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This is a little off-topic, but still related to problem solving and products.
I've been wiping condensation off my windows for years. I live in a 1930s house where this seems to happen, partly due to the build.
On very cold winter mornings, it’s the same routine: wet windows, grab a squeegee and a cloth, spend 10 minutes wiping them down. Wring out the cloths in the sink (dripping everywhere), try and dry them, repeat on the next very cold morning.
It's one of those annoying maintenance tasks you just accept. Like brushing your teeth but worse because it's messy.
I've tried variations. Opening windows? Doesn't make enough difference. Dehumidifier? Helps a somewhat but doesn't solve it.
Then a couple months back my neighbour mentioned he'd solved it with something called a window vac. I had no idea what he meant.
Turns out it's a handheld thing (looks a bit like a squeegee with a big handle) that vacuums up the water and stores it in a tank. I found a Karcher one on Amazon for about £40 in Black Friday, and figured I’d test it.
Absolute game changer
It’s proved so successful that everyone in the house wants to use it. They laughed at me at first, but one try and they were hooked.
Now I just run it down each window, and takes maybe 5 minutes for the whole house. Empty the little tank in the sink, done. The windows are actually DRY. No wet cloths, no mess, no damp windowsills. It's so much better that I'm genuinely annoyed I didn't know these existed years ago.
I'm sharing this because I reckon most people have no idea window vacs exist, same as me. So if you're doing the wipe routine every morning, this is the one I got (you don’t really need the top level model, I just managed to get a deal).
It's one of those small improvements that compounds, saving 15-20 minutes (and some misery) every single day, and adds up fast.
Sometimes the solution isn't just doing an annoying task better
If you’ve read this far, here’s the payoff. Sometimes the solution isn't doing an annoying task better, it's discovering a completely different tool or method that makes the task almost disappear.
Note: the link in this post is an affiliate link, but as you can see from the post I’m over the moon with the product.
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