How Do Window Vacs Work?
Window vacs have been around for a while now, and we just take them for granted, but how do they actually work? After scouring the net, we couldn’t find any information so we did the next best thing, we pulled one to pieces and worked it out from there. The inner workings are quite simple really – simple but effective.
A window vac is well worth investing your hard earned cash into. Especially now there are so many manufacturers and models out there. The greater the competition, the better it is for us consumers, why? Because all those companies want us to buy their model. That keeps the prices keen and encourages the companies to have a decent customer service department and warranty.
They don’t want any bad publicity, not when the competition is so fierce. Many handheld window vacuum’s come with a 3-year warranty, and the starting price is under £25 that’s good news all round.
What Makes The Window Vac Remove The Water?
The water is sucked into the window vac in the same way a hoover sucks dirt in. The force of suction is greater at the mouth of the unit, and the suction drops as it nears the entrance to the water tank. As the pressure dissipates, the water drops into the water tank.
The power is supplied via an onboard rechargeable battery, usually lithium which is charged via a USB lead. The average charging time is around 2 hours, and the units will run for anywhere between 30 to 60 minutes between charges.
Due to the design of the head, the window vac is able to reach right into those hard to get at corners. If there are any faults in the overall design of the window vac, it’s how small the water storage tank is. Plus once the tank fills, if the vac is not held completely vertically, dirty water is prone to spill from the vents on the lower sides of the unit.
This seems to be an issue with all makes and models, and as most models only hold around 100 ml of water, this can be a problem. Apart from that, window vacs are lightweight, easy to use and good value for money.
How To Clean Windows Using A Window Vac
You don’t actually wash the windows with the window vac, you clear the water away. So let’s get into our easy to follow guide for cleaning a window using a window vac.
How To Wash A Window With A Window Vac
You will need, A spray bottle with detergent, a microfibre cloth, and a window vac.
- Spray The Detergent Onto The Glass
Using the spray bottle wet the glass, be sure to cover the whole window. - Wipe Any Stuck On Stains
Using the microfibre cloth, give any hard and fast stains a good scrub. - Remove the Water
Using the window vac, clear all water from the window. - Work systematically
Starting from the top left hand corner of the window, work downwards and towards the bottom right corner. - Clear all the Water Away
You might need to go back over some areas more than once to get all of the moisture. - Empty The Water Tank
Tip all of the dirty water away and rinse the tank out. - Reinspect The Window
Give the window a last look over, and wipe any remaining moisture away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whilst it is possible to use soapy water with a Karcher window vac, you will get much better results using the specially formulated detergent that is designed to be used in the Karcher window vac.
Window vacs work really well for tackling condensation, on windows, tiles, mirrors, shower screens and clearing up spills.
Condensation forms on cooler surfaces, as heat rises, the cooler part of the window is at the bottom. Once the hot air from the room hits that cool surface it condensates.
