How To Use Kartcher DE4002 steamer?

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PearlDetailing

New member
Hi, I have this machine on the way to me...I'm so excited! Anyways, does anyone know how to use it? :) I don't think it's rocket science; just curious what you guys might have to offer about using this machine or any steam machine in general. This machine has cloths attached to the attachments...
 
PearlDetailing- Welcome to Autopia!



Many here use steamers for *MANY* more tasks than I do, but here's my 2₵ on the topic:



-For sanitizing.

-For emulsifying messes that'll "soften up" in the heat. E.g., some kinds of greasy messes/stains. This can include seats and floormats and engine compartments/undercarriages.

-For "blasting" stuff out of otherwise inaccessible areas via the steam's pressure. Some people use their steamers to do dash vents this way (I don't as I don't want to just shove the dirt down deeper into the ductwork). Give some thought to where the resulting condensation (from when the steam cools down) is gonna end up.

-For cleaning areas where the "dryer" steam is preferable to using lots of water. Again, some engine compartments jobs come to mind.

-For combinations of these, e.g., (and I just did today) cleaning winter-mess out of ridged pedals. The combination of the pressure plus the heat and moisture got all the salt/mud/etc. out of the pedals' treads, and the steam left very little water behind (a towel under the pedals caught it all). Seemed much easier than scrubbing with a toothbrush and then rinsing manually.



Those attachments that hold microfiber ("MF") cloths can be good for doing upholstery. Note that having the cloth between the steam outputs and the surface being treated will really cut down on the "blasting with pressure" effect. I don't use mine all that much, but then I'm not doing other people's cars either.



Some folks like using those attachments do do leaner [EDIT: "leaner"?!?.. WT#?....I meant "leather" ) seats. I've done it when faced with a *VERY* challenging job, but I won't argue with the leather experts who say it's a risky approach.
 
Hi, and thank you for your reply! The steamer is arriving Tuesday. It's pretty high-powered. Most of the attachments do require a cloth, as you mentioned. The steam actually circulates, pulling dirt back through the cloth, trapping it with the heat (akin to setting a stain in a shirt in a clothes dryer).



A lot of steamers do just blast steam, and it's necessary to wipe behind it. In fact, I have a handheld steamer I use at home, just this way. It's a Shark. It's great for dissolving dirt and soap residue, but it doesn't pick it up.



I also have a new extractor on the way. I believe that between the two machines, my detailing time will be cut dramatically, and I can focus on more marketing. I don't mind cleaning interiors, but the real money (and fun, for me) is in exterior work. I enjoy the process of polishing, glazing and buffing finishes.
 
PearlDetailing- A quick google pulled up some specs on that. What I read said 3.2 bar of pressure...hope that's sufficient for you.



Did you get the 110v or the 230v?



Please post back about how/whether that "recirculation" feature works :think: and how different it is from how the Shark operates (it oughta have more power at least!).
 
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