No one likes to clean their house. Spot cleaning? Sure. Organizing? Maybe. And spring cleaning can be pretty therapeutic. But for most people the normal day to day cleaning and chores are mundane and tiresome.
Gadgets that help make our lives easier are being invented every year. New and improved cleaning gadgets might not be at the top of every innovator’s list, but there are many advances that are helping house cleaners on a daily basis. Developments have been made in everything from studying chemical processes to building cleaning robots. The Johnsons have not become the Jetsons yet, but we are well on our way.
Here are nine gadgets that are helping people clean more efficiently with less effort.
1. Sonic Scrubber.
Imagine combining an electronic toothbrush with a bathroom sponge and that’s basically what you have with the SonicScrubber. This scrubber brush is great for cleaning bathroom areas like around the sink and in the shower and bathtub. It is small and handheld, so do not expect to be cleaning the entire bathroom floor. However it does just fine on the counter top. The SonicScrubber cuts your cleaning time in half and is superb for those hard to reach places.
2. Karcher Power Squeegee.
Cleaning windows can be an annoying and messy process. It can also be difficult for people with arthritis or other ailments in their hands, and throwing away all of those paper towels is very wasteful. With the cordless and handheld Karcher Power Squeegee all you have to do is spray the cleaning solution and then run over it with the vacuum end.
It efficiently cleans indoor and outdoor surfaces like windows, mirrors, doors, and the walls of your shower. And after you are done you simply empty the dirty water and recharge it. Best of all there is no dirty water dripping or leftover streaks.
3. SteamFast Compact Steamer.
Ironing your clothes can be a very time consuming process. It is easier than putting a whole load in the washer for just one shirt, but you still have to break out the ironing board, let the iron heat up, and then carefully go over the item inch by inch. The SteamFast Steamer effectively removes the need for ironing on most clothes.
Use it to freshen up recently worn clothes or to get wrinkles out of most types of fabrics (including furniture upholstery and window draperies). An additional perk is that it’s more gentle on your clothes than most irons.
4. IQAir HealthPro Compact.
I hate dust with a passion. It would be the bane of my existence, but I don’t even try to clean it up because I don’t want to deal with it. It’s everywhere, it comes back quickly, and it flies around in the air while you’re trying to clean it. Wouldn’t it be great to live in a dust-free world? Well that is the goal of the IQAir machine.
The HyperHEPA filtration effectively purifies the air of over 99% of dust, pollen, and other small airborne debris. The machine might be small and compact, but its effectiveness and quiet fan technology are unparalleled. As a bonus it also helps to get rid of odors and gases (like removing paint fumes when you’re painting).
5. Windoro Window Cleaning Robot.
And now we get to the coolest half of the article – the robots! First up is the Windoro, a type of advanced robot version of the Power Squeegee for cleaning your windows. All you have to do is fit one half of the Windoro on either side of the window and let it go. A mix of cleaning detergent and microfiber pads efficiently go to work as the robot patrols the entire length and width of the window. The robot is smart enough to clean without guidance and equipped to stick firmly to any window without falling off.
6. iRobot Looj Gutter Cleaner.
Cleaning your gutters can be a tedious process. If your house is very tall then it can also be a potentially dangerous job. Some people don’t even think about their gutters and let leaves and other debris just pile up. Now there is a way to clean your gutters quickly and safely with the iRobot Looj series.
Just put the robot in your gutter and it will break apart and sweep away the debris, lifting them and throwing them to the ground below. You won’t have to worry about falling, and using the automatic setting or the remote control also means fewer trips up and down the ladder.
7. iRobot Mirra Pool Cleaner.
Another great product by iRobot, the Mirra machine takes the work out of cleaning your in-ground pool. The vacuum, pump, and filter system effectively removes dirt, leaves, hair, algae, and bacteria as the robot roves around on its own. All you have to do is press the CLEAN button and drop the robot in the pool. No longer will you have to stand out in the hot sun pushing a scrub brush up and down. The Mirra will clean your entire pool from top to bottom, side to side, and even at the waterline where bacteria can build up.
8. iRobot Roomba Floor Cleaner.
iRobot is quickly proving itself to be one of the top contenders for cleaning robots. Its third appearance on this list is easily its most popular product for consumers. The Roomba series of robots are perfect for vacuuming and cleaning the floors of your house. The brushes efficiently pick up dirt, trash, and hair (the new 650 model also works great with animal hair) and the AeroVac technology sucks everything off of the brushes and up into a compact storage bin.
Like all of the other iRobot products, you just have to turn it on and let it go. You can even preset it and it will clean on its own throughout the week. In between cleans the Roomba will return to its docking station and recharge.
9. iRobot Mint Hard Floor Cleaner.
There are a lot of iRobot products on this list, but that’s because they just seem to work better than most of their competitors. The Roomba series work great for cleaning carpet and most floor types, but you might find yourself still needing something else for your hardwood floors. This is where the Mint comes in handy. Microfiber clothes sweep up dirt and debris and then the robot makes a second pass with wet cleaning wipes to mop up whatever is left. A NorthStar Navigation System helps the robot know where it’s cleaned, where it still needs to go, and how to maneuver around and under furniture and other obstacles.