Karcher SE 3-18 Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner

Textile coverings like carpets, rugs and furniture upholstery can all do with a thorough cleaning from time to time. Accidental spillages, grubby fingerprints and trodden in dirt can all leave a lasting impression, and combined with the general wear & tear of daily use, they don’t look brand new forever. That’s where the Karcher SE 3-18 comes in: this compact cordless spray extraction cleaner is part of the Karcher 18V Battery Power system, and is designed to provide a convenient way of rejuvenating textile surfaces around the home.

How Do Spray Extraction Cleaners Work?

Karcher’s Spray Extraction cleaners are designed to spray cleaning solution deep into the fibres of the material, and after it has been left for a while to get to work, they will also extract the residue back out via a vacuuming function. The SE 3-18 has two tanks: a fresh water tank and a waste water tank. Simply fill the fresh water tank with a mixture of cleaning detergent and water, and then empty out the waste water tank when you have sucked it back up into the machine. Karcher make their own detergent designed especially for the SE Spray Extraction series which is suitable for use on carpets, rugs, upholstery and car seats.

Who is the SE 3-18 Designed For?

Karcher’s SE series of machines are part of their Domestic range; that is, they’re not designed for commercial users but are a lower cost solution for the domestic/DIY market. Karcher do make Professional grade spray extraction cleaners, and these can be easily identified by their housings which are grey rather than yellow. While the yellow Karcher machines cost less than their professional counterparts it’s important to note that they’re not intended for continuous usage in working environments and the warranty will be void if you purchase one for business use.

18V Battery Power

Karcher Battery Powered Spray Extraction Cleaner

Probably the most notable feature of the SE 3-18 is that it’s completely battery powered, and this means you can use it in places where mains power sockets aren’t readily available. Whether you need to clean vehicle upholstery, garden furniture or the interiors of outdoor buildings like summerhouses, cordless operation provides an extremely quick and convenient way of getting the job done. Additionally, while most carpet cleaners are wheeled upright designs that are clearly intended for use in interior environments, the SE 3-18 has a compact and stable design with a low centre of gravity. This means it can be easily carried between locations and positioned in any available free space without danger of it tipping over or rolling away. It can be used with any of the batteries from the Karcher 18V Battery Power system, and Karcher quote the estimated runtime as 12 minutes with the 2.5ah battery or 24 minutes with the 5.0ah battery. Since the batteries are available separately you can always buy spares if you need them, and they will also power a range of other cordless Karcher tools too – including hedge trimmers, grass trimmers and lawnmowers.

Additional Features and Benefits

Featuring an integrated carry handle, the SE 3-18 weighs 3.6kg and can be comfortably transported by hand to wherever you need to use it. The suction hose is just under 2 metres in length, meaning it can easily reach into vehicle interiors and other confined spaces, and is supplied with interchangeable crevice and upholstery nozzles. A swivel joint on the hose allows for unrestricted freedom of movement, and there are storage clips on the side of the machine which enables it to be transported with the hose and accessories neatly attached and out of the way.

When you have finished using the SE 3-18, there’s a flush function which thoroughly rinses out any residual dirty water, and thus prevents the formation of bacteria and bad odours inside the hose and the machine.

Available Now

The Karcher SE 3-18 is available now from Tooled-Up. At the time of writing it comes as a complete kit with one 2.5ah battery, charger, hose, crevice nozzle and upholstery nozzle. Being part of the Karcher 18V Battery Power Universe, the included battery and charger are also compatible with all other tools in the range as well.

For more information on the SE 3-18 and the Karcher SE series of domestic spray extraction cleaners, you can also find more details on the Karcher website here.