As a designer and pet owner, I, like many of my clients, wonder how to keep a neat house when our lovable animal friends leave their fur stuck to every surface in the place!
There is no question that Baxter, my six year old beagle, is the love of my life and I would do anything for him, but his fur… well that’s another story. Although beagles aren’t really noted for shedding, he certainly loses fur, much like I probably lose hair.
Furry floors get on my nerves
The problem is it is particularly visible due to my floor colour. I have medium to darkish wood floors in walnut and this shows everything! Not to mention, Baxter happens to be tri-coloured: brown, black and white so there is really no hope for hiding his fur against the brown floor.
I do clean up and vacuum regularly, but this is sometimes sacrificed to busy days and evenings, much like most homeowners coping with the daily grind. Given my personality however, when things are out of place, it really bothers me! Baxter’s fur drifting across the wood floors eventually gets on my nerves.
iRobot Roomba unleased
Enter iRobot Roomba Pet Series! After the initial set up and determining which gadget goes where, I unleashed it to clean my floors.
It’s not the most quiet of things, but it’s a vacuum so what is one to expect? It drove around following what appeared to be a random pattern but it definitely covered the whole area. I have it cleaning my living room, kitchen and hallway floors.
Baxter was easily less than impressed with the Roomba on its first use. He howled and barked and danced around it. Then, when he took a look around the room and noticed all of us watching him and the Roomba, he seemed to compose himself and quietly, if not awkwardly, backed himself away and nestled onto his chair as if the whole thing had been no big deal.
After a week of the Roomba buzzing around for an hour, always at midday, he is uninterested in it. If it’s not delivering treats to him then its fairly useless I suppose.
iRobot Roomba is a good investment
I must admit that the iRobot Roomba has been a good addition to my cleaning regimen. It removes the main fur and dust from my floors, so my small space seems tidy when I get home. I empty the bin every night, which is a simple operation and causes little hassle in my evening.
I would recommend an iRobot Roomba to anyone who is looking to regularly keep their floors, particularly dark hardwood or tile, free of dust or fur. It is a bit pricey and maybe a touch noisy but certainly less costly than a cleaning service. For me, it’s definitely worth the investment. Now if it could only deliver treats as well, Baxter would be fully satisfied!
