Karcher WV 6 Plus window vac – easy, streak-free windows (cleaning review)

If you hate Window cleaning as much as most do, then the Karcher WV 6 Plus window vac is an indispensable assistant for cleaning windows, tiles, mirrors, shower screens, benches and any smooth surface.

The best way to describe the Karcher WV 6 Plus is a vacuum squeegee to suck water from windows. How do you get the water onto the windows in the first place? It comes with a Window cleaner spray bottle, microfibre cleaning strip and a 20ml trial sachet of Glass cleaner concentrate. For taller windows, you can get a telescopic extension pole.

Kärcher WV 6 Plus window vac

Website	Kärcher WV 6 Plus
Price	$219 Extension pole $72.90 Glass cleaner 500ml concentrate $14.90 WV 6 small suction nozzle $38.90 Spray Bottle with pad (if not part of the bundle) $22.90 Large replacement spray bottle cleaning pads $21.90
From	Kärcher online, Harvey Norman, and authorised Kärcher Centers
Warranty	2-year ACL
Country of origin	Italy
Company	Alfred Kärcher SE & Co. KG is a German family-owned company that operates worldwide and is known for its high-pressure cleaners, floor care equipment, parts cleaning systems, wash water treatment, military decontamination equipment and window vacuum cleaners.
More	CyberShack Kärcher news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Kärcher yellow and well made – Pass+

It looks slightly like a smiling ‘dust-buster’ and is reasonably light at 780g. It comes with a small (170mm) and large (280mm) squeegee blade separate 200ml spray bottle with a small cleaning pad.

Think of it as a vacuum squeegee that removes water and soap very well for a drip-free and streak-free surface. However, I did use a cotton cloth to dry the odd hard-to-reach corner.

It is IPX4 rated that meaning water splashing against it has no harmful effect. It is not waterproof. And as we have learnt, after extended use, it needs to be stored upright to prevent dirty water in the reservoir from getting into the innards.

Why buy it? Faster drying, of course – Pass+

No matter how you wash your windows, this makes drying a hell of a lot faster. It replaces the manual squeegee and cloth that invariably leaves marks. The wide squeegee blade has a 280mm width, and you use a smaller 170mm squeegee blade if you wish.

The vacuum water bottle holds up to 150ml of dirty water, filling quickly (if you have done your job).

Pump Bottle –  Pass

The 200ml manual pump bottle and wipe pad is a little under spec for big jobs. Depending on the dirt, you tire of hand pumping and may need to clean the wiping pad every few square metres of use – else; you will be dragging dirty water everywhere.

The wipe pad won’t remove bird poo or splattered insects. We won’t include the pump bottle as part of our review. For big jobs, use a Kärcher pressure cleaner, preferably the T5 surface cleaner tool.

Other uses – Pass+

We have tested on mirrors, shower screens, bathroom tiles, benchtops, floors – any flat surface you want to remove liquid from. It is pretty agnostic, sucking up water, milk, coffee, juice and more.

Battery – heaps – Pass+

It is a little slow to charge. The 5.5V/2A/11W adapter takes about three hours for a maximum of 100 minutes of run-time. At least there is a percentage charge gauge. That is plenty but a nuisance if you run out mid-way a job.

Noise level – Pass

At 50dB, it is quiet and won’t disturb others

Maintenance – Pass+

The squeegee section is removable and replaceable. You can buy replacement pads (different types) and cleaning concentrate.

Bottom line results – Pass to Pass+ depending

You need to learn the correct angle to hold the vacuum squeegee – too angled can leave some streaks. Have a cotton cleaning cloth handy for hard-to-clean corners.

Timewise, I did three large windows in about 5 minutes with little effort. I did another three of the same manually, which took closer to 15 minutes – and the job was not as good.

If your windows are filthy or in a coastal area with dried salt, then spend some time getting the windows properly clean – the Kärcher just dries.

CyberShack view – Karcher WV 6 Plus window vac is a high-tech squeegee that does  it for me

I am glad we have reviewed this – not because it forces me to clean windows – but because there is some tech behind this. Its main advantage is speed to dry and a dirty water tank – something a manual squeegee or towel does not.

The Kärcher KV 4 cordless cleaner puts the oomph into the scrub (review) is its ideal cleaning partner. It is a hand cleaner with a vibrating pad that works on windows too. It puts the elbow grease back into cleaning without human effort. Kärcher has a WV6 bundle for $50 more (usually $99).