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The final storm before an eternal rest
by Carolin Teufelberger
«Nettoyer au Karcher»: how high-pressure cleaning became a political issue in France
23.5.2022
Translation: Eva Francis
When I think about Kärcher, a number of adjectives come to mind: yellow, efficient, cosy, middle class, market leader. But no one in Switzerland would associate it with right-wing slogans. It’s a different story in France.
In Switzerland, Kärcher is synonymous with an efficient high-pressure cleaner. Maybe bit of a bourgeois gadget, standing for a middle-class life with house, garden, child, dog, Kärcher. Yet, the Kärcher brand is so well known that its name is even used to describe the category of high-pressure cleaners in general and in German, the verb «kärchern» is commonly used to mean «cleaning».
It needs a good cleaning
This sentence isn’t well received – neither by the media, nor among the young people of the Paris suburb. They feel like they’re being treated like dirt. Literally. Sarkozy seems little bothered by this wave of outrage. Ten days after the incident, he repeats his words in front of the media.
In the autumn of the same year, the Paris suburbs erupt into violence (article in German). Statements such as «nettoyer au Karcher», which becomes an expression of the lack of understanding between government and youth, played its part in this incident.
How Kärcher became a political issue
The company Kärcher is less than thrilled to be associated with inhumane statements. Represented in 72 countries worldwide, it strives to maintain a clean-cut image everywhere. Since the 1980s, for example, Kärcher has been cleaning landmarks such as Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Christo statue in Rio de Janeiro and the Luxor obelisk in the middle of Paris – free of charge.
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