Roomba/Scooba for removing allergens?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My allergies are going crazy lately. I never had allergies as a kid, ironic since I lived in some of the most allergenic areas of the country. But during college I developed a mild one to cats, and even more recently I seem to have developed a standard seasonal set. I take a loratadine (the active ingredient in Claratin) pill each day (as we have a cat in our apartment), but over the last couple of weeks, with spring finally blooming around here, it hasn’t been enough.</p>

<p>One of my housemates suggested that we get a Scooba to make the apartment less allergenic, and me happier. We are friends with quite a few iRobot engineers, and could get one at a significant discount. But I don’t know how effective they are at reducing allergens, and don’t want to spend the money on it unless it will help.</p>

<p>Have other people here used Roombas/Scoobas to reduce allergens, whether pet-related or seasonal, in their homes? Was it effective?</p>

2

<p>I don’t know either but wouldn’t you need a vacuum with a ‘true Hepa’ filter to really help much with allergens? Normal vacuums have the potential to make some things worse by spewing the particles that get past the filter through the exhaust into the air.</p>

3

<p>Jessie, WashDad is the CC expert on Roombas. You might PM him for advice!</p>

4

<p>The Roomba has a tiny dust bin that has to be emptied every 2 or 3 times it runs. Dirt particles are flipped up into a bin and dust gets caught by a filter that has to be shaken/banged/rinsed off. Makes me sneeze and I don’t have allergies. The one advantage over a conventional vacuum is that you can set it to run when you aren’t home.
The scooba would probably be a different story. I’m interested what people say.</p>

5

<p>Using a Dyson really helped. It gets carpets cleaner than any vacuum I’ve ever had. The problem with one of those robot things is needing a completely clutter-free room!</p>