit annoyed when they get dirty again! Especially if there's a bird responsible.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
I've seen the adverts on the TV for it (if it's the same thing) but I've not looked into it further so don't know what makes it better than some Windowlene and a sponge. I don't know if I'd try it as it seems like a lot of money to spend on something to clean windows with, and I imagine it's one of those gadgets that doesn't get used as often as you intended to when you bought it.

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

I have a window cleaner for the outside. I do the inside, or MIL will if shes visiting.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Outside once a month (ish) depending on the weather. Inside much less often, though I have a big floor to ceiling wall of windows and I clean them when / if the sun shines through and shows up how dirty they are . The inside of upstairs windows less often again.

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

I love clean windows but its such a faff to do I put it off. Cleaning the inside of all the windows would probably take 2 hours. The main issue is streaks and missed bits. Sometimes they look worse after I've cleaned them!

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

Never heard of it, but having googled it it does look like something I need now, and I'd love to try one out. I can see myself using it on the shower screens as well, and seeing that it does horizontal surfaces, then i would use it on my gloss tiled floors downstairs which I currently drive myself demeted cleaning with window cleaner on what feels like a semi-permanent basis.

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

Me, inside. Paid (by LL) cleaners for outside

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

Fortnightly inside, seemingly randomly outside (I give quick rub in between times if getting v dirty)

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

Not v much, huge wads of newspaper/cloth filling the bin is possibly most annoying but buying additional cleaner is close runner up.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

I may have heard of it/something similar but no tv so don't get adverts as much so I can't be sure it's the one I'm thinking of. I would try one out - or take a recommendation from a friend - but I wouldn't buy one without either as I hate buying a 'gadget' only to find it's more hassle rather than less!

Googling it now it looks the biz so if I knew it would be worth I might be tempted. It looks like it would be good for our big windows, patio doors and the bathroom tiling.

Who cleans?

Outside - we have a window cleaner
Inside - we have me valiantly cleaning and assorted children usually pressing their face against whichever window I am cleaning from the other side because that's really funny ...

How often?

Outside - monthly
Inside - whenever I can summon up enthusiasm; we have 100s of little panes making one very big pain. Tbh, I would do them every other week if I had something to make it easier; they are quite embarrasing (we have a lot of glass)

How much time?

Inside - it would take a good hour - we have windows and doors and multiple panes in them all
Problems? - small children, smeary hands and faces, hard water (for shower glass)

Window vac?

Gosh yes. Will try anything at this stage. Haven't heard of this karcher product but have used others to great success.

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
I do

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
When I notice they need doing, more at this time of year as afternoon sun really highlights the dirt if they have not been done. Last year was brilliant, clean windows, Union flags up for Eurovision in May and left them up for Jubilee, Euros (Should have technically been swapped for St George) Olympics and Paralympics resulting in no cleaning 'till September...

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
Not much, the less time spent, the better, always notice random smears after.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it.
Not heard of it,anything that makes life easier has got to be worth a go!

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

We've lived in this house for 22 months and haven't cleaned the windows, erm, at all but in theory I think it should be a DP job. The upstairs ones spin round so should be doable without getting a window cleaner.

How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

Never, see above ^ but if you give me a free gadget I'll do them [hopeful smile]

How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

An hour max for the lot I reckon. Not sure I could reach the bathroom window but shouldn't be too hard.

Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

I've never heard of it, although I've heard of the steam cleaners. I would love to try one out! As I'm obviously too lazy to scrub at the windows, anything that makes it easier sounds ace. And I have nice filthy windows to test it out on! We have loads of little mirror tiles in the bathroom that need a wash, and if it does tiles I'd use it in the kitchen too. Any chance it would sort out the oven door? also never been cleaned

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

Outside are done by window cleaners. Inside are done by me.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
outside - monthly
inside - quarterly

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

As long as it takes to clean them. Doesn't really present me with any problems.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

Have heard of it and even seen one in action at a friend's house. Probably wouldn't buy one, because newspaper and vinegar is cheaper. Not sure where else it could be used?

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
Not really a set job, it really depends who gets annoyed by the smudge marks first

How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Inside - about once a year, the same with the external downstairs windows. The exterior upstairs windows have been cleaned once since we moved in 4 years ago, and I accidentally opened the curtains in my PJ's as the window guy was coming up the ladder, been too embarrassed to call him back

How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
Typically it's a job of a couple of hours, the main problem is when washing the exterior windows the cats like to chase the cloth, so you have to remember to do the inside windows after the outside otherwise you just have to do it again.

Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
Had never heard of it, but would be very interested in anything that makes window cleaning less of a chore we might actually do it more frequently

We have lived in our house for 12 years. In that time FIL has cleaned the windows once, and we had a professional once as I was fed up with the egg that had been splatted on there a couple of Halloweens ago. The rain does a pretty good job in between. So I guess that averages once every 6 years which is a little embarrassing as I work in the glazing industry!

Inside is cleaned more often, with spray glass cleaner and microfibre cloth (the smooth sort, not the ones that look like towelling), and a flat razor blade to get rid of stubborn dirt.

I've heard of Karcher, but not the window vac specifically. Would be interesting to try it, might even inspire me to clean more often - once a year maybe!!!

1. I clean the inside windows. A window cleaner comes monthly to clean all the outside windows.
2. Outside are cleaned monthly. Downstairs inside are cleaned every couple of months (especially if its sunny and we have visitors coming round). Bedrooms inside are probably 2 or 3 times a year. Bathroom monthly or more if there's a lot of condensation (and things written on it). Velux windows are probably done once a year inside and out, unless there's a lot of bird poo on them!
3. I would do them more often, but get so demoralised when they end up streaky. I use window wipes sometimes, and a wet cloth/dry cloth sometimes. I wouldn't mind spending time on them if they looked good as a result! If I ever did the whole house inside windows in one go, I suspect it would take me a good 60-90 minutes. At least!
4. No I haven't heard of it, but it sounds great. My back is bad so I would love to try it. I would use it for the windows, French doors, shower screens and bathroom tiles. My windows are tall, so it would make the reach more manageable.

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
Window cleaner does the outside every couple of months. Inside is done by me every couple of decades!

How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Outside gets done every couple of months, unless a paticularly sickly bird has particularly good aim!
Inside - ha ha!

How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
Ideally no time, but could be convinced if it wasn't such a hassle and the streaks didn't make it look worse.Problems are streakiness as already mentioned, and having to move things out of the way from the windowsill.

Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
Have heard of the Window Vac, but don't have one although would happily try one out as I think it would be nice to see hte outside world in sharp focus again!
Would probably also use it on the bathroom tiles and the car - that never dries evenly after a wash either!

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
Inside- my husband and I take turns. If I notice one is particularly dirty I'll do it. Husband will do if I ask him!
Outside- downstairs isn't the issue. My husband does this or me if I'm fed up waiting for him to. The upstairs outside hasn't been done in a while!

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
Outside- every few months
Inside - every month or so

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
Couple of hours every few months.
The height of the outside ones is an issue. We need some kind of pole system I think, or a ladder.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
Yes, I think is seen an advert for it. I'd love to try it out as it looks fast and gives a good finish with little mess.
I'd use it on windows, bathroom and kitchen tiles, and possibly kitchen cupboards if it increased speed at which I could clean them.

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
I clean the inside windows downstairs and upstairs and the ones I can reach on the outside. I've been trying to find a window cleaner for the other outside ones since we moved here two years ago

How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
About every couple of months unless there is an emergency - like last weeks seagull deposit which had to be hosed off!

How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
I don't mind how long it takes but I am not very good at it, always ending up with streaks. My mum had the arms of Popeye and was able to make the windows sparkle, sometimes perched on the upstairs window ledge without a care in the world for health and safety, wish I could do that. As previously mentioned they are really high and need a ladder to reach some of them

Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

I have heard of it, my sister in law has one which she has kept to herself . I would also use it on my tiled bathrooms and granite worktop. And the car windows - that seems like a good idea, they're always manky.

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

I clean my windows, inside and out, and have professional equipment to do the job properly.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

Once a week

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

Takes me 30 minutes to do the whole house - there are no problems like smears, drips or dirty water marks.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

I have heard of it. I'd like to try one (because I think it's a pointless bit of kit) but as it's extortionately priced at nigh on £100, I think I'd have more important things to spend my money on tbh, considering that I paid just over £20 for my window cleaning equipment, which doesn't require batteries, and costs very little in the way of maintenance or replacement.

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

Funnily enough, window cleaning is top of mind at the moment and REALLY needs to be done. DH and I are both studiously avoiding doing it, so I guess it depends who cracks first... I might just get someone in although that'll be after pay day.

I often do the inside and it's not a chore but the outside is hard work.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

I clean inside about every month and outside ahem maybe every six months. Slattern. Sorry.

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
It takes hours as we have big windows and its messy and although we live on the ground floor we still need the ladder out.

The whole job is a faff and our windows always but always manage to look streaky afterwards.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

Never heard of it but I LOVE our Karcher pressure washer, so this sounds like a god send.

I'd deffo love to try one. Maybe DH or I would be more keen on window cleaning. I'd also try it on our shower screen, tiles, mirrors oh my goodness, just endless places.

That said I don't think I'd spend £100 withou trying it first...

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
We have a window cleaner who does our outside windows, although there are various he can't get to. Inside is sometimes done by us, or our cleaners.
~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
It varies, but probably not as often as they should be.

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
It's not so much about how long we're prepared to spend doing something, but rather how easy it is to fit in. I could easily clean the back door windows (often covered in DS1's handprints) in the time it takes for me to make a coffee - if I had the right equipment to hand.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
I hadn't heard of it before today, but it sounds very interesting, and I'd certainly try one out! We've got a big mirror in our bathroom - I think it would be perfect for that too, and I'd certainly give it a go on the shower screen as well.

Me and dp clean the windows both inside and out. We did have a window cleaner but he always left the casing dirty so by the time I clean that I may as well do them myself.

I probably clean inside monthly, more regularly on the patio doors with kids handprints.

Cleaning inside probably takes an hour or more as we have a conservatory. Outside takes longer as you have to sort ladders out etc.

I have never heard of the window vac just the pressure washer. I use water and a cloth at the moment so would love to try one out.

We have lived in our house for 4 years now and have never cleaned the window . Perhaps I better get one of these....

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?
A window cleaner comes and does the outside of the windows once a month. Inside windows get cleaned by DH as and when (i.e. not very often at all)

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?
I'd spend 5 or 10 minutes per 'standard' sized window, more for the larger ones. I'm short, so my problem is reaching all of the window and getting it clean! And it's a fiddly job so it doesn't get done nearly often enough.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?
I hadn't heard of it, but it sounds brilliant. I think it would save time compared to the cloth / windolene / water that we currently use and which is incredibly fiddly and annoying. I'd probably use it on the windows, on the shower screen and to reach the bathroom tiles I can't stretch up to.

My partner usually cleans the windows but sometimes I do... TBH we don't do it very often! Every 7 weeks... sometimes longer, usually spend about 40 mins doing it. Although in the summer we have the conservatory to deal with. Lovely! Takes FOREVER! I usually do the inside of the conservatory, my partner the out (too man spiders out there for me).

The other outside windows get done when we think about it. The local window cleaner is far to nosy.

My grandma has a karcher window Vac and loves it, she uses it on the tiles in the bathroom too. Id try it but generally i'm not great with these 'quick fix' things... I think they're going to make everything sparkle and they don't =(

We used to have someone clean the outside of our windows but he was charging £12 for 6 windows and a patio door and he wasn't even using a ladder so we stopped getting him.
The outside windows don't really get cleaned now as we can't reach them. Both of us will try occasionally to wash the inside of the windows.

Our windows are filthy and don't get cleaned often. I think dh cleaned the upstairs ones last and I cleaned the downstairs, but only on the inside.

Right now it takes a huge amount of time and effort to clean the windows. We need a bucket and soapy water to get all the dirt off. Once we've done that we'd need to use glass cleaner to get rid of the streaks.
We used to use rolled up newspaper but that never seemed to work for me.

Problems now would be reaching the upstairs windows to clean the outside of them. I don't fancy juggling a bucket on a ladder.

Never head of the window vac but it does look easy to use. I reckon if we had one we'd definitely use it, particularly in the summer. I know it's just another cleaning utensil but I honestly think that it would be used because it cuts down all the faff involved with cleaning windows yourself and you'd be able to reach the upstairs windows. Plus you can stop paying the window cleaner who probably uses the same thing anyway.

It looks like it would take only minutes to get the job before whereas before it would take half a day, which is precisely why we don't do it and why our windows are so dirty.

I'd definitely give it a go. Not sure where else I'd use it though. Does it clean carpets? What about laminate flooring? I could have a go couldn't I? Bathroom tiles? Mirrors? Might actually have a number of uses!

Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?
My husband has tried - very smeary result
I have tried - a bit better then husband
Our cleaner has a go sometimes but I find it's not the best way to use her time

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)? Once every 3 months inside and out

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

We pay £20 for downstairs only inside and out. We are not tidy enough to allow the window cleaner to do upstairs plus I would find it intrusive.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

I certainly have heard of it and have been v tempted to try it. I have been waiting for one of my friends to 'break' and buy one. I would love it to work I don't want to have a window cleaner anymore since it's intrusive and costly.

I would love to have a go at one

~ Who in your house cleans the windows or do you get someone to come in? What about inside and outside windows?

My DH normally does it.

~ How often your windows get a clean? (inside and out)?

Varies but shamefully it is probably an annual job!

~ How much time would you/ your partner be prepared to spend cleaning the windows in your house? What problems, if any, are encountered?

My DH finds it quite satisfying and we don't really spend time preparing to do it. The conservatory causes the biggest issues.

~ Had you heard of the Kärcher Window Vac before today? Do you have one in your household? Would you contemplate trying one out? Why? What do you think of it? Where else do you think you'd use it?

Never heard of one but I think DH would quite enjoy using it!

We clean the windows ourselves, usually when they look grubby sometimes this can be often if the rain has made them look bad. I do all the ones I can reach and the outside ones that I can't get get the hosepipe on them. Occasionally they get the car class polish or the method glass cleaner.
We probably spend an hour or so doing them all.
I have heard of it next door cleans her mini with one, and have seen display test area at diy stores. I haven't got one, I'd like one but can't justify the cost at the moment. I'd use one for any surface it would do even the green house!