Karcher WV 6 Plus N Window Vacuum Cleaner

I’ve recently purchased a Karcher WV 6 Window Vac to combat an issue I’ve been having. I had a problem with condensation on windows this winter. I’ve reduced my central heating temperature by 1 Celsius due to the increased gas prices. This means the cooler air carries less water and it’s getting dumped on my cold windows.

I had been wiping the windows down with a cloth, but that doesn’t really remove water from the atmosphere. When I put it on the radiator to dry, that water reenters the atmosphere when it evaporates. As a result, I wanted to try a window vac that could suck up the water. This means it can then be drained down my sink and removed from the environment.

This review relates to the Kärcher WV 6 Plus N Window Vac kit.

I purchased my Kärcher WV 6 Window Vac from Amazon Warehouse. It was listed as having a damaged box (which you can see in the photo above), but everything else was as new. This meant I was able to make a small saving on the usual ticket price, but the product was just as good as new.

The items in the box were tightly packed in with limited protection against damage during transit. Fortunately there was no visible damage to the items inside when I removed them to check.

I will usually be using this to remove condensation on windows rather than cleaning them. So I kept the box to store the second cleaning blade, along with the spray bottle.

The WV 6 is not an entry-level window vacuum. It’s a premium price as the box contains quite a bit of additional kit:

• Kärcher WV 6 Window Vac
• Large suction nozzle
• Small suction nozzle
• Fast charger
• Spray bottle with microfibre wiping cloth
• Window cleaning concentrate
• Instructions

The spray bottle and microfibre cleaning cloth come as individual parts. It needs a small amount of construction before it can be used.

The microfibre cloth measures 280mm by 70mm, a good size for washing windows. It is attached to the backing plate by placing the white material against the stickels on the back plate, which grip the material a bit like velcro.

When the microfibre cloth has been attached to its support, the framework it attaches to the spray bottle with needs to be constructed.

Firstly the spray nozzle needs to be fed through the hole at the bottom of the lid and screwed on to the grooves on the framework. This is relatively straightforward for nimble fingers.

Next the bottle needs to be screwed on to the lid, with the pump tube being inserted into the bottle. Obviously, when you come to use this you will need to put window cleaner and water into the bottle.

You can see that there is a clear MAX marker on the bottle (above my finger in the photo) where the cleaning fluid and water should be filled up to.

The bottle itself isn’t huge, it’s 103mm across at the bottom, and approximately 100mm high from top to bottom.

Finally the microfibre cloth frame needs to be attached to the framework around the bottle.

There are two lugs on the microfibre cloth backing plate that have to be lined up with two holes on the framework.

When the lugs are aligned with the holes in the framework, gently push the framework onto the microfibre cloth backing until the two clips (one each side) click into place.

To release the microfibre cloth from the framework, simply press the release clip on each side at the same time. This will then click and release the cloth support.

The body of the Karcher WV 6 Window Vac is 255mm tall, 115mm deep and 88mm across, approximately. The photo to the right shows the size of the unit compared to an average hand.

The water collection bottle has a clear maximum fill mark on the bottle. It doesn’t look like it contains much in the bottle, but it does take in quite a bit of water before reaching this point.

As a matter of good housekeeping, I always empty the bottle after every daily vacuum. This means the bottle doesn’t fill up much, and more importantly it ensures the collected water is drained away and out of the house.

The Kärcher WV 6 Window Vac comes with two cleaning heads. One is 170mm across, the other is a much larger 278mm across the cleaning blade. I’ve been using the smaller blade to remove the condensation from my windows. I have also been using it to dry down the walls of my shower after use. I haven’t used the larger blade yet, but I’m sure I will use it when I clean the windows inside and out. The larger area it covers will make it a quicker job.

The cleaning heads have a flexible layer (I assume it’s rubber) which helps collect the water and flow it towards the vacuum.

To remove the head, grip firmly and gently pull off the base unit. It’s quite easy to remove it, and doesn’t offer much resistance.

The power button for the Kärcher WV 6 is very accessible on the handle, although not instantly visible. It’s just underneath a digital display which shows the percentage of charge time remaining (when turned on). Aim for just above the bottom silver line, which is where the button is located.

When charging the WV 6 it cycles through 1 to 3 rows of green lights to show the charging process is underway. When fully charged, 100 (for 100%) is shown on the display.

To use the Karcher WV 6 Window Vac, simply press the power button to turn it on. Then use it either top to bottom on a window, or side to side. I don’t believe it’s intended to be used upside down from bottom to top.

The WV6 isn’t silent, it does have a motor in it after all. But it is relatively quiet to use.

It is also not a light window vacuum cleaner. My WV 6 with the smaller cleaning head on weighs in at 730g. This is fine for my use, but I imagine if you’re using it to clean a lot of windows inside and out, you will start to notice its weight!

It glides smoothly over the window surface, leaving next-to-no liquid in its wake. I was genuinely surprised with how much liquid it sucked up. It meant I didn’t need second passes to remove additional liquid.

I’m even able to use it on the frame to remove condensation, even though it’s an uneven surface. When used on the frame it doesn’t remove as much liquid as using a cloth. But what it is doing is enabling me to physically remove the water from the window and expel it down the sink and out of the house.

I haven’t, as yet, tested the window cleaning bottle and microfibre cloth. As I write this, It’s a bit too wet and wild to be outside cleaning windows! But it does appear well made and if the window vac is anything to go by, it will do a good job.