Mopping and vacuuming are probably two of the most cumbersome household chores around. Not only are these chores laborious, but they’ll also rob you of valuable hours that you’d rather spend with your loved ones. However, it’s advisable to mop and vacuum your home at least weekly. The longer you put it off, the more grime your space will accumulate.
Fortunately, advancement in technology brought about robot mops that can make the cleaning process and your life more comfortable. You only need to fill up its tank, press the start button, and watch the robot do its magic. You can even control some models through voice or a mobile app. Meanwhile, some like the Eufy RoboVac G10 Hybrid can mop and vacuum at the same time.
These little appliances can handle all your light mopping and vacuuming tasks. This means that you’ll have plenty of time left to take care of other things around your home, bond with your family, or simply unwind.
Difference Between A Hybrid And Regular Robotic Mop Cleaner
All robot mop cleaners share some common denominators. Each one of them typically has a reservoir that you must fill with either water or a cleaning agent specifically made for the unit. Also, they come with microfiber pads for picking up filth and scrubbing your floors. On top of that, they have built-in sensors that assist them when navigating around appliances and pieces of furniture autonomously.
These smart home devices have two categories:
- Single-purpose robot mops that can dry sweep surfaces before you begin mopping them
- Hybrid robot mops that have the vacuum and mop functionalities.
Usually, a hybrid model is more costly. Nonetheless, it’s more likely to come with more convenient features. These include mobile app control, WiFi connectivity, voice control through Google Assistant or Alexa, and some can even interact with your other smart home gadgets.
Why Should I Invest In A Robot Mop And Vacuum Combo?
Convenience and less physical effort are two of the top reasons to purchase any type of home appliance. But owning a hybrid robot mop presents other benefits aside from these:
- It can significantly lessen the amount of dirt build-up on your floorings since you can run your unit every day.
- What’s more, it eliminates the need to apply plenty of elbow grease to make your hard floors polish ready.
- You can also throw out some cleaning tools and accessories that are taking up too much of your storage space such as scrub brush, spray bottle, etc.
- Your robot mop can handle all types of dirt and some are even made with a powerful suction capability.
- You’ll be able to maintain the cleanliness of your space with minimal effort.
- It’s very easy to use. Once you programmed your machine and set its timer, it will virtually work on its own.
Things To Look For In A Robot Mop
With so many choices out there, it can be overwhelming to find the best robot mop and vacuum combo suitable for your needs. So on your search, make sure to consider the following features to narrow down your options:
- Size of the vacuum. Assess your home and determine how much furniture you have in every room. This will determine the size of the vacuum you need to get. Opt for a hybrid that has a narrow diameter if you have plenty of furniture as it will be able to weave in and around obstructions easily. A robot with the lowest profile can also clean under pieces of furniture with ease.
- Charging and run time. The rule of thumb is the longer run time per cycle, the better. On the other hand, the shorter recharging time a robot has, the quicker you can use it. So never settle for something that cleans less than an hour, while the acceptable recharging time is between 4 to 6 hours.
- Mop pad. Look for a robot that allows you to easily switch from vacuuming to mopping. Manufacturers utilize either snaps or Velcro for this. And while you can quickly attach Velcro to the machine, snaps are more secure.
- Water reservoir and dust bin. While some units have a separate container for collecting filth and filling water, others combine a reservoir and dustbin in one.
- Cleaning modes. You’ll need various cleaning modes for different messes. Hence, go for a robot mop and vacuum combo that features multiple cleaning modes. Aside from the auto mode for handling daily floor washing, you also want an edge mode for cleaning baseboards, corners, and edges. Likewise, a spot mode is also something to consider for dirty footprints and other small messes.
- Program scheduling. This very convenient feature is often one of the most overlooked. Robovac mops that have this functionality enables you to set them to clean even when you’re away or sleeping. The majority of models on the market only allow you to set it to clean at a given time daily. But there are some that lets you change time at any given day of the week.
Should I Say Goodbye To My Swiffer?
Just like with a robovac, a robot mop cleaner can do a pretty decent job at ensuring your floors are always sparkly clean. However, you still can’t do without a bit of elbow grease.
Robot mops are excellent for taking care of fresh spills and maintenance. But you may still need to get down on your hands and knees to eradicate those deep-set stains.
These machines are still evolving. Nevertheless, they’re a great addition to your home cleaning equipment. To learn more about these wonder home gadgets, check out this article from Stephen Hancock (M.S. in Mechanical Engineering).
