Cleaning

REVIEW: It’s a Clean Sweep for the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner

If you’ve got a family, it’s highly likely you’ve got carpet and couches that becomes a canvas for family life, right? A watercolour paint stain here, a faint muddy paw print there, food spills nearly on the daily, feet on couch and LOADS more. Combat it ALL with the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner!

A German,family-owned business, we already know Kärcher to offer cleaning solutions that include their amazing high-pressure washers, floor care, wet and dry vacuum cleaners, window vacuums and steam cleaners.

Enter the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100). It makes LIGHT work of getting deep into inground dirt and shifting stubborn stains from couches, ottomans, rugs and carpets – even your car interior. It works SO well, even stains you gave up on long ago, can still be potentially be lightened or lifted completely. Of course, if you just want to keep your soft furnishings looking and smelling great with an overall seasonal clean and refresh, it totally does that too!

Aaaaah can you SMELL the freshness already? Read on below to find out more.

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner seat
Every family NEEDS a Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100) Source: Supplied

SPOILER ALERT: It’s NOT just fabrics this cleaner is fab for, it moonlights as a wet and dry vacuum cleaner AND it can do HARD surfaces too. Your natural stone, tiles, lino and synthetic flooring can come up a complete treat with a streak-free finish. Sparkling clean, that’s what I like to call the Kärcher effect.

Check it out in action below as we dish the dirt on what I thought about the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner? (see what I did there?!) 😉

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So what exactly IS the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner?

The Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100) is suitable for use in all areas where fibre-deep, hygienic cleaning is required.

Put simply, the cleaning solution is sprayed deep into the carpet or onto the upholstery via a pressure sprayer and is vacuumed away together with the dissolved dirt, into a black tank separate tank inside the machine.  One tank inside is for clean water, the other collects the dirty water, dirt, sand, hair, fur etc.  

Your SE 5.100 comes with a hard surface adapter for streak-free cleaning on natural stone, tiles, linoleum, and synthetic floors. When using the Kärcher cleaning agents, the machine provides cleaning deep beyond the surface that we see, making it ideal for allergy sufferers.

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner whats included
The SE 5.100 can be used as a wet or dry vacuum. Source: Supplied

PLUS, when the fresh water tank is removed, the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner is also a super handy, fully equipped wet/dry vacuum cleaner. AMAZING! Check out some of the machine’s fab features below:

  • Huge 4L tank capacity so you can clean larger areas or for longer.
  • Two-tank systems keep clean and dirty water separate.
  • Kärcher nozzle technology cuts down drying time by 50%.
  • Practical accessory storage so that all tools are onboard and within reach when you need them.
  • Ergonomically shaped carrying handle for comfort.
Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner unit
Compact and portable, the SE 5.100 is the perfect cleaning companion. Source: Supplied

We put the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100) to our own in-home test. Here’s what we thought!

Did the Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100) bust the dust and inground dirt? YOU BET.

As a mum of young boys, I’ve always had leather couches because I just cringe at the thought of their dirty hands, feet and messy eaters as they grow up. Recently though we got our first upholstered couch and since then I have been a bit of a ninja asking them to watch themselves on ‘the new couch’. While you can machine wash the cushion covers, the arms and sides are not quite ‘that easy’.

I really think a quality carpet and upholstery cleaner is a brilliant investment. Accidents happen and the ability to spot clean the floors and couches, clean up spills in the car or even soiled mattresses at the drop of a hat is a saviour for any household.

Unboxing the machine and putting it together was super easy. The instruction manual had handy step by step graphics if you did need a little guidance but it really was pretty much common sense for most of the way.

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner lifting head
Putting the SE 5.100 together was really easy. Source: Supplied

Lightweight and straightforward 

The unit is super lightweight and on wheels so it’s easy enough to manoeuvre around the house and is also much lighter than my current vacuum if that’s any guide.

The hardest part of setting up the unit is deciding which nozzle attachment you want to use. And that’s not hard either! 😛 Choose from the large washing nozzle or the handheld upholstery nozzle (optional extra but totally recommended). There are two pole extensions for the large washing nozzle which is perfect for floors, so you can adjust the height to suit what you’ll be cleaning.

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner Buckets
I loved the two separate water buckets – one for clean, one for dirty. Source: Supplied

Next fill the WHITE TANK with fresh clean water and add some of the Kärcher detergent. Also, I liked there was no chemical smell in the cleaning fluid so we’re not left with any unnecessary smell afterwards.

The unit itself is easy to operate, with just two buttons on the main unit – one to turn on the sprayer function and the second for the pump to suck up the water. A simple trigger button on the handle starts the spray action distributing the cleaning solution evenly so you can begin the pre-soak before the vacuum.

Say goodbye to dirt and grime

First up I treated a stain on our rug which had been there a few weeks (unsure what it was) although it was a little stubborn to remove. I squeezed the trigger on the handle of the wand to release the misting spray of detergent solution. I left it for a few minutes to soak in then switched on the vacuum pump. Given it wasn’t budging from when I first tried to clean it weeks ago, I knew it’d take a few passes. By the third pass the stain was gone! #winning

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner floor cleaner
The super versatile Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100) is a GAMECHANGER! Source: Supplied

Next, I treated an old vomit stain from several months ago, thanks to our pet dog! We tried to get it up at the time but had no luck so was curious to see what the machine could do here. I actually thought it was a waste of time to be honest, however was soon eating my words when I watched it disappear before my eyes. And it came up easier than I expected too.

Karcher Ultra Carpet and Couch Cleaner Buttons
Simple to use, the device only has two buttons. Source: Supplied

It really sucked

I guess for me, one of the key things I discovered really quickly was the actual power of the suction of this machine. Kärcher claims that this machine reduces drying time by 50% compared to alternatives because of the suction technology and I can really see why too. Last thing you want is to squirt all this water into your carpet to end up leaving it there because your machine can’t suck it up. Plus, who wants to have to keep pets and kids off the wet carpet?

Karcher Carpet and Couch Cleaner upholstery wand
Take a look at that suction – so effective! Source: Supplied

Look what was left behind

Something else that really shocked me was just how much dirt, dust, hair, fur, sand etc was left in the bottom of the black bucket once we were done.  For the demonstration with the video review, we didn’t really clean all that much carpet. We went over about 4 spots on the rug and our carpet that had some stains but we didn’t really clean rooms full of carpet. Well, take a look at what was left at the bottom of the bucket! And I had given the carpet a really good vacuum before we started – so makes me wonder what else is sitting in our carpet ready to be brought up!!

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I didn’t quite expect to see that! Source: Supplied

In closing, I have to say I’m actually really impressed. I love the Kärcher brand but wondered how it would stack up as a carpet and upholstery cleaner.  The machine is easy to put together, designed with the user in mind and really easy to control with great results. Even the videographer was blown away at how effective it was! 😉

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It’s a solid unit, with excellent suction that delivers really great results.  When you look at what you spend on getting your carpets professionally cleaned, having the Kärcher SE 5.100 on call for those little accidents as well as spring cleaning efforts, it’ll pay for itself in no time at all!

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Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100)

9.1
Ease of putting together 9.5
Portability 8.5
Ease of use 9.0
Effectiveness 9.0
Value for money 9.4

mum centralShop it (and score a couple of freebies)!

You don’t have to run around all over town to set yourself up with a Kärcher Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner (SE 5.100), you can order it direct from Kärcher. PLUS if you order now, you get a FREE bottle of detergent AND a free upholstery nozzle, valued at $63 with your order. SCORE. Just hit the button below!

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Mum's Choice Thumbs Up Award

So there you have it.  We are more than happy to award the Mum Central Mum’s Choice Award to Kärcher SE 5.100 Ultra Clean Carpet and Couch Cleaner. Bravo!


This is a sponsored post for Kärcher. All opinions are those of the reviewer.

Avatar of Belinda Jennings

Belinda's a passionate advocate for community and connection. As the founder of the Mum Central Network she’s committed to celebrating the journey that is Australian parenthood. Mum to two cheeky boys, and wife to her superstar husband, they live a busy but crazy lifestyle in Adelaide. Great conversation, close friends and good chocolate are her chosen weapons for daily survival. Oh, and bubbles. Champagne is key.