ARTICLE Gareth Poley

We’ve probably all at some stage in our lives come across Kärcher waterblasters which we all know are great for keeping your car and the outside of your home clean, but did you know that Kärcher also have a range of indoor cleaning products including steam cleaners and window vacuums? Everything you need to keep your home looking it’s best... and all with an added benefit of not having to scrub or use harmful chemicals.

I recently had the chance to get stuck into cleaning my house (and car) from top to bottom using the Kärcher range of cleaning products.

K4 Premium Water Blaster

Price: $599
I started with the outside of my house using the K4 premium water blaster to clean everything from the driveway to the weatherboards, gutters, windows and finally my car.

The thing that was really satisfying when cleaning the outside of the house and driveway is how instantaneously you see the results - there’s a sense of “instant gratification” that comes from using a water blaster to clean outdoors – you do the work and the result is there for you to see immediately.

When cleaning the driveway, I used the hard surface cleaner attachment (aka the T racer). You literally walk around with it and watch the lichen, moss, mould or algae blast away.

The T racer attachment is very effective for cleaning paths, driveways and decks – not only does it clean up to four times faster, it also makes it much easier to clean large areas evenly without creating streaks or uneven results.

Kärcher’s hard surface cleaner attachments are ideal for cleaning decks, driveways and paths

Ever the sceptic - when it came to car cleaning, I really wanted to put it through its paces and give it a real challenge. A friend of mine had not cleaned his car in over a year and had a fair amount of bug and road stains on the front bumper. If that wasn’t going to be challenging enough, his car is white too! The perfect test case for this water blaster.

We first sprayed water over the car using the spray lance, then switched to the scrub brush attachment, which cleverly shampoos the car while in use. Then finally, we switched back to the spray lance and set to max. Within a matter of minutes, the car was sparkling white again - sans bugs and tar!
I have used other water blasters in the past and I think it may be worth mentioning some of the neat features and benefits that I particularly liked about the Kärcher K4 Water Blaster.

There are three main components that will determine the performance of a water blaster; the operating PSI (the working pressure of the water blaster when you are running the unit, not just the pressure when you first squeeze the trigger); the water flow rate; the nozzle type and technology. For optimal cleaning performance all three components must be optimally configured. Kärcher develop waterblasters around completing specific cleaning tasks, so the K4 premium water blaster has been designed to have the most appropriate combination of PSI, water flow and a nozzle optimised for its performance with respect to cleaning around the average home.

We got impressive results removing road and bug stains from a white car that had not been cleaned prior to this test in over a year

Kärcher waterblasters are a great way to clean quickly and efficiently whilst using less water than your garden hose. A standard tap in New Zealand or Australia uses approximately 14+ litres per minute but in the current Kärcher range of residential waterblasters, the water flow rate per minute ranges between 6 litres per minute and 9.4 litres per minute depending on the size of the unit you are using. The K4 model that I used has a flow rate of only 7 litres per minute meaning I get a lot more cleaning pressure but with only half the water consumption.

The Kärcher K4 Water Blaster also has a ‘plug n clean’ system located at the back of the unit which makes it much easier to use detergents when water blasting.

Kärcher offer a range of detergents ranging from wood cleaners, to car shampoos, to boat or stone cleaners. All of the Kärcher detergents are bio-degradeable and environmentally friendly too. On the front of the water blaster is a dial which allows you to control the flow of the detergent too, which I thought was a bonus.

Huge plus for me is the integrated hose reel on top of the water blaster, as if you have ever used a water blaster without one, you will know those hoses have a mind of their own when it comes time to pack the machine away.

In summary, I thought that the Kärcher K4 premium water blaster is a sturdy machine, with low water consumption but high power output that gives a fast and effective clean for all outdoor cleaning tasks around the home.

When using water blasters, it is recommended to always use an RCD (Residual Current Device). Kärcher waterblasters are insulated for safety, but for added safety it is advised that you also use an RCD.

Kärcher’s patented nozzle design provides faster, more effective cleaning

As waterblasters are high drain devices, you need to ensure that you use an appropriate extension lead. We suggest a Heavy Duty or Extra Heavy Duty extension lead (normally orange or red in colour) as these have a 1.5mm core designed for use with high drain electrical devices.

As with any device, it pays to read the instruction manual before assembly and operation. By following the procedures and tips for using your Kärcher waterblaster you’ll be sure to get the best life from the product and the most efficient cleaning results – this is especially true with regards to how to start-up and shut down your waterblaster.

Kärcher residential cleaning devices have a warranty for residential use of either two or five years depending on the product. Kärcher waterblasters that feature the long life water cooled induction motor feature a five year warranty for residential use – giving you real peace of mind.

It’s useful for you to always keep your proof of purchase for any electronic products that you buy. What I have started doing is simply taking a photo of the receipt and saving the image to a folder on my computer.

Most retailers can also reprint a proof of purchase if you have a bank or credit card record (Statement) showing the transaction date – so if you lose a receipt all hope is not always lost.

Kärcher have an online product registration facility that you can use to register your product with them which means that should you lose your proof of purchase, Kärcher will have a record in their system.

Kärcher stands behind its products, with a view to produce longevity and environmental awareness. Product spare parts are kept for a minimum of ten years after production ceases of a particular product. So in many cases items that may experience a fault can be repaired and returned to use - saving money and reducing landfill.

Kärcher is a family-owned business that has been around for over 80 years, and specialises in the design, manufacture and sale of both commercial and residential cleaning products. Aside from inventing the waterblaster, Karcher has also registered over 1,500 patents and trademarks since it was founded, and is consistently investing further into research and development.

SC 2.500 Steam Cleaner

Price: $299
The thing that I like most about the steam cleaner it that it immediately eliminates the need for all those harsh indoor cleaning products.

The SC 2.500 steam cleaner is a multi-purpose cleaner, that uses a combination of steam and pressure to quickly and effectively clean and sanitise a wide range of surfaces. From floors to bathroom surfaces including showers, tapware and basins, to kitchen surfaces including splash-backs, benchtops, ovens and extractors?

The SC 2.500 also has a twin tank system that allows for continuous operation eliminating the need to interrupt cleaning while waiting for the tank to cool to refill.

When using the Kärcher SC 2.500 Steam Cleaner, it takes less than four minutes for the water to heat up to approximately 145°C in the boiler, the SC 2.500 then uses a combination of steam and pressure to quickly and effectively clean and sanitise - making light work of cleaning stubborn dirt, lime residue and grease.

Kärcher Steam Cleaners have been independently tested to kill 99.99% of common household bacteria simply using household tap-water, leaving surfaces sanitised without the need for harsh detergents, chemicals or elbow grease.

WV 2 Plus Window Vacuum

Price: $149
The Window Vacuums are worth trying too – while cleaning the bathroom tiles and shower glass, I used the WV2 Plus Window Vacuum to collect the excess water.

I have a wet room so after a shower, there is often some excess water around the sink area. Although the name suggests it’s a window cleaner, it has been very useful for drying the tiles in the wet room after a shower too.

Seeing how quickly and easily it sucks up all the water beads from shower glass – I imagine this would be a perfect solution for people who have trouble with condensation on windows in the winter. A single wipe leaves windows streak free and sparkling.

Cleaning is a grudge task, but the Kärcher range of products makes it a lot easier and really does produce great results.

Find Out More
www.karcher.co.nz