How a Roomba Will Totally Change Your Life
The Roomba is a great tool for making keeping your house clean easier. This little powerhouse will make every mom’s life easier!
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From “You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me….” To “How Did I Ever Live Without This?”
The first time I saw a Roomba at one of my friend’s homes, I laughed and thought it was ridiculous.
Fast forward several years, two kids, a full-time job, and a new puppy.
It seemed as though, regardless of how often I vacuumed, every time I looked in one of the corners of my house, I saw dust bunnies combined with dog hair.
Having guest over only seemed to make the dust bunnies multiply. I’d want to scream “I swear, I clean my house!” while wondering if they would be too grossed out to let their children play on my floor.
I thought back to the Roomba I’d seen running around my friend’s house and, in desperation, decided to give it a try. I could always return it if it didn’t work, I reasoned.
OMG – Best purchase ever! I am still doing a happy dance over having brought this magic little cleaning guy into my house.
Your Questions Answered
To answer most of the questions I get when people see it in my house:
- YES, it really works!
- YES, it gets into corners and takes care of the dust bunnies and dog hair that collects there.
- YES, it does a good job on carpet (in addition to hardwood and tile)
- YES, it will go under your furniture if there is enough clearance. (Finally, an easy way to vacuum under your bed!)
- NO, I do not need to pick everything up off the floor before I let it run. It does a good job of cleaning around most items and untangling itself from cords. The Roomba’s Kryptonite? Nerf bullets. Pick those suckers up or they will get wrapped in the Roomba’s brush.
Getting the Best Deal on a Roomba
I know these are not inexpensive items, so here are a few tips if you are considering purchasing one:
- Kohls’ 30% off coupons do apply to Roomba products. If you are a Kohl’s Cardholder, waiting for that promotion is a great time to purchase one.
- If you aren’t a Kohl’s Cardholder (or do not want to wait for that promotion), Target often has sales on the Roomba, often making the prices close to or at Kohls’ 30% off the final price.
- Amazon does sell Roombas but, while two-day shipping can be tempting, price compare before you buy one here.
Which Model Should You Get?
You really only need a basic model.
Some of the Roombas allow you to schedule cleaning times, access from your phone, etc. One of my models has this and I’ve never figured out how to use them.
If I want the Roomba to run while I’m away from home, I simply tap the “Clean” button with my toe as I’m heading out and it sweeps while I’m away. I often do the same thing before I go to bed at night. No extra technology needed!
I DO recommend getting the Virtual Wall barriers. These allow you to “trap” the Roomba in a particular room or area of the house. You can also use them to protect something you’d prefer the Roomba not run into or you’re worried it will get stuck under it.
Maintaining Your Roomba
If you are running your Roomba almost every day, you are going to need to do a little maintenance every now and then.
Cleaning the Rolling Brush
- You will want to regularly check the rolling round brush to make sure that it’s clean and not wrapped with hair or other debris.
- The Roomba comes with a small cutting tool to help you cut through anything wrapped around the brush.
- I’ve found that removing the brush from the Roomba and using a pair of scissors is the best method for cleaning the long teen-girl hair that is the main culprit in my house for tangling up the rolling brush!
Cleaning the Filters
Your Roomba will have one or more reusable filters, depending upon the model you choose. Try to rinse these out under running water every month or so.
Replacement Parts
While my Roombas (I now have one upstairs and downstairs) have been running strong for years, they do require a bit of maintenance now and then.
Fortunately, Amazon carries a wide range of replacement parts at reasonable prices:
- Brushes – Search for your Roomba model and you’ll find a package that includes replacement brushes, spinning “sweepers”, and replacement brush cleaning tools.
- Filters – You will also find replacement filters on Amazon. There are several different filters, so make sure that you purchase the one that fits your Roomba model.
- Batteries – Eventually, your Roomba will start to slow down and maybe even stop charging. In my experience, this happens around the 1.5 to 2-year point if you’re running the Roomba almost every day. Fortunately, this does NOT mean that it’s time to replace your machine. Again, Amazon has affordable replacement batteries. Just make sure that you are purchasing the correct battery for the model you own.
It Really Does Make Keeping Your Floors Clean SO Easy!
If you’re short on time, hate dirty floors, and want an easy solution to vacuuming, the Roomba is likely the best solution for you.
It’s easy to use, easy to maintain and requires little effort from you to keep your floors swept. Once you have one running around your house picking up after your family, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it!
Quick question for you – has anyone used the Roomba Mop? I think this is next on my cleaning bucket list and would love to hear from anyone who has it how they like it!
