Skip to main content

The Hoover SmartWash hopes to make carpet cleaning as easy as vacuuming

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cleaning your carpet no longer has to be a job reserved for the pros. Not if you have the professional help of the new Hoover SmartWash. Promising to take all the confusion and guesswork out of carpet cleaning, this new machine claims to be the “most intuitive, best cleaning, full-sized carpet cleaner” on the market. And really, who couldn’t use a cleaner floor?

Going far beyond what your vacuum or a spray bottle and rag can do as far as beautifying and purifying your carpet, the Hoover SmartWash makes it nearly impossible to mess up your cleaning process. The machine auto-mixes and dispenses the cleaning solution, then automatically cleans by sensing how much detergent is needed, and finally automatically dries when it has determined that your carpet is as clean as it’s going to get.

Recommended Videos

In fact, there are no triggers or buttons to push on the SmartWash — the machine will take care of every aspect of cleaning on your behalf. All you have to do, supposedly, is guide it across your floor.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The SmartWash boasts extra long bristles to make more contact with your carpet, providing a deeper clean. The so-called Flexforce Powerbrushes purport to gently remove deep dirt and debris. When you’re ready to clean your cleaner, Hoover has a one-step removable nozzle that should make maintenance quite straightforward.

In order to actually use the Hoover SmartWash, you’re effectively just guiding it back and forth along your carpet, much as you would a vacuum. Anytime you push it forward, it begins its washing action. Anytime you pull it back, it begins drying. And with the HeatForce technology the SmartWash uses, you should be able to return to a fully dry and fluffy carpet faster than expected.

The SmartWash joins a growing family of cleaning tools that Hoover is pushing out this spring, including the Hoover Spotless, a portable spot cleaner; the Hoover PowerDash Pet Carpet Cleaner, basically a smaller carpet cleaning machine; the Hoover React Cordless Vacuum; the larger Hoover React Quick Lift; and finally, the Hoover SmartWash. While these other products are already available on the Hoover website, it seems as though we may need to wait awhile longer for the SmartWash. We will update you on pricing and availability as we learn more.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
How to choose a robot vacuum
Roborock S4 Max cleaning a carpet.

When it comes to keeping your home clean, few smart home devices are as beloved as robot vacuums. These nifty gadgets let you put away your cordless vacuum and sit on the couch while it sucks up all the dust, pollen, debris, and other gunk that’s trapped inside your carpet. Some models even double as a mop, while others can automatically empty their dustbin.

There’s a wide variety of robot vacuums on the market today, which means you can find a product for every budget. It also means there are a lot of choices to wade through -- and not all of them are worth considering. If you need some help with your search, here’s how to choose a robot vacuum in 2023.

Read more
How does a Roomba work on carpet?
iRobot Roomba 692 on a hardwood floor negotiating a mat.

Many of the pictures we see of Roombas and other robot vacuums in action have them scooting over hard flooring, clearing up pet kibble or dust bunnies. Images of the bots on carpets are rarer, although they exist, too. That leads to a lot of questions from first-time buyers. Can Roombas work on carpet? Do you need a different kind of robot vacuum just for carpet? Will carpet damage a Roomba if it’s not made for it?

Fortunately, most robot vacuums are made to work on carpet and hard flooring, although there are some exceptions. Let’s tackle these questions with an FAQ about how robot vacuums and carpets interact.

Read more
Poop’s easy. Dodging wires is the holy grail of robot vacuum obstacle avoidance
Roborock S7 robot vacuum cleaning a rug on a hardwood floor.

Robot vacuum owners fear nothing so much as they fear poop on the floor. Most of us have heard the horror stories of a robot vacuum smearing a pet's droppings across the carpet and drawing it into its inner workings, but that's nearly a thing of the past. Modern navigation algorithms, collision detection, and improved sensors mean robot vacuums rarely ever run into poop anymore. Wires are a different story, though.

Robot vacuums have a harder time dodging wires than they do poop, for a variety of reasons -- yet wires cause just as many problems for the vacuum. A wire sucked up into the brush can jam the vacuum, damage whatever electronics the wire is plugged into, and more. Most of all, it becomes a headache for the user. Why are wires so hard to avoid for robots?
Wires are low profile
There are two main navigational systems employed by robot vacuums: Lidar and VSlam. Both of these systems use different methods and algorithms not only for navigation, but also for collision avoidance, room mapping, and more.

Read more