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Karcher SE 4002 is a wet and dry vacuum cleaner with integrated spray extraction function. Karcher has been under testing for several weeks and it has been used to clean up hard floors, carpets, seats, and other textiles.

Karcher SE 4002 with large spray nozzle

Introduction

Karcher uses the spray of detergent to clean up surfaces. There is a detachable water tank for the detergent. The spray is controlled with a trigger button that is integrated into the hose handle. Two nozzles for the spray cleaning are included in the sales box. The smaller one is good for motorhome or caravan seats and the larger one is suitable for floor and carpets. There is also standard floor nozzle and a crevice tool in the sales box. Karcher can be used also as a regular wet or dry vacuum cleaner without the spray functionality.

The water tank volume is 4 litres and the dirt tank is 18 litres. The paper bag filters for dry vacuuming are large. Karcher weights 7.5 kg and the motor is built into the top part of the device. The center of gravity is still low enough, so that the vacuum cleaner does not fall over easily. Typical electric intake is rated as 1200 W and the air flow rate is 70 litres per second.

Usability

Karcher has dedicated buttons to turn on the water pump and the vacuum. The spray of detergent is easy to control with the integrated trigger button. The 4 litre water tank volume may sound limited, but actually it is more than enough to clean up a large caravan or a motorhome. The water tank is detachable, so it is easy to fill up. The water adds up to the total weight of the vacuum cleaner. A solid handle on top makes it easy to lift up the device despite the weight. Karcher rolls smoothly with the six wheels found under the bottom.

The large nozzle needs to be in a correct angle against a floor when spray cleaning. This is true especially for the hard floors. If the plastic strip in the front edge of a nozzle does not touch the floor then some of the detergent is not vacuumed away and the floor gets wet. Usually this is not a problem, but worth to pay some extra attention when vacuuming in tight spaces. There is no risk of a real damage, since the spray volume is small. Just some extra drying time.

Karcher's small spray nozzle

The shape of the Karcher is a thin cylinder. Thin enough to fit inside motorhomes. There are no sharp edges that could scratch a motorhome interior. All the nozzles and tubes and other accessories are of a good quality. Attaching them together is easy. There are lock rings that make sure the parts stay together.

The paper filter bag can be used only when dry vacuuming. It must be removed for spray cleaning and wet vacuuming. The bag needs to be removed carefully, since there’s no closing mechanism that would prevent the dust spreading around. It is better to throw away the dirt water right away after spray cleaning and then rinse the tank with a water. I have slightly misplaced the top cover to let the tank dry. Karcher has stayed clean and it has not generated any smell with this simple maintenance. The paper filter bag can be re-installed only after the tank is completely dry.

Clean results

Karcher makes plenty of noise, but it is also powerful. Dry cleaning results are superior to a conventional average vacuum cleaner. Spray cleaning leaves floor and carpet surfaces a bit damp. Carpet surface will get dry in about an hour or so depending on the circumstances. Carpets can be spray cleaned in place without removing them.

Spray cleaning carpets, seats, and textiles gives better results than dry vacuuming. For extra dirty surface I have used a two step approach. First I have just sprayed the detergent on to the surface and let it soak in a couple of minutes. Then I have spray cleaned the surface with vacuuming. This has given deeper clean results if there has been tough stains. Spray cleaning prevents the dust getting into the air. This has proved to be a welcome feature for my allergic nose.

This video clip shows wet vacuuming with a large spray nozzle.

Karcher sells their own detergent, which comes in a tablet form. The price for 16 tablets has been around 15 Euros, which equals a bit under 1 Euro per cleaning. I have tried also other detergents and found out that they work well if they meet two conditions: 1. the detergent should not foam, 2. the detergent should be suitable for the textile that you are working on.

Summary

Karcher is too large to carry on while traveling. More compact equipments are enough at that time. The best way to use Karcher is to get rid of dirt and dust after a long journey. Karcher can be applied to the floor, carpets, seats, and sofas to make your caravan or motorhome super clean. That’s where the SE 4002 really shines. The retail price is around 265 Euros in Finland, which is affordable considering the functionality and quality.

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