Kärcher cleans Erich Hauser's sculptures

Erich Hauser was one of the most important German sculptors, and his stainless steel sculptures can often be found in public spaces in busy squares, in front of museums or institutions.

"Erich Hauser's sculptures are located between trees and bushes in the park of our foundation, so they are contaminated with pollen and biological growth, which significantly impairs the original appearance of the smooth metal surfaces. We are unable to clean the larger works in particular, from a height of three meters, with our own resources, which is why we approached the cultural sponsorship of the Kärcher company," explained Juliane Flittner, Managing Director of the Erich Hauser Art Foundation. "We are very grateful to Kärcher for their support and are delighted that the sculptures will soon shine again in the spirit of the artist."

The Kärcher experts took a two-step approach to cleaning: Some of the sculptures were overgrown with branches from the surrounding trees in the park. As a first step, the team cut these back using hedge trimmers, chainsaws and pole pruners from the Kärcher range before starting the cleaning work.

The larger sculptures with a height of up to 17 meters were then cleaned from a mobile cherry picker. At the same time, a second team worked from the ground and cleaned the works up to a height of three meters. At this height, hot water high-pressure cleaning with up to 80 degrees Celsius and 1-2 bar pressure was used on the surface. The team on the ground worked with cold water high-pressure cleaners at 1-2 bar pressure. The reason for the different techniques is that the areas accessible from the ground had already been cleaned more frequently, which is why the cold water technique was sufficient here.

At higher altitudes, the dirt was older and therefore more stubborn, meaning that hot water had to be used there. The high temperature was the main factor in hot water high-pressure cleaning. "The necessary sensitivity towards Erich Hauser's works is our top priority. We therefore selected the technology in such a way that we proceeded as gently as possible and did not damage the substance of the sculptures," explained Kärcher employee Samuel Scheerer, who was responsible for the project. To make the work on the extensive site possible, the team used self-sufficient high-pressure hot water trailers, among other things. The devices have tanks for diesel and water and can therefore be operated independently of a power source or water connection.

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