I’ve never been one for gadgets. The latest gizmo never really impresses and I embarrass my children by using long out-of-date equipment. Therefore, it was with a degree of scepticism that I agreed to trial Kärcher’s spray gun and window vac.
The battery-powered Window Vac 2 Premium is billed as the “essential tool for cleaning windows streak-free inside and outside the home” and described as lightweight and portable. It comes with two sizes of suction heads and a spray bottle with a microfiber cloth attachment.
The Multifunctional Spray Gun Plus, to give it its full title, is the sort of ‘toy’ beloved of small boys with four spray patterns from fine mist to what was described as ‘horizontal flat jet’ and a rotating handle allowing it to be operated with either a push or pull movement.
A long damp winter had left my greenhouse less than sparkling and it seemed the perfect candidate for treatment.
The glass cleaning fluid that came with the kit was certainly up to ridding the glass of the gathering green and it came away without too much effort; the microfibre cloth is machine-washable but I have yet to test this.
Using the spray gun within the confines of the greenhouse was potentially hazardous but the glass was rinsed without getting either myself or the seedlings wet, as the nozzle made it easy to direct the water.
The window vac was then applied to remove the excess. This proved easy to use, although some areas had to be done twice – possibly due to operator error – leaving the glass dry and clear. The water is collected in an easy to remove storage tank.
As an alternative test, I also got my teenage car-cleaner to test it out on my car. Her verdict: the hose attachment made getting soapy water off the car straightforward, while the window vac was much easier to use on the windscreen than a chamois and didn’t leave streaks.
Our only quibble was with the assembly instructions. This were in a picture format rather than written and it was difficult to distinguish between the different blades supplied. We got there, eventually, but it was not as straightforward as it could have been.
Admittedly at £79.99 for the window vac and £19.99 for the spray gun, it’s not a cheap way of cleaning a greenhouse. However, the spray gun would be ideal for watering borders or cleaning tools, and the window vac could well be the answer for condensation on house windows or cleaning shower glass.
• For more information visit Kärcher home page
The window vac is the one gadget I wouldn’t be without, not only does it leave windows streak free its good for drying the bathroom tiles after an extra long shower
I haven’t tried it indoors yet but certainly worked well in the greenhouse.