A simple hack can help banish condensation from windows, and you have already have all you need for it at home, experts say.
Eve Smallman, a lifetyle writer at Homes and Garden, hailed the technique as a “great way to stop condensation forming on windows”, citing cleaning experts.
It involves applying dish soap to a window with a cloth before buffing it onto the whole of the affected section.
The first step is to wipe any existing condensation from the affected windows.
Smallmall says she uses Homexcel microfiber cleaning cloths which are available on Amazon, due to them being lint and scratch free.
An eight pack is currently available on the site for £6.99.
You then mix up a dish soap cleaning solution, Smallman said, citing Joy Ramos cleaning expert at Bear Brothers Cleaning who recommends mixing together “one teaspoon of dish soap per one quart of water in a spray bottle”.
Own-brand dish soaps are available for less than £1, with spray bottles selling for less than £2 online.
“I put mine in a glass spray bottle similar to the glass spray bottles from Walmart, as it’s reusable and easy to clean,” Smallman adds.
This is then sprayed directly onto a microfiber cleaning cloth, in order to avoid excess liquid on the window itself. According to Smallman you can then use the cloth to buff the mixture onto the window in “gentle circular motions”.
After that, remove visible streaking by buffing the window with a clean, dry cloth and leave it to dry.
The final step is to keep a close eye on the windows, as the soap film will eventually wear off. Smallman recommends reapplying when necessary, “especially during colder months”.
She acknowleges that there are pros and cons to the hack, with positives including the fact that few elements are required, and it’s quick.
Among the other “pros” are that unlike heavy chemical solutions, the diluted soap and water leaves a “lovely fragrance”, and the technique saved her from having to run dehumidifiers.
However, cons include that the the soap film leaves “a slightly smeary appearance on the windows”, so it might be best not to use it in areas visible to guests, like the kitchen or living area.
While Smallman said the technique was effective, she gave an 8/10 as it has to be “combined with other techniques in order to stop moisture from spreading around the room”, which is ultimately caused by humidity.
She recommends addressing the root causes of condensation, which can increase the risk of mould.
Gardening experts recently offered a piece of advice for reducing humidity in the home, and it could be simpler than you think.
You can find out more about the risks of mould in the home on the UK government website (guidance applies to England).
