Floor Cleaning - Robot-Style

Remember the first time you heard of such a thing as a robot? If you are like most people, you probably imagined the robot would be some kind of C-3PO-like android - a tin man. And then, you probably got to see your first robot on some kind of Discovery Channel programming that was nothing more than a chip-installing arm or a car factory welder. That probably would have been a bit of a downer - a car factory robot is nothing as attractive-looking as what you get to see on the Terminator or in Star Wars. Still, if you kind of liked R2-D2 from Star Wars, chances are really good that you'll kind of like the floor cleaning robot by iRobot called Scooba. Of course, it looks nothing like that cute little blue and silver Star Wars robot; but the little black can on wheels that seems to be able to think a little and to go around cleaning your floor seems to possess a little bit of personality. The cute stubby shape and the fact that it busies itself with such an unambitious job does endear itself to people's hearts.

If you've heard of the Roomba, the smash hit robotic vacuum from the same company that had a bit of character as well, you could be ready for what the Scooba does. The little black can with wheels just diligently goes around your floor (weaving an unpredictable path) all by itself applying soap, brushing and cleaning up with water.The latest Scooba, unlike the earlier models that cost about $500, is quite inexpensive. And it's small enough that it can easily get into spaces that the other heftier models would never have managed.

So how does the Scooba actually work? If you've used a Roomba vacuum, you'll kind of recognize the way the Scooba works as well. Sometimes, it will keep going in a perfectly straight line and you think it's following some kind of predictable logic; until it suddenly changes direction and veers off on a tangent. It'll miss spots that seem close by and head for off-beat spots; and then come back to cover the missed spot later. Leave it to its own devices though, and the Scooba will get everything. When you actually change the dirty water inside, you will be pretty surprised how much dirt it's managed to get off your floors.

Watching the Scooba work can be really entertaining. You'll find that rather than save you any time, the Scooba takes up as much of your time as it would if you did your floor cleaning yourself - because it looks so darned cute going about its job that you won't have the heart to look elsewhere. So is it worth the money it costs? Undoubtedly, it is. But only because it's quite inexpensive at $300. The quality of its work really does leave much to be desired. It really can't get into many places in your average home. You could probably do a much better job with a mop and an hour of free time. But then, it wouldn't really feel like you were living in the future then.

Factors to Consider before Purchasing Floor Cleaning Machines

Everything around us reminds us that we are living in a modern era. The floor cleaning machines are not an exception in this. The days when one had to manually mop and clean floors are long gone. Rapid change and advancement in technology has landed floor cleaning machines a spot in the new age technology. Examples of floor cleaning machines today are vacuum cleaners, suction cleaners and sweeping machines.

However, the advancement comes with a challenge; that of buying the almost perfect floor cleaning machine. The machines are rather expensive hence the buyer would definitely want to purchase something worth the cash he or she is paying for. Its therefore important to be acquainted with some factors to consider before purchasing a floor cleaning machine.

First of all, the buyer has to see the machine in operation. This means testing the machine and actually seeing it functioning. Insisting on having the machine tested is better than having an assurance that the machine is in working condition. Checking on the warranty and return policies is also fundamental just in case undesirable unforeseen occurrences occur and one has to return the floor cleaning machine. Another essential thing is whether the machine is serviceable. This means that instead of taking parts from cheap deals stick ensure that the machine has all the parts and could be fixed if they break down otherwise you will end up having high maintenance costs than you actually did not budget for.

Dependability is another factor to consider. People tend to think that price is the major thing, they are blinded by this because it might matter in the short run but most probably not in the long run. This is where dependability comes in, if a machine is evaluated based on its longevity and durability it will benefit the buyer both now and in future.

Technology is something definitely something to consider especially because technology is never in a constant place. While a floor cleaning machine with lots of technological development is advantageous in terms of being fast and effective, its important to consider the limitations. Like a machine which uses lots of water and strong chemical detergents is not worth purchasing. Water conservation is important and the rise of people with asthma is on the rise. We wouldn’t want to aggravate their condition by purchasing machines which use strong chemical detergents.

Finally the machine should be one that is easy to clean and maintain. No one wants to spend all the time in the world maintaining a machine. Instead it should be performing is function. This goes hand in hand with purchasing an item that is multi-functioned, that is, it could perform more than one function e.g. being a scrubber and a mop or a sweeper and a washer.

Cleaning Tile Floors Tips you Cannot Resist

Most beautiful houses owe their attractive appearance to floor tiles which come in different shades and forms. While floor tiles can be a beautiful sight to behold they can be quite ugly when dirty and this is when the owner of the house will need effective cleaning floor tips. In mostly used parts of the house such as kitchens accidents happen on a regular basis and this mostly has to do with spilling of liquids such as milk, grape juice. When such accidents occur, one should not wipe their floor instead they should bloat the liquid from the floor using dry cloth. This will go along way into ensuring that the liquid does not spread to other parts of the floor. The blotting should go on until the stain is removed and this should be done quite fast to avoid the liquid from getting absorbed especially if the floor is quite porous.

It is often quite easy to clean a floor that is regularly and properly swept to remove any crumbs or debris that could be hidden in the crevices. In instances where floors are swept regularly all a person needs is warm water and maybe an addition like Eucalyptus oil. The latter is not only a cleaner but it is also a disinfectant that also comes with perfume to add some sweet scent to the floor cleaning mix. Another of the great floor tiles cleaning tips is to use a good nail brush for the dirt that often sets in the floor tiles. Harsh chemical are never recommended for cleaning anything but if it is a must that a person uses these chemicals then they should also use plain water and a mop to clean the floor again. There are also chemical that are known to damage or scratch the floors and such chemicals include strong bleaches or cleaners that are ammonia based. It is also not advisable to use such kind of cleaners.

Oxygen bleach is however strongly recommended as it is non-toxic, and is devoid of horrible fumes. Oxygen bleach should only be used with water.

It is often not so difficult to clean normal tiles but those that are done on bathroom floors can be somewhat difficult to clean as they are often used and hence gather more dirt especially on the grout. To clean bathroom tiles one should soak some paper towels in vinegar and rub the tiles with them. The towel should then be removed and rinsed after some minutes. The same thing should be repeated using bleach in a bowl. The towels should then be removed and washed. For those who have just bought homes whose former owners had really neglected the floors and they are just too dirty to clean using the available means it is advisable to call in a professional cleaner. Some are so good at what they do that they can be able to also replace any tiles that have come off. Cleaning tiles can be tedious but with the right cleaning tile floor tips one should not take as much time doing it.