Source: CHEAA-run China Appliance magazine
Since Ecovacs launched its first household window cleaners, the Winbot 5 series, in 2011, the window cleaner sector has developed at a modest but steady pace in the Chinese market for over a decade. Starting in 2024, the category has gained renewed momentum, with the market experiencing accelerated expansion.
Driven by technological upgrades, window cleaners are redefining the standards of household window cleaning, becoming an essential tool for families aiming to enhance their quality of life and embrace smart living.
Domestic Market Size above 1 billion yuan for the First Time
In 2024, the window cleaner market experienced explosive growth. According to data from AVC (All View Cloud), the household window cleaner market in China reached 1.14 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 35.7% and surpassing the 1 billion yuan threshold for the first time.
This momentum has carried into 2025. AVC's estimates show that in the first quarter alone, the market size reached 430 million yuan, with full-year performance expected to further expand. While the overall market volume still lags behind that of floor washers and robot vacuums, the potential remains significant.
According to China Appliance magazine, early window cleaners that relied on magnetic attachment faced several drawbacks, including limitations on glass thickness, significant safety concerns, and fixed suction power. These issues prompted the development of vacuum-based models, which offer improved safety, greater adaptability, and enhanced overall functionality.
Fueled by technological upgrades and iterations, more and more brands are entering the market. What was once a category led by pioneers like ECOVACS and HOBOT has now expanded to include brands such as Oksen, Xinshe, Hutt, Huojing, and Satuo. At AWE 2025 this March, Dreame also launched its first window cleaner line—the C1 series.
As the pioneer of the category, ECOVACS currently holds a dominant position in China’s window cleaner market. According to data from AVC (All View Cloud), in the first quarter of 2025, ECOVACS accounted for 62.3% of total sales revenue in the Chinese market. The other top five brands by market share were Huojing (8.0%), Oksen (7.6%), Satuo (6.2%), and Hobot (3.2%).
What's next for this market?
Enhanced Cleaning Performance and Safety
While market enthusiasm continues to rise, there is still ample room to improve window cleaners’ cleaning efficiency and safety. Manufacturers are actively addressing common industry challenges by introducing innovative solutions.
Cleaning performance is a key measure of product performance. Many brands now offer “dry + wet” solutions: dry wiping to remove dust, followed by wet wiping for deep cleaning. Technologies showcased at AWE2025 include spray washing, spot cleaning, and dual-roller cleaning.
At AWE2025, Dreame introduced its spraying technology for the C1 series. According to Dreame, this system disperses fine water droplets in a short, forceful burst, resisting wind interference and improving coverage while avoiding excessive watermarks. Similar innovations include Ecovacs’ triple-nozzle high-pressure atomizing system and Huojing’s four-nozzle high-pressure water curtain tech.
Like vacuum robots and floor washers, window cleaners face challenges in edge and corner cleaning. Ecovacs, Huojing, and Dreame have introduced targeted innovations in this area. At AWE2025, Ecovacs’ Winbot W2S PRO demonstrated smooth operation even in tight window corners. It uses spherical sensors to detect frame distance, combined with upgraded algorithms that improve edge coverage by 65%. To address corner cleaning, Dreame introduced its Corner Clean technology in its C1 series——which boosts overall cleaning coverage by 90%. The flexible corner-cleaning brush rotates 360 degrees and hugs the window corners tightly, ensuring every part of the window is thoroughly cleaned. Huojing, meanwhile, has integrated “robotic arms” into its window cleaners. The four rotating arms at each corner can automatically detect edges and corners, extending outward to apply pressure for flexible, precision cleaning—ensuring no area is left untouched.
The development of edge and corner cleaning technology shows a clear influence from the robotic arms used in robot vacuums—highlighting how technologies are being adapted across different cleaning devices. Most window cleaners on the market today still use cleaning cloths. However, Zhipai’s distinctive dual-roller system offers a fresh approach, making it possible to clean windows with fresh water, which could lead to better cleaning results.
Safety is also a key attribute of window cleaners. The window cleaning scenario is quite unique—especially for users living in high-rise buildings, where cleaning exterior windows is considered high-risk “work at height.” In response, the industry has introduced window cleaners equipped with comprehensive safety features to ensure secure operation.
Suction strength is key to safe operation on vertical surfaces. Most current models offer suction power around 5,000Pa, coupled with air leak detection and air pressure compensation to maintain secure attachment on glass, mirrors, and smooth tiles.
A Dreame engineer noted, “Suction is what keeps the window cleaner from falling off. It must be strong enough to stay secure, but not so strong that it damages the glass. We determined 5,500Pa is the optimal balance.” Dreame’s C1 series also features an aerospace-grade gearbox, three-stage gears, and a high-stability brushless motor to ensure stable climbing.
To mitigate risks from power outages or strong winds, Dreame has developed a triple-layer safety system. The first layer of protection is its 5500Pa suction power, which ensures strong adherence to the glass surface. In a power outage, the main unit will automatically descend to the lowest point of the window, retract its power cord to the shortest length, and issue an alert. The second layer of protection comes from its backup power supply, which allows the main unit to remain attached to the glass for up to 30 minutes. If a sudden fall does occur, the C1 Station will activate a cord-locking mechanism—similar to a seatbelt—to minimize the drop distance. Additionally, the base station remains firmly in place thanks to its 6kg weight and an 800N suction cup at the bottom, ensuring it stays completely stable during operation.
Beyond that, many products now combine power and safety cables into a single cord to prevent entanglement, with one-touch cord retraction for added convenience.
Intelligence as the Next Key Development Trend
As a rising category of household service robots, window cleaners are gradually becoming intelligent home assistants—capable of making autonomous decisions, easy to use, convenient, and reliably safe.
Intelligent path planning, obstacle avoidance, and edge-cleaning technologies are making these products more adaptable. Ecovacs’ Winbot W2S PRO, for instance, supports cleaning for a variety of glass types—extra-wide, frameless, and tilted—using intelligent zone division, frame-sensing spherical sensors, and gravity acceleration sensors. Its infrared collision detection adjusts routes to avoid damage to windows with handles or other obstacles.
HUTT leverages AI-driven variable frequency suction to automatically adjust according to glass dirt levels and surface type, ensuring optimal performance.
Looking ahead, window cleaners will continue to evolve toward greater intelligence and personalization. They will learn user preferences, refine cleaning routes and strength via smart algorithms, and deliver tailored cleaning experiences—making everyday life more convenient and comfortable.