The single most useful window cleaning product a UK home can buy in 2026 is a window vac, and the Karcher WV 6 Plus N is the one we hand most people: it sprays, you wipe, it sucks the dirty water off the glass so nothing dribbles onto the sill. Round it out with a proper squeegee, a vinegar-based glass spray, a pair of microfibre cloths and a telescopic pole, and you can match a professional finish on most of the glass in your house.
This is a mixed kit list, not five versions of the same thing. Each pick below wins its own category, because a good window clean is a few cheap tools used in the right order rather than one miracle spray. We clean windows for a living, so these are the products we would actually put in a customer’s hands. Want a machine that does the wiping for you? Our best window cleaning robots guide covers the automated route instead.
How the window cleaning products compare
| Product | Type | Key detail | What it does best | Reusable? | Approx UK price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karcher WV 6 Plus N | Window vacuum | 100 min battery, 280mm + 170mm blades | No-drip finish on any size of glass | Yes, charges and refills | £89–£120 |
| Unger ErgoTec Squeegee | Squeegee | Stainless S-channel, swappable rubber, 25–55cm | Pulling water off in one clean stroke | Yes, blade is replaceable | £12–£18 |
| Mr Muscle Platinum Window & Glass | Glass spray | Vinegar formula, 500–750ml | Cutting grease and finger marks fast | No, consumable | £1.50–£3 |
| e-cloth Window Cleaning Pack | Microfibre cloths | 2 cloths, 100-wash promise, water only | Streak-free buffing with no chemicals | Yes, washable | £9.50 |
| Unger Window Cleaning Kit 1.25m | Telescopic pole kit | OptiLoc pole to 3m reach, VisaVersa squeegee | High indoor glass and conservatory roofs | Yes | £40–£66 |
Prices were checked in May 2026 against Karcher UK, Unger, e-cloth and the usual UK retailers, and they move with offers, so treat them as a guide.
Karcher WV 6 Plus N
Spray, wipe, vacuum the water off. No drips, no streaks, on any pane.
| Type | Cordless window vacuum |
|---|---|
| Battery | Up to 100 minutes, LED minute display |
| Blades | 280mm wide plus a 170mm narrow nozzle |
| Tank / weight | 150ml dirty-water tank, 0.8kg |
| Noise | About 53dB, quiet for a vac |
| In the box | Spray bottle, microfibre cover, 20ml concentrate |
Reasons to buy
- Sucks the dirty water off the glass, so nothing runs down onto the sill or floor
- 100-minute battery does every window in a normal house on one charge
- The narrow 170mm blade gets into small panes and skylights the wide one cannot
- Doubles up on shower screens, mirrors, tiles and condensation on a winter morning
Reasons to avoid
- The priciest single product here
- You still spray and loosen the dirt by hand first; it only removes the water
- The little tank needs emptying on a big job
If you buy one thing off this page, buy this. A window vac changes the order of the job. You spray the glass and loosen the dirt with the microfibre pad, then run the suction blade down the pane and it lifts the dirty water clean off, instead of you chasing drips with a cloth. That last step is what leaves glass clear, and it is the bit people get wrong by hand.
The WV 6 Plus N is Karcher’s top window vac. The 100-minute battery and the minute-by-minute display mean you are not guessing how much charge is left, and the extra 170mm blade in the box is the reason to pick the N over the cheaper models, because it reaches into Georgian panes and roof windows the 280mm blade skips. It also earns its keep in winter on condensation, which is the job most owners actually reach for it. List price is £119.99 but it is very often around £89.
Where to buy
Karcher direct, Argos, Currys and Amazon stock it; deals dip to around £85. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Unger ErgoTec Squeegee
The stainless squeegee the trade buys, with a blade you can replace.
| Type | Hand squeegee, pole-compatible |
|---|---|
| Blade width | 25, 35, 45 or 55cm |
| Channel | Stainless steel S-channel |
| Rubber | Soft, shore hardness 53, swappable |
| Handle | Two-component grip, S-spring fitting |
Reasons to buy
- Pulls the water off in one clean pass, the way a window cleaner does it
- The rubber blade pops out and replaces for pennies, so the tool lasts years
- Soft rubber flexes to slightly uneven old glass
- The handle clicks onto an Unger pole for higher work
Reasons to avoid
- You buy a washer or sponge separately to wet the glass first
- There is a knack to the stroke, so the first window or two looks patchy
- The soft rubber wears faster than hard rubber on gritty exterior glass
A window vac does the everyday glass; a real squeegee does the proper job. Ettore and Unger are the two names every window cleaner in Britain knows, and the ErgoTec is Unger’s everyday squeegee. The handle is comfortable, the stainless S-channel does not rust, and crucially the rubber blade is a wear part you swap when it nicks or hardens rather than binning the whole tool. That is why one of these outlasts a drawer full of supermarket squeegees.
For most homes the 35cm blade is the sweet spot: wide enough to clear a sash in two or three strokes, short enough to handle smaller panes. Buy the soft rubber for our climate, keep the blade clean, and wipe the edge between strokes. It clicks onto an Unger telescopic pole too, so the squeegee you learn on is the same one you put up high later.
Where to buy
Sold by Unger, Amazon, Screwfix and janitorial suppliers; the 35cm complete is the one to get. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Mr Muscle Platinum Window & Glass
Cheap, vinegar-based and genuinely streak-free. The everyday spray.
| Type | Trigger spray, ready to use |
|---|---|
| Size | 500ml and 750ml bottles |
| Formula | Vinegar-based, cuts grease |
| Finish | Streak-free, dries fast |
| Use on | Glass, mirrors and glazed tiles |
Reasons to buy
- Vinegar cuts grease, grime and finger marks without much rubbing
- Dries fast and clear, so it does not leave a haze
- Cheap and stocked in every supermarket
- Pairs well with a window vac or a microfibre cloth
Reasons to avoid
- Keep it to glass, mirrors and tiles; it can mark wood and some stone
- The scent is strong on the first spray, though it fades quickly
- A consumable, so you rebuy it
The original version of this guide picked Mr Muscle back in 2022, and it has stayed the sensible everyday glass cleaner since. The reason is the vinegar in it. Vinegar cuts the greasy film that finger marks and cooking leave on glass, which is exactly what makes a window look smeary in low sun, and it flashes off without the residue that gives cheaper sprays their haze.
Use it the way a pro would. Spray lightly, do not flood the glass, then pull it off with a squeegee or buff it dry with a clean microfibre cloth. One honest warning carried over from before: it is a glass cleaner, not an all-purpose one, so keep it off wooden frames, painted sills and unsealed stone. If you want a gentler scent there are pricier options like Method, but for value and a clean finish this is the one we keep under the sink.
Where to buy
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Wilko and Amazon all stock it. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
e-cloth Window Cleaning Pack
Two cloths that clean and polish glass with water alone.
| Type | Microfibre, two-cloth set |
|---|---|
| Pack | Waffle window cloth plus a glass and polishing cloth |
| Sizes | 40 x 40cm and 40 x 50cm |
| Material | 80 per cent polyester, 20 per cent polyamide |
| Washable | 100-wash / 1-year promise, hot wash |
| Chemicals | Cleans with water only |
Reasons to buy
- The two-cloth system works: waffle weave lifts the grime, the smooth cloth buffs it clear
- Cleans glass and mirrors with just water, so no spray needed
- Machine washable with a 100-wash guarantee, so cheaper than paper towels over time
- No lint left behind, which is the whole point on glass
Reasons to avoid
- Dearer up front than a single supermarket cloth
- Skip the fabric softener or you clog the fibres and lose the magic
- On heavy grease you will still want a spray to help them along
The old guide leaned on paper towels. Microfibre is the upgrade, and a glass cloth is not the same as a general one. The e-cloth Window Pack gives you the two you actually need: a waffle-weave cloth that grabs and holds the grime off the pane, and a smooth glass and polishing cloth that buffs the last film to a clear finish with no lint. Damp the first, dry with the second, and you can do mirrors and windows with water alone.
That water-only trick is the part people do not believe until they try it. It works because the fibres are fine enough to lift grease mechanically, and it means fewer chemicals around the house. They wash hot and come with a 100-wash, one-year promise, so over a year they cost less than the paper towels they replace. The single Minky M Cloth Glass & Window is a fine cheaper alternative if you only want one cloth, but the e-cloth pair is the better buy.
Where to buy
e-cloth direct, plus Amazon, Lakeland, Robert Dyas and Ocado. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
Unger Window Cleaning Kit 1.25m
A telescopic pole and squeegee in one, for high glass without a ladder.
| Type | Telescopic pole starter kit (AK131) |
|---|---|
| Pole | EZ120 OptiLoc, 2 sections, 1.25m |
| Reach | Up to about 3m working height |
| Tool | VisaVersa 35cm squeegee and washer in one |
| Cloth | MicroWipe 40 x 40cm microfibre |
| Pole material | Aluminium alloy |
Reasons to buy
- Reaches high indoor glass, stairwell windows and conservatory roofs without a ladder
- The VisaVersa tool washes and squeegees in one, so you flip it instead of swapping
- OptiLoc clamps hold the length without slipping mid-stroke
- Everything you need to start is in one box
Reasons to avoid
- The 3m working reach suits a single storey, not full upstairs exterior glass
- For high outside windows you want a water-fed pole instead
- Working overhead with a wet tool takes a little practice
The fifth tool is about reach and safety, because the most dangerous part of cleaning windows at home is the ladder. The Unger AK131 kit gets you off it for a lot of the job. You get a two-section OptiLoc telescopic pole that extends to roughly 3m of working height, the VisaVersa squeegee that wets and pulls in one flip, and a microfibre cloth, all in a box for the price of one decent tool.
Be honest with yourself about reach. This kit is ideal for high internal glass, that landing window over the stairs, glass doors and a conservatory roof you cannot otherwise touch. It is not built to clean upstairs windows from the garden; for that you want a water-fed pole that pushes pure water up to the brush, and for anything above the first floor outside it is safer and quicker to book a pro. Within its range, though, it is the cheapest way to clean high glass with both feet on the floor.
Where to buy
Unger code AK131; sold by Amazon, eBay and cleaning suppliers. Affiliate links coming soon — price last checked May 2026.
How to choose window cleaning equipment
You do not need everything on this list. Match the kit to the glass you actually have, in roughly this order.
Start with how you take the water off
This is the bit that decides whether glass dries clear or smeary. A window vac sucks the dirty water off and is the easiest way to a no-drip finish, especially on condensation. A squeegee does the same job by hand once you have the stroke. A cloth alone works on small glass but tends to chase drips around. Pick one of the first two as your main tool.
Then pick what loosens the dirt
Light everyday marks lift with a microfibre cloth and water. Greasy kitchen windows and finger-marked doors want a vinegar-based spray to break the film first. Most homes keep both: cloths for a quick going-over, a glass spray for the jobs that have built up.
Think about reach and safety
Ground-floor windows are easy. The moment you are looking up at a landing window or a conservatory roof, a telescopic pole is safer than a ladder and usually quicker. For the outside of upstairs windows, a water-fed pole that feeds pure water to the brush is the home answer, and for anything high or awkward outside, a professional with the right reach gear is the sensible call.
Buy things you can keep using
A squeegee with a replaceable blade, washable microfibre cloths and a rechargeable window vac all cost more than a roll of paper towels and a budget spray. Over a year they cost less, work better and make less waste. The only true consumable here is the glass spray.
What we have learned cleaning windows for a living
We clean windows across London, Liverpool and Manchester, and the same few habits separate a clear pane from a smeary one. None of them need expensive kit.
Clean on a dull day, not in bright sun
Direct sun dries the cleaner before you can wipe it, and that is what bakes in streaks. An overcast day, or the shaded side of the house, gives you time to work. It is the single easiest fix for streaky glass.
Two cloths beat one
Use one damp cloth to clean and a second dry one to buff. A single cloth just moves wet grime around. This is why the e-cloth pack is built the way it is, and it is the trick most people are missing.
Do the frames and sills too
A window only looks properly cleaned when the frame, the sill and the rubber seals are done as well as the glass. A robot cannot touch those, which is half of why we are not worried about being replaced by one. Wipe the frame first so you are not dragging frame dirt back onto clean glass.
Know where the kit stops and a pro starts
This gear handles your accessible glass beautifully. For the first heavy clean after builders leave, for whole homes, or for the outside of upstairs windows where reach and safety matter, it is worth handing over. We cover all of that on our window cleaning service, clean whole houses through domestic cleaning, and handle move-outs with end of tenancy cleaning. If you would rather not climb the ladder yourself, get in touch for a quote. And if you want a machine to do the wiping, our window cleaning robots guide weighs up the automated route.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best window cleaning products to buy in 2026?
For most UK homes the best single product is a window vac, and the Karcher WV 6 Plus N is our pick because it sucks the dirty water off the glass for a no-drip finish. Round it out with an Unger ErgoTec squeegee, a vinegar-based Mr Muscle spray, an e-cloth window cloth pack and a telescopic pole for high glass.
What is the best product for streak-free windows?
A window vac gives the most reliable streak-free result because it removes the dirty water rather than spreading it. By hand, the trick is a vinegar-based glass spray, a squeegee or microfibre cloth, and cleaning on a dull day so the cleaner does not dry in the sun before you wipe it off.
Do I need a squeegee or a window vacuum?
Either takes the water off cleanly; the difference is effort. A window vac is easier and is brilliant on condensation, but it costs more and needs charging. A squeegee is cheap, lasts for years with a new blade now and then, and is what professionals use, but it takes a little practice to get a streak-free stroke.
Is vinegar good for cleaning windows?
Yes. Vinegar cuts the greasy film that finger marks and cooking leave on glass, and it dries without a haze, which is why so many glass sprays are vinegar-based. Keep it to glass, mirrors and tiles, because the acid can mark wooden frames, painted sills and unsealed stone.
Can microfibre cloths clean windows without any chemicals?
For everyday marks, yes. A good glass microfibre cloth damped with water alone lifts dust and light grease and leaves no lint, which is how the e-cloth window pack is designed to work. For heavy grease or a window that has not been done in months, add a glass spray to help the cloth along.
What size squeegee is best for home windows?
A 35cm blade suits most home windows. It is wide enough to clear a typical sash in a couple of strokes but short enough to handle smaller panes. Go narrower, around 25cm, for lots of small divided windows, and wider, 45cm or more, only if you have large picture glass.
How do I clean upstairs windows from the ground?
Use a water-fed telescopic pole that feeds pure water to a brush head, so you scrub and rinse from the ground without a ladder. A basic telescopic pole kit like the Unger one reaches high indoor glass and single-storey work; for the outside of upstairs windows a longer water-fed pole, or a professional, is safer.
Are window cleaning robots better than doing it by hand?
Not for most homes. A robot keeps large, flat, accessible glass topped up, but it cannot do frames, sills or corners and is slow, so a cloth or squeegee still gives a better all-round finish. If you have a lot of big glass and dislike the job, a robot can help; see our window cleaning robots guide for where they work.
Last updated: May 2026. Written by the team at Monster Cleaning, professional window and domestic cleaners working across London, Liverpool and Manchester since 2014. Prices and products were checked against UK retailers and manufacturer listings at the time of writing and do change.