Cleaning windows is tedious and messy, we know — but it's also extremely important as the weather turns colder and condensation collects on the glass.
If left to do their own thing, these water droplets drip down onto your sills and walls creating additional damp issues. A window vacuum can help remove excess damp, sucking up condensation and working to prevent a build-up of limescale and mould.
Kärcher's original window vacuum cleaner, the WV 1 Window Vac, is one of the most well-known models on the market. As well as tackling condensation, this cordless handheld device cleans windows and other flat surfaces including tabletops, tiles and mirrors. Its squeegee blade wipes dirt and grime away before vacuuming up the dirty water and excess cleaning spray to ensure there are no leftover streaks or smudges.
This nifty gadget has been around since 2008, but I’ve noticed some recent rave reviews on TikTok s0 I decided to see how it would fare in my own home.
The need-to-know
The vacuum arrived at my home fully assembled, with a charger and an instruction manual. The guide wasn’t always clear because it uses drawings, rather than written instructions, so I used this helpful video guide on YouTube instead.
It has one setting, an on/off function, and mine came fully charged. A full charge lasts for 25 minutes, allowing plenty of time to clean windows, mirrors and worktops. To empty dirty water from the machine, just open the tank, pour the contents down the sink and give it a quick rinse with clean water.
Tackling condensation with Kärcher's window vac
My bathroom doesn’t have windows and the extraction fan isn’t the greatest, making it a real concern that moisture could cause mould issues.
So I dragged the window vac across the bathroom tiles, mirror and even the walls to soak up excess moisture after my morning shower. It only took one swipe to get rid of the water, meaning my entire bathroom was (mostly) dry in a matter of minutes.
During the winter, I've used the vacuum on a daily basis to rid my windows and sills of condensation and, so far, I haven't noticed any signs of mould and mildew. Similar to the bathroom, I've found it quick and easy to use, with a full sweep of my flat (living room and bedroom) taking less than ten minutes.
Cleaning with the Kärcher window vacuum
I tested the vac on several surfaces: windows, mirrors, kitchen worktops, my glass hob and a glass table.
To clean, I sprayed surfaces with disinfectant and lightly wiped them down with kitchen roll, to ensure they were still wet before the vac got to work. The vacuum’s squeegee blade worked well on worktops, mirrors and my glass patio table, cleaning them quickly and effectively. Within five minutes, the tested areas were sparkling clean with no streaks in sight.
My grubby windows needed a bit more attention, and I found the blade started smearing dirt and dust around rather than actually cleaning them. I solved this issue by giving the glass more of a thorough clean with disinfectant before using the vacuum.
At 700g, the vacuum is lightweight enough that I could reach the high areas of my tall windows without straining my back in the process.
As surfaces needed to be thoroughly wet with disinfectant, I found myself using more cleaning spray than usual, otherwise the vacuum left streak marks. However, you can avoid this by wiping surfaces down with water after using disinfectant. That way, they’re still wet enough for the vac to effectively work.
Is the Kärcher window vacuum worth it?
I’m impressed with Kärcher’s window vacuum. It’s easy and quick to use, leaving surfaces sparkling clean with little effort, and its ability to soak up condensation in my stuffy flat is great. Plus, for just £39, it’s a decent price point for an appliance that should save you a lot of time.
However, although the vacuum has helped reduce damp, I'd still recommend taking other measures to keep your home condensation-free. The GHI team has some great tips here, including useful information on dehumidifiers.
You can pick up a Kärcher window vac from Amazon — or see the rest of the brand’s window cleaning collection below. These models are slightly pricer, but have longer battery lives, and come with additional suction heads and cleaning accessories.
Kärcher WV2 Plus Window Vac
Kärcher WV 6 Plus N Window Vac
