Karcher steam cleaners for home cleaning: review of popular models, tips for choosing

Steam generators from the famous German brand Karcher in a bright yellow or white body with black inscriptions and components are reliable assistants in solving cleaning problems.

The devices are easy to use and do not require special handling skills. Instructions for using a Karcher steam generator are presented in this article.

What is a steam cleaner

A steam cleaner, or as it is also called a steam generator, is a device that disinfects, degreases, irons and washes the most stubborn stains without adding chemicals. The device produces high-pressure steam, which can penetrate hard-to-reach places and destroy all microorganisms.

Design and principle of operation

The steam cleaner consists of a water tank in which electric heating elements and a flexible hose are installed. Water is poured into the boiler, where it is heated until steam is formed at a temperature of about 140-150 degrees. The steam then passes through the hose, spray nozzles and is cooled to 110 degrees at the outlet. Steam at this temperature can remove even very stubborn stains on tile, laminate, linoleum floors and carpets. He will also clean taps, sinks, windows, and disinfect upholstered furniture and children's toys.

What you can and cannot steam clean

You can clean all surfaces that are not afraid of exposure to high temperatures with a hot jet:

• floors made of tiles, stone, laminate, parquet, carpet and linoleum;
• taps, sinks, sinks and mixers;
• windows and mirrors;
• showers and baths;
• upholstered furniture;
• hobs, hoods, stoves and microwaves;
• Kids toys.

Do not use a steam cleaner on surfaces that may become deformed when exposed to hot steam:

• parquet covered with wax;
• electrical appliances;
• products made from natural wool, linen and soft plastic.

pros

1. Perfectly cleans tiles, showers, washbasins, and glass. Thanks to special attachments, it easily copes with limescale deposits on chrome faucets and mirrors, and also removes dirt on stainless steel appliances that cannot be washed with abrasive chemicals.
2. Cleans dirty tile joints efficiently and eliminates mold.
3. Works well with grease on the hob and stove.
4. A steam cleaner is easy to clean windows without using special chemicals.
5. A steam vacuum cleaner is excellent at neutralizing odors that can appear on carpets and upholstered furniture in homes with pets.
6. The steam cleaner, thanks to a special nozzle, can steam clothes. It will also perfectly clean suede shoes.
7. Owners of such devices can clean the house without chemicals, which is very important for those who have small children.

Minuses

1. Do not clean the silicone joints between the tiles - they may become deformed.
2. Steam softens old grease stains and carbon deposits, but you will also have to wash the surface with a cloth.

Differences between a steam cleaner and a steam vacuum cleaner and other devices

Other Applications

The functions of the steam generator are not limited to this; it can cope with other tasks :

• Cleaning the surface of seats and decorative trim in the car interior.
• Cleaning car rims.
• Removing old wallpaper.
• Cleaning washable wallpaper.
• Care for suede shoes and bags.
• Cleaning and disinfection of soft toys.
• Washing windows and mirrors - at negative outside temperatures, cold glass must first be sprayed with a stream of steam at a distance of 5 cm. Next, clean the glass from accumulated dust and dirt using a hand nozzle with a cover, and only then clean it with a nozzle with a rubber tie, moving it from top to bottom in overlapping stripes , regularly supplying steam at full power;
• Treatment of sleeping mattresses.

Despite the wide range of steam generator capabilities, not all surfaces can be exposed to steam . Do not process natural leather, plastic, or some fabrics:

• gas,
• linen,
• wool,
• velours.

When treating surfaces coated with varnish, wax or paint, as well as just wooden ones, it is necessary to spray a napkin with steam and wipe the products with it.

When exposed directly to steam, artificial surfaces may dissolve or become stained.

Karcher SC2 EASYFIX PREMIUM

A very popular budget model. This device will quickly and efficiently clean tiles, linoleum, laminate, windows and faucets. It is very maneuverable, as a result of which it perfectly cleans the floor in hard-to-reach places.

Specifications

pros

• powerful;
• large set of nozzles;
• little weight.

Minuses

• takes a long time to heat up.

Caring for your household appliance

Caring for Karcher steam generators involves preventing the formation of scale in the water tank.

The manufacturer recommends cleaning the device before every 10th filling. To do this, just fill the tank with water, shake vigorously and pour out the water. This will remove scale from the bottom of the tank.

Scale from the walls of the tank should be removed on average before every 40 fillings . To do this, you need to dilute the solution with a special product (you can use citric acid), pour it into a cooled device, and leave it overnight. In the morning, pour out the liquid and rinse well 2-3 times with clean water.

No descaling is required if you use a water softener or distilled water.

Microfiber cloths and terry brush covers can be washed in a washing machine at a temperature of no more than 60°C, without adding rinse aid. The extension tubes, hand nozzle and round brush can be washed under running water.

Karcher SL4

The 2 in 1 model combines a steam cleaner with an iron and an ironing board. With this device you can easily clean the tiles in the house and iron clothes. It will also perfectly clean laminate, linoleum and carpet from dirt.

Specifications

pros

• multifunctional;
• powerful.

Minuses

• high price;
• takes up a lot of space in the house.

Principle of operation

The operating principle of the device is simple. Its main component is the boiler. Ordinary water is poured into it, and with the help of electric heating elements it produces steam at a temperature of 140-150 C.

Attention! Getting into the hoses and spray nozzles, the steam cools to a temperature of about 110-120 C, this helps to dissolve any contaminants from the surface being cleaned and eliminate all viruses, bacteria, microbes and other harmful microorganisms.

Which steam generator to choose for ironing and cleaning, read here.

Do you have a Karcher steam cleaner?

Not really

Karcher SV 7

The model belongs to the premium class and combines the functions of a vacuum cleaner and a steam cleaner. The device can easily cope with dirt on the surface of tiles, laminate, parquet, linoleum, carpet, clean carpets, upholstered furniture, children's toys, and remove mold on the seams between tiles.

Specifications

pros

• a large number of attachments;
• power;
• functionality;
• maneuverability;
• Convenient to disassemble after use.

Minuses

• high price;
• weight.

We have a detailed review of the Karcher SV 7 steam vacuum cleaner on our portal.

Preparing for work

To prepare the steam cleaner for cleaning or washing, you must perform the following steps:

1. Unscrew the protective cap and fill the tank with water.
2. Close the plug and connect the necessary nozzles to the steam gun. Extension tubes can be used.
3. Connect the device to the power source, and 2 lamps should light up - orange and green.
4. After heating the water to the required temperature, the orange lamp goes out. The device can only be operated when the green lamp is turned on.

For quick heating, you can draw warm water.

Karcher SC 5

This is a very powerful model of steam vacuum cleaner that can cope with any dirt without chemicals. The device will easily clean laminate, tile, marble, carpet floors, as well as wash windows, disinfect upholstered furniture and children's toys.

Specifications

pros

• power;
• possibility of connecting an iron;
• functionality;
• maneuverability;
• quick warm up.

Minuses

• high price.

Main Differences

The smallest member of the family

The smallest model of Karcher steam equipment is the SC1 steam vacuum cleaner. This hand-held compact device, which weighs only 1.5 kg, can easily cope with dirt on faucets, windows, washbasins, tiles, hobs, hoods, and also cleans dried grease in the microwave. The SC1 Premium model is additionally equipped with an extended pipe and a nozzle for cleaning the floor.

Specifications:

Popular models

1. Steam cleaner Karcher SC 3. Thanks to its budget price and functionality, this device is very popular among buyers. It has a power of 1900 W, and the tank can fill 1.2 liters of water. Cleaning occurs with a jet of hot steam at 3.5 bar. Suitable for cleaning horizontal surfaces made of hard materials.
2. Steam appliance Karcher SC 4. This model has a lot of good reviews among its owners. The 2000 W device produces steam at a pressure of 3.5 bar. The set includes 5 nozzles. The household appliance is equipped with a child safety lock. Easily removes dirt from tile, laminate, linoleum and carpet floors, efficiently and quickly cleans windows, hobs, hoods, microwaves, and destroys mold on the seams between tiles.
3. Steam cleaner Karcher SC 5 Premium. Popular premium model. The 2200 W device easily cleans any dirt on laminate, linoleum, and marble surfaces. Quickly and streak-free washes windows and mirrors, removes mold on the seams between tiles, disinfects upholstered furniture and children's toys. The set includes 5 types of attachments. Equipped with steam adjustment on the handle of the device, child protection and an anti-scale filter.

What to look for when choosing

1. Before purchasing a Karcher steam cleaner, you need to familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics of the devices that are on sale.
2. To clean a large room, you should purchase a device with high performance, and for a small apartment, equipment with performance from 20 to 70 m² is suitable.
3. Pay attention to such a function as steam pressure. For daily cleaning without stubborn dirt, a model with a pressure of 3-3.5 bar is suitable. For frequently visited premises (office or store), it is better to buy a device with a steam output of 4.2 bar.

For plumbing

What else does a steam cleaner clean? For example, plumbing. To do this, you can use a steam cleaner, which removes rust without the use of aggressive chemicals. The advantage is that at the same time the device ensures proper treatment of plumbing fixtures, eliminating pathogenic microflora.

Handheld or floor-mounted steam cleaners are suitable for this purpose. It is necessary to go through the plumbing with a narrow nozzle, and then rinse off the condensation with water.