Let’s face it, no one likes cleaning windows, so let’s see if the Karcher window cleaner is going to make this household chore a little more bearable!
CHECK BEST PRICE ON AMAZONThe Karcher Window Vacuum at a glance:
- The Karcher window cleaner is a handheld, glass and window cleaning vacuum that is very lightweight and easy to use.
- The vacuum suction removes moisture from the window surface and delivers a streak-free clean.
- A creditable lithium-ion battery gives you 35 to 100 minutes of constant cleaning. From a full charge depending on the model you choose.
- Exchangeable suction heads of different sizes give you more versatility for dealing with small and large surfaces.
The series of Karcher Window Cleaners promise to give you streak-free, sparkling windows all the time. You can use these portable vacuum devices to clean your windows both indoors and outdoors. You’ll be also able to be clean any flat surface such as shower cubicles, mirrors and glass tabletops. And are great for removing spills without the need for a kitchen towel.
Here we take a look at the Karcher Window Cleaner is more detail. And how it will help keep glass surfaces spotless with the minimum effort.
About Karcher
The Karcher Group is one of the market leaders in cleaning technology, both domestic and industrial. The original company was created by Alfred Karcher in 1935. The group has now grown to have over 100 different subsidiaries around the globe.
The brand has become well known in DIY stores in recent years for it’s cleaning solutions such as the Karcher Window Vacuum and devices such as pressure washers and steam cleaners.
Kärcher is valued for it’s sturdy, high-quality products that are at the mid-range for consumer consumption. Their aim is to produce useful cleaning solutions at a competitive cost. The brand is distinctive and widely available across the world, including the UK and Europe.
What is the Karcher Window Vacuum?
The Karcher Window Cleaner is a handheld device that comprises a suction head attached to a battery pack and water reservoir. It is essentially like a traditional window cleaner’s squeegee but with a vacuum attached to it.
Its simplicity of design belies the fact that it is a highly useful piece of kit to have in the home or for your business.
The Karcher Window Cleaner is ergonomically designed. It’s a lightweight that is easy to store away and can be used in many places around the home. Charging takes between 30 minutes to an hour depending on the model. Plus it can handle a variety of different cleaning tasks.
The kit comes with a smaller spray bottle that is attached to a microfibre cloth that is used for administering the initial detergent and cleaning before the vacuum device is used to remove the wastewater and leave your windows sparkling clean.
How Does the Karcher Window Cleaner Work?
The key to the Karcher Window Cleaner is that it sucks the water and detergent away from the window or glass surface – leaving it almost perfectly dry. The straight blade is placed flat against the surface of the window and the device is moved slowly down. The dirty water is collected in a reservoir built into the handle of the vacuum.
The built-in suction motor is powerful enough to handle any amount of liquid. This makes the Karcher cleaner a really useful tool to have around the house. It’s not only good at cleaning windows but can be employed to pick up spills and even remove condensation.
Types of Karcher Window Cleaner
There are different models to choose from including the WV5 Premium and the WV6 N. The differences between the range of Karcher Window Cleaners usually revolve around the amount of area covered by a single charge and the number of accessories that are available.
Karcher WV5 Premium
The design varies slightly from model to model. However, there are no major differences that you will notice and none that really impact on functionality. One innovation that Karcher is quick to explain is its edge technology. This is used to ensure that you don’t get streaks when you clean areas like windows.
The model that covers the most area is the WV6 Plus N which can handle 300 m². It also has a 100 minutes run time. This can be compared to the WV5 Plus N which covers 105 m² and has a battery life of 35 minutes.
Karcher WV6 Plus
For the average home, a single charge can normally cover cleaning all windows and 105 m² is probably all that you need. The weight of the Karcher Window Cleaner is fairly stable across models and you can expect all to be light to handle and easy to grip. The heaviest model is 0.7 kg, the lightest 0.5 kg.
Karcher Window Vac Anniversary Edition! Nice 🙂
Can It Clean Other Surfaces?
While it is advertised as a window cleaner, the Karcher vacuum actually has multiple uses around the home or in the office. Its suction nozzle is designed to clean up any water-type liquid. It’s great for cleaning areas like bathroom mirrors and shower cabinets. If you have a spill in your home, it works well in cleaning up any mess, whether it’s on a hard floor or carpet.
As a portable device, the Karcher Window Vacuum is easy to get out of the store cupboard.. Many homes nowadays suffer with condensation on windows. Especially in areas like the kitchen, and it can help prevent the build-up of mould and limescale. If you notice condensation forming, you can remove it by using the Karcher Window Vacuum in a matter of seconds and stay on top of any problem.
It’s also suitable for cleaning all tiled areas, whether that’s in the bathroom or the kitchen. All you need to do is wash with the right detergent first and then clear off the dirty water and soap with the Karcher.
How to Use the Karcher Window Cleaner
The Karcher comes with a separate spray bottle and microfibre cloth attachment. All you need to do is fill the bottle with a detergent and water mix and spray this onto your window. You then use the cloth to clean the area. Once you are satisfied it’s clean, the Karcher Window Vacuum is activated by pressing the button on the inside of the handle.
You will hear the motor activate and then you need to pull the suction head down vertically over the window. Do this at a steady pace and you should see the water removed from the surface of the window. Work your way along in vertical motions until the whole window is covered. You will notice some streaks and all you need to do is simply run the suction over these areas to leave your windows sparkling clean and clear.
Once you have finished cleaning your windows or other surfaces, you can remove the collection reservoir and empty it away down the sink. You will notice that the microfibre cloth will gather dirt from the surface and you will need to clean this regularly. This can be simply done by adding the cloth to your ordinary wash.
The great thing about the Karcher Window Vacuum is that there are very few moving parts and it’s extremely easy to maintain and keep clean. The suction heads can be removed with a simple click and washed under the tap to remove any gathered dirt.
If you are using a ladder to clean window areas higher up or outside, you can easily handle both the lightweight vacuum and the microfibre cloth. You can opt to buy your Karcher with a hip bag that enables you to switch between cloth and vacuum in safety. You can also choose options such as an extension handle that gives you a telescopic reach for higher areas.
To save your battery charge, switch off the vacuum cleaner once you have finished. This means that you can cover a much larger area. A single charge should give you enough power to cover all your windows.
Karcher Window Vacuum: Features and Benefits
The charging unit is attached to the base of the Karcher Window Vacuum. All you need to do is plug it in and let it charge for about 90 minutes. There is enough charge out of the box, however, to start getting on with cleaning those windows.
The base has a detachable collection unit where your dirty water ends up once you’ve done your cleaning. It holds 100 ml which is more than enough for all your windows. It simply clips off and can be poured down the drain.
Suction Blades
You have two suction blades, one measuring 280 mm across, the other 170 mm. This gives you more flexibility when dealing with smaller areas. If you have a large area like a bay window or bi-fold door, the 280 mm attachment allows you to cover extra space in much less time. If you have tricky little areas like mirrors or partition windows, the smaller blade works better.
The blades can easily be detached by releasing the catch. To put on an attachment just click it into the slot. It literally takes just a few seconds to do.
Cleaning Kit Accessories
The other important part of the Karcher kit is the spray cleaner. This has a stiff plastic head that you cover with a microfibre cloth held in place with Velcro. This is all attached to a small detergent bottle with a trigger. All you need to do is spray the detergent onto a surface and clean with the cloth before you use the vacuum attachment.
The kit usually comes with enough detergent to make 20 ml of cleaning product but any store-bought window cleaner can be used with the Karcher.
Karcher Glass Cleaner
You can also get a couple of accessories to go with your Karcher Window Cleaner at a small extra cost. The first is a hip holster that allows you to switch between vacuuming and cleaning. This is particularly useful when you are working on a ladder and don’t want to keep going up and down but need a hand free for support.
The second accessory is an extension set. This is useful if you don’t want to use a ladder but still need to reach difficult high up places. The extension clips to the handle of the Karcher and, while it takes a little time to get used to, can save time and deliver good results.
Karcher Extension Set
Karcher Window Cleaner: Performance
The company claim that cleaning with the Karcher Window Cleaner is three times quicker than with more traditional methods. A single charge gives you the chance to cover on average 105 m² which translates to about 35 normal windows, enough for most modern homes.
While the dirty water container only holds 100 ml, you’ll be surprised how much this is. You’re picking up a thin layer of water from your window and it takes quite a while to fill up the tank so that you then have to empty it out. Don’t be surprised if you get all-around your property before you need to get rid of the dirty water.
Streak Free?
One of the key challenges with this type of device is making sure there are no streaks on the window once you have finished. Karcher’s edge technology means this is relatively easy to achieve but it takes a bit of practice to get right. The best method is to run the vacuum down vertically first and then move it up again ‘against the grain’ to get the perfect finish. You may need to move the blades across horizontally in some cases.
The vacuum blades are actually pretty sturdy and you shouldn’t expect much deterioration even after many, many uses.
There aren’t many instructions in how to get the best out of your Karcher Window Vacuum but there is plenty of advice on sites like YouTube. It’s worth having a look at this before you begin cleaning any surface.
Light and Easy to Hold
Both the main vacuum unit and the spray cleaner are light and easy to hold and you can easily use them with both hands to speed up your cleaning. If you are climbing a ladder this may be a little more difficult but you can also get the Karcher holster which makes things safer. You don’t need to apply much pressure at all when using the blades.
Overall, the suction power of the Karcher Window Cleaner is enough for most circumstances. It works well with other household chores such as cleaning mirrors and showers and is useful for quickly picking up minor spills on all surfaces.
One area where it can struggle a little is the bottom of windows where there is a ledge of obstruction but this shouldn’t be a major issue.
Battery Power and the Karcher Window Cleaner
You might think that 35 minutes is not a great amount of battery time but it’s certainly enough for cleaning all your windows. You should turn off the vacuum when you are not using it or swapping to clean with the spray attachment and you’ll find that you have all the energy you need. Even when power is getting low, the Karcher manages to remove the water reasonably efficiently.
Charging time varies depending on the model you choose. A full charge takes anywhere between 90 minutes and a few hours.
Karcher Window Cleaner: Verdict
If you are looking for ease of use and speed in cleaning flat surfaces such as windows, the Karcher window vac has all the attributes you’ll ever need. At a fairly competitive cost, it’s also a device that you may find more uses for than you first thought possible.
Positives:
- The Karcher Window Cleaner is a lightweight tool that can be used all around the house or in the office.
- It is likely to save you both money and time on cleaning windows.
- It’s cordless and easy to set up in a matter of seconds.
- One single charge is enough to clean as many as 35 standard size windows.
- It can be used for both indoor and outdoor window surfaces.
- It’s easy to use and has a sturdy design, creating sparkling clean, streak-free windows as well as reducing the impact of condensation.
- It’s simple to store away and can be used for emergencies such as spills in the home.
- Two blades give you greater flexibility when dealing with smaller areas.
- The motor is powerful enough to remove most surface water but it is also quiet during operation.
Negatives:
- The Karcher Window Vacuum can struggle with more stubborn stains which may need to be soaked more before cleaning.
- The bulky base can make awkward areas around windows difficult to handle at times.
- Most kits only come with one sachet of cleaning product which is not enough to cover a whole house.
Despite some minor negatives, there are a lot of positives to recommend the Karcher Window Cleaner and it remains one of the most useful little household tools you can have in your cupboard. It’s particularly great at picking up spills in a quick and efficient manner.
Overall, if you want a reliable way to clean your windows and other flat surfaces, the Karcher Window Cleaner certainly ticks all the right boxes.
Checkout the latest Karcher Window Cleaner deals available on Amazon
