As the weather grows chilly and the days get shorter, we wake up more and more to the sight of frosty pavements and foggy windowpanes.

During the winter, steamy windows can cause unsightly smudges and mould build-up, and they can lead to wasted time de-misting cars, delaying early commutes.

Fortunately, there is much that can be done to combat condensation.

Windows become coated in condensation when warm air from inside meets cold air from outside.

According to National Geographic, condensation happens when water vapour in the air meets its dew point and reverts back into a liquid. Air temperatures can often fall below their dew point, as they regularly do at night time; this is why grass and garden furniture can collect droplets of water overnight.

The big difference between internal and external temperatures is the reason that windows become especially foggy in the winter, and the poor insulation of single glazed windows is what causes water build-up on older panes.

You can tackle condensation before it forms by installing a humidifier to suck the excess moisture from the air inside your home.

Try to avoid leaving wet or damp clothes inside your home, also aim to keep lids on pots and pans to prevent steam escaping.

At times when it is warm enough to do so, open some of the windows in your home to let warm, moist air out.

To get rid of the moisture that’s already accumulated, there is a simple home-made cleaning solution you can use.

Combine two cups of water with two cups of white vinegar and a few drops of washing up liquid, ideally in a spray bottle.

Apply the solution directly to the window and then use a cleaning rag (making sure the surface isn’t too rough so that you won’t scratch the glass) and wipe the window down. Leave it to air-dry afterwards.

As well as taking care of the condensation, this solution will also work as an all-purpose window cleaner.

However, if your windows are double-glazed, there is a chance that the condensation has actually formed in the space in between the two glass panes.

Unfortunately, if this is the case, the only solution is to call a window professional to repair or replace it.

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