The home automation It’s no longer just about being able to turn on a lamp from a distance or look at a camera on your cell phone. A new generation of home appliances burst in force in recent years to take time and physical effort away from the hard task of keep clean Argentine homes.
From vacuuming and mopping floors to cleaning windows and removing a difficult stain from the chair, there is less and less intervention required: there is a device for every task.
Within this broad technological ecosystem, the robot vacuum cleaner It is, perhaps, the most popular connected appliance and a gateway to all this technology.
However, the robot that walks the floor is just one part of this new arsenal. There are machines that climb through a window, others that wash an armchair by sucking up the dirty water again, and small devices created specifically for mattresses.
The robot vacuum cleaner that knows where to clean
Current models cover the floors of an apartment or the rooms of a house and They no longer randomly bump into furnitureas happened with the first generations.
The EZVIZ RE4 It uses an LDS LiDAR system, the same as the iPhone. In simple terms, a laser scans the environment to calculate distances and build a map of the house. Instead of moving around randomly, the robot can recognize rooms and plan routes. From your cell phone it is possible to set schedules, delimit areas or tell it to clean only a certain room.
It also vacuums and wet mops during the same trip. It has up to 4,000 Pa of suction, recognizes carpets to automatically increase power and can cover up to 300 square meters on one charge. If the battery runs out before finishing, it returns to the base on its own to continue cleaning tasks.
Likewise, its variant RE4 Plus add a station automatic emptying: When finished, it discharges the dust into a bag located at the base, further reducing user intervention.
Another example available locally is the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum S40which also combines vacuum and mop, laser navigation and an application to manage maps, routines and cleaning sectors. All tasks are configured and monitored through a mobile application Android.
Although these robots are especially effective at keeping the floor clean daily and preventing dust, crumbs or pet hair from accumulating; They do not necessarily leave aside the need to periodically carry out deep cleaning.
A robot that sticks to glass
One of the most curious applications of home automation is several centimeters above the floor, in the cleaning doors and windows.
Glass cleaning robots have the ability to stick to glass using a suction motor and move across its surface following pre-established routes. The concept is similar to that of a robot vacuum cleaner, although if it loses grip, it can fall.
One of the models sold in Argentina is the Gadnic ROBVID01. Its 80 watt motor generates a declared suction of 2,800 Pa and has three automatic modes travel. Also spray water and use cloths to clean as you go.
However, it must be taken into account that it is not a completely wireless or autonomous device, like the robot vacuum cleaner. You need to stay connected to the power and use a four meter safety rope as additional protection. A small battery works as a backup for about 20 minutes in the event of a power outage.
In homes that have large windows or areas that are uncomfortable to reach, such as enclosures, it can be the solution to all problems. But it should not be confused with a robot capable of cleaning any glass. The product manual makes clear its limitations regarding certain surfaces and frameless windows.
Upholstery washers: clean water in, dirt out
Pets or not, homes with couches face a different problem. Vacuuming it removes crumbs, hair and surface dust, but hardly a mancha. In this sense, another different category appears, but it can be complemented with the previous ones: extractor vacuum cleaners or upholstery washers to armchairs, carpets and car upholstery.
This kind of machine apply water and a compatible cleaning product on the fabric. Then, vacuum up the liquid again along with the loosened dirt. That is why it uses separate containers and should not be confused with a traditional vacuum cleaner.
A local example is the Yelmo AS-32SPa compact 400-watt hydrovac capable of working with water and dust. It has 0.8 and 0.6 liter tanks, a 1.2 meter hose and specific accessories for carpets and upholstery.
Mattress vacuum cleaners: a single-surface device
The mattress is probably one of the most used and least thoroughly cleaned surfaces. For this task, specific vacuum cleaners for mattresses and upholstery emerged, with a shape similar to a handheld vacuum cleaner. Depending on the equipment, they combine suction with high frequency brushes, HEPA filtershot air or ultraviolet light.
The objective is release and vacuum particles lodged between the fibers. Some manufacturers promote UV light as a complement to the treatment of microorganisms and mites, such as Xiaomi Dust Mite Vacuum Cleaner Proalthough the mere presence of an ultraviolet lamp does not ensure complete sterilization of a surface.
In the case of the Chinese brand’s machine, it uses a 400-watt motor with a cyclonic suction of 14 kPa, but the interesting thing is how it combines different technologies. An electric brush repeatedly hits the fabric to release particles lodged between the fibers and subsequently facilitate their aspiration.
In Argentina the category already shows a considerable offer. There are generic models from approximately $40,000 to $50,000, while equipment like the Deerma or Xiaomi With UV light, hot air and a 450-watt motor, it can be obtained from $137,000 to 230,000 pesos.
Goodbye to rags: the vacuum cleaner that washes as it goes
Between the completely autonomous robot and the traditional mop, possibly one of the most interesting products appears: upright vacuum cleaners that vacuum and wash the floor simultaneously.
Brands like ATMA, Roborock o Gadnic developed equipment that collects dry and liquid waste while a wet roller scrubs the surface. The most sophisticated models even incorporate automatic cycles to wash and dry the roller after use.
The user still has to push the machine, but one pass can replace several steps: sweep or vacuum first and mop later.