Best Robot Vacuums for Allergies UK (2024)

When the robot vacuum cleans your floors, it sucks up allergens (pollen, house dust, mite droppings and animal hair).

However, it also has to release the air again that it sucked in.

If it doesn’t have the right filter, it’ll release all these microscopic dust particles back into the room. These cause well-known allergic reactions.

The solution lays at hand: a HEPA filter.

A HEPA filter, "High-Efficiency Particulate Air Filter", filters out even the tiniest particles so they don’t get back into the room air.

This way, it filters up to 99% of the smallest particles (allergens) out of the air.

That makes the HEPA filter an absolute "MUST criterion" for a robot vacuum for allergy sufferers.

Another feature that makes life much easier for allergy sufferers is a timer function.

You can set your robotic vacuum to clean your home on fixed days / at certain times.

You can usually set that up in the mobile phone app for modern robot vacuums.

But why is the timer function such a must-have for allergy sufferers?

Most of the allergens (e.g. pollen, animal hair, mite faeces, ...) are on the floor. You stir them up when vacuuming and catapult them into the air... and inhale them.

But you can prevent that quite easily.

Set the vacuuming times (via the timer function) so that your little household helper cleans the flat in your absence. Then you can come home to a spotless and freshly cleaned flat.

HEPA filter

You should service the HEPA filter regularly to keep its performance at the same level.

We recommend cleaning the filter once a month.

To do this, you just have to remove the filter and carefully tap it out over a dustbin.

You should also remove dust from the HEPA filter with the included cleaning brush (or a toothbrush).

Depending on the manufacturer and filter type, you can sometimes even wash the HEPA filter under running water.

When you clean the filter (especially when you tap it out), you’ll also stir up the aggressive house dust. That’s far from pleasant for a person with severe allergies.

Therefore, we have 3 tips on how to reduce allergen exposure during the cleaning process.

Tip 1: Wear a mask when cleaning (uncomplicated method)

Everyone knows and owns it these days: the mask.

Therefore, we recommend putting on a respiratory mask when cleaning (especially when tapping out) the filter.

This way, you won’t inhale the allergens and prevent an allergic reaction.

Tip 2: Cleaning the HEPA filter outdoors

If you have a garden or balcony, we recommend cleaning the HEPA filter outdoors.

Many allergens get into the air during the process, especially when tapping out the filter.

Outside, the dust particles will be distributed in a much larger volume of air. Thus, you’ll also inhale only a smaller amount of dust particles.

Tip 3: Tap out HEPA filter in a plastic bag

If you don’t like the first two options, we have another - slightly more complicated - cleaning method.

You’ll have to do the following steps:

• Lightly moisten a kitchen wipe,

• Put the wipe in a plastic bag and place the HEPA filter on top,

• Close the plastic bag,

• Tap out the HEPA filter in the closed plastic bag,

• After tapping out the HEPA filter, leave it in the bag for a few minutes (until the dust settles),

• Then take out the filter, carefully close the plastic bag and throw it away.

With this method, you prevent most allergens from getting back into the air or your airways.

Regular filter change is mandatory

No matter how carefully you clean the HEPA filter...

...you should still replace it at regular intervals.

Depending on the degree of contamination, you should change the filter every 3-6 months (heavy contamination) or 7-12 months (light contamination).

You can usually order replacement filters conveniently on the Internet.

Maintenance of the brush roll

If you are a pet owner (or even people with long hair), you know this too well.

You can often find pet hair and also long human hair on the floor.

These can wrap around the brush roll (and also the side brush).

You should clean the brushes from time to time, as these often cause allergic reactions.

You can remove, disassemble and clean the main brush in no time.

Many manufacturers include a unique cleaning tool in the delivery scope for cleaning. With this, you can easily remove the stuck hairs.

Replacing the brush regularly

If the bristles protrude in all directions and the cleaning performance decreases a lot, you should replace the brushes.

A useful feature: the app indicates when you should replace the brushes.

You can buy the spare parts at amazon, too.

Mop

If you chose a robot vacuum with a mopping function, you also have to clean the mop regularly.

...because it usually looks like this when it finished mopping your flat:

We recommend washing the mop with your dirty laundry in the washing machine at 40 degrees after each cleaning trip.

You should buy several replacement wipes so that you always have a clean wipe at hand. You can order these online, too (on Amazon UK).

Carpets pose more significant challenges for all kinds of vacuums (corded stick vacuums, upright vacuums and robot vacuum cleaners).

Dust, dirt and allergens settle in the long carpet fibres and are very difficult to remove.

Robot vacuums are continually improving here, too - see our "Robot vacuum for carpets".

Still, there is no robot vacuum on the market that scores a 100% satisfactory result for severe allergy sufferers.

Therefore, our advice: As beautiful and cosy as a pile carpet may be: If you have strong allergic reactions, you shouldn’t have a carpet.

If you don't want to do without your carpet, we have the following tips:

• You should get a super powerful upright vacuum for carpets like the Dyson V11. Read more in our comprehensive Dyson V11 absolute Extra review.

• You should vacuum the carpet thoroughly every day with a powerful device.

People with allergies (house dust, dog hair, etc.) have to clean the flat regularly and thoroughly. But nobody wants to vacuum the entire flat every day...

...Special robotic vacuum cleaners for allergy sufferers make household cleaning much more manageable. It automatically cleans your home every day.

These robot vacuums also have unique features that fulfil an allergy sufferer’s particular needs.

A robot vacuum for allergy sufferers should have the following functions:

• a HEPA filter,

• a mopping function,

• a timer function,

• a self-emptying dust bin.

These ensure perfect cleanliness in your home at all times. It will decrease your exposure to allergens significantly.

No more watery eyes, runny noses and sneezing fits - you can breathe freely and feel comfortable in your home!

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