I want to raise the cost performance and type of cleaning. The answer we arrived at was “outsourcing floor cleaning”

In our busy everyday life, we tend to neglectcleaningEven though we know that spending time in a clean environment is not only good for our mental and physical health, but it also greatly affects our work performance, many people tend to put it off.

You want to keep your space as clean and comfortable as possible while minimizing the time and effort spent on cleaning.

This time, the Lifehacker Japan editorial staff of LifeHack media who wish to do so gathered together. I decided to share the knowledge that reduces the hassle of cleaning by confiding in the cleaning challenges that each of them have. That’s how I arrivedThe best solution for cleaning your home” is what it is like.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Maruyama (left)

About 10 years ago, when I returned to work after maternity leave, I introduced a robot vacuum cleaner “Rumba”. He is also a “cleaner” who uses different cleaning tools depending on the dirt and the scene. She lives with her husband and two children.

Editorial staff Naito (center)

I tend to do all the cleaning over the weekend. However, since one of the weekends is used for cleaning, I would like to devise ways to do so on weekdays as well. 1 person living.

Editorial staff Mizuno (right)

The biggest stress is hair and dust that accumulates on the floor. I’m interested in robot vacuum cleaners, but I’m reluctant to introduce them because I don’t know if they can coexist properly. 1 person living.

It’s a shame to spend precious weekends cleaning. what should I do?

Each member of the editorial staff has a different living environment and cleaning style, but what they have in common is that they want to create a clean environment as much as possible while minimizing the time and effort spent on cleaning.

Naito:I’m not diligent, so I only do it when I’m worried about dirt. Floors are cleaned once a week and vacuumed on weekends. Although,It takes a long time to do it properlySo, either Saturday or Sunday is ‘cleaning day’.

Mizuno:Me too. Because it’s a waste to spend precious time on weekends cleaning,I’m thinking about how to improve efficiency if I can manage to distribute it well on weekdays.Place.lateroutsourcingis also under consideration. Air conditioners and range hoods are difficult to clean by yourself, so I would like to ask a professional to do it, but it costs a lot of money and if the contractor enters the house, I have to clean it before that, which is annoying (laughs).

Naito:How do you do your daily cleaning?

Mizuno:I work from home more often,Dust and hair on the floor got in my eyes…. I use the flooring wiper every day, but while it is easy to clean when I feel like it,Dust and hair that could not be removed with the sheet are pushed to the back of the room.I feel like I don’t have a vacuum cleaner at home right now, so I’m considering which model to buy.

Naito:somedayI want a robot vacuum cleanerI think so, but the room isn’t that big and there’s a lot of things on the floor, so if I have to start by cleaning the floor to make the robot vacuum cleaner work, it’s like putting the cart before the horse…I can’t imagine how it will fit into my life, so I can’t introduce it..

What will change with the introduction of the robot vacuum cleaner “Roomba”?

Mizuno:Maruyama-san, you said you’ve been using a robot vacuum cleaner for quite some time.

Maruyama:It was about 10 years ago, because it was time to go back to work after having a child. There was no remote work like now, and I had to go to work every day, so I didn’t have to spend time cleaning.I want to use the time I spend cleaning for my childrenI thought that I welcomed Irobot’s Rumba.

Naito:How are you, Roomba? Is it convenient after all?

Maruyama: Now “I can’t imagine life without Roomba”.PartnerI wonder if that’s what it means.

The number of adults who can divide roles has increased, such as “I’ll leave the floor to Roomba, so I’ll clean the bathroom.”feel. I don’t dislike cleaning to begin with, and I like to think about how things work.

Leave the whole room to the Roomba, and use a stick type to remove the dust and dirt that is falling in front of you.The more options you have, the easier it is to clean.

Mizuno:By the way, what model are you using now?

Maruyama:Now “Rumba i2”. I made a quick decision with the affordable price and the evolution of performance. Compared to previous models,Think carefully before cleaningIt is very convenient to be able to understand and cooperate with the application. You can also give it a name, so you will feel attached to it.

Naito:By the way, what is that name?

Maruyama:Lulu Rumba (laughs). When I get a notification that “LuluRumba’s dust container may be full”, I say “yes” and happily go to help.

However, because there are various types of Roomba,Model with automatic garbage collection and water wiping functionI’m really worried about it too.

One’s cleaning becomes knowledge.It is unique to “Rumba” that there is wisdom to grow

Starting with cleaning problems, the editorial staff can’t stop talking about the evolution and convenience of the robot vacuum cleaner “Rumba”.

Just then, Hisanori Kogure, a house cleaning adviser and life hacker writer, passed by.

Mr. Kogure has tried many robot vacuum cleaners regardless of manufacturer or model. I wonder what kind of cleaning he does.

I want to spend time in a beautiful environment, but I don’t have the time or effort. To such editorial staff, Mr. Kogure said, “Outsource floor cleaning to Roomba.Roomba is worth itKogure-san’s favorite is also “rumba” That’s right.

iRobot, the company behind the Roomba, was founded in 1990 by roboticists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). For more than 30 years since then, we have been working on home robots that are useful in our lives.

The Rumba philosophy that Kogure sympathizes with is “Complete cleaningAvoid troubles such as falling on a step or hitting an obstacle and stopping.Equipped with the smarts to finish cleaning safely and reliably.

For example, learning ability of floor plan. “Imprint® smart mapping”, the unique technology ”vSLAM navigation” collects over 230,400 data points per second, which enablesMemorize by distinguishing rooms such as “kitchen” and “living room”They will do it for you.

You can also specify which rooms to clean and when, so you can clean the dining room or bedroom while you work at your desk at home, or around your work desk at lunchtime.Cleaning on scheduleIt seems that it is also possible to

Mizuno:Robot vacuum cleaners have an image of “cleaning the whole room at once”, and I felt that it was a hurdle.Being able to set the area and cleaning time is also suitable for business people who work from home..

Roomba’s wisdom will continue to evolve by continuing to use it.

Kogure:The great thing about Roomba is that it doesn’t end after you buy it.

The pioneer of robotic vacuum cleaners, Roomba has users all over the world.theRoomba grows smarter by giving feedback through daily cleaning from users all over the worldIt is.

For example, let’s say you left your rucksack on the floor. Then Roomba decides that “this is an obstacle” and “avoid it”, and the smartphone app “iRobot HomethroughThe existence of the rucksack is photographed with the camera mounted on the front of the main unit, and it will tell you along with the photo..

In addition, ask the user whether it is something that is temporarily placed or something that is permanently placed there like furniture.

When the user gives feedback on how to respond to the obstacle in the future,That data is accumulated in iRobot, and object recognition is updated.That’s how it works.

It won’t be reflected immediately, but “When you update the iRobot OS, you can feel that you can clearly increase what you can do” said Kogure.

Naito:If we think that our daily cleaning can play a role in the evolution of Roomba, we will be more and more looking forward to feedback from Roomba. More than anything,No need to worry about tidying up before cleaningThank you!

Maruyama:By the way, what is the name of Mr. Kogure’s Rumba?

Kogure:It’s a rumba (laughs). But I treat him with such respect that I want to call him “Rumba-san.”

Demon of efficiency!Wasteless cleaning is possible with dust suction and water wiping

In addition to learning ability, Rumba is unrivaled in its evolution as a product. The latest model “Roomba Combo j7+” as an example, let’s ask Mr. Kogure.

“Rumba Combo j7+” is equipped with a water wiping function in the powerful cleaning power of Rumba.Roomba’s first 2 in 1 modelis.

First of all, Mr. Kogure says, “This alone is a reason to choose a Roomba,” and on the back is “dual action brushSince it is made of rubber, it adheres to any floor material and cleans even small dust, dirt, and hair.Easy to care for as hair does not get tangled easilything.

Mizuno:Free yourself from the stress of removing tangled hair from your brushI’m happy. That alone already makes me want a Roomba (laughs).

It is kind of you to say that all the current models, including the entry model, have been replaced with this brush.

“Rumba is also focusing on how to save the user’s trouble, so maintenance is getting easier and easier” said Kogure.

For example, the edge cleaning brush mounted only on one side of the main body,By making it one, the user’s burden of maintenance and replacement is reduced.. Instead,High cleaning power enough to scrape out dust with just onethere is.

Maruyama:When I got the Roomba, I was wondering why there were no edge cleaning brushes on either side.Easy maintenanceis a new discovery!

There is also a high cleaning power, and it is full of happy things.

In addition, the “Rumba Combo j7+” installedpad lifting systemiRobot’s original world’s first function (*1).The floor sensor on the bottom automatically identifies the floor material, and the mop pad is stored on the top.No wet rugs or carpets.

Kogure:The idea is to raise the pad to the top. It’s a powerful technique, but I thought it was an invention unique to Rumba, which values ​​certainty.

Instead of gathering other technologies and parts to give a function,I feel the sincere attitude towards cleaning in the fact that we develop from scratch in-house..

Utilizing user needs in products, even reducing the stress of garbage

The function of Roomba’s robot vacuum cleaner, Mr. Kogure says, “I can’t remove it.”Garbage automatic collection function.

When the rumba returns to the clean base after cleaning, it automatically discharges the dust in the dust container of the main body to the paper pack in the clean base.Can store garbage for up to one year (*2)So you don’t have to worry about changing paper packs for a while.

Also, I am more than happyThe dust container can be washed with water.Kogure said.

Kogure:I feel that the user’s needs have been incorporated in the ability to wipe with water and wash the dust box with water.

The appeal of Roomba is that it continues to evolve to meet the needs of the times, and the reason why I continue to be a fan.is not it.

Roomba makes it easier for you and others to clean

After listening to Mr. Kogure’s story, Naito and Mizuno were able to imagine what it would be like to have a robot vacuum cleaner at home. It seems that he has already started a simulation on how to turn the rumba according to his schedule.

Maruyama also said, “Roomba Combo j7+Check all the automatic garbage collection and water wiping functions of ‘.Since you already have confidence in Roomba, it may not be long before you upgrade to a higher model.

“Be healthy and don’t be lazy”

For Mr. Kogure who says so,Roomba is your second self. From the beginning to the end of the cleaning process, you can understand the movements and thoughts of the Roomba as if you were another self. They seem to trust you so much.

One’s cleaning becomes knowledge, leading to the evolution of products and helping someone in the world.Roomba’s robot vacuum cleaner allows you to enjoy such a rich cleaning experience.

“Roomba Combo j7+You can use the time you have been given by welcoming ‘for refreshment’ or use it for self-investment.

Perhaps the best cleaning hack is to adapt to your lifestyle and aggressively “outsource” the parts that can be left to trustworthy appliances.

“Brain power is different.” Learn more about Roomba

*1 As of September 2022, researched by iRobot.

*2 Calculated based on the cleaning results of Japanese Clean Base users. It does not guarantee the period in all home environments. If you notice a malfunction or a strange smell before the replacement lamp lights up, we recommend that you replace it.

Source: iRobot (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) / Photo: KOBA

This article has been partially edited and reprinted from Lifehacker Japan (article published on June 1, 2023).