Cleaning tiled floors can be a drag. Getting the tiles themselves clean is bad enough, but often dealing with the grouted joints in between requires more elbow grease and attention to detail. It’s a tedious chore, and thus one ripe for improvement. [Elite Worm]’s cleaning machine is an excellent solution to the problem.
The machine is built entirely from scratch, using primarily 3D printed components. A fluid tank is fitted to the chassis, along with a custom 3D-printed pump run by a DC motor, to deliver cleaning product where its needed. A large DC motor is then used to spin a nylon brush which gets deep in the tile grooves to clean out the grime. The chassis is then fitted with rollers to allow it to glide along the floor. Finally, a handle is fitted which allows the user to push the tool along, with switches to turn on the spinning brush and dispense cleaning fluid.
It’s a great tool, and one which eliminates hours of scrubbing on hands and knees. We’re sure the time investment in the build will pay off before long. We’ve seen other tricky cleaning hacks before, too. Video after the break.
Neat !
A great improvement since the classic toothbrush.
But where is the camera + PI to make it autonomous ?
Exactly my thought :-) perfect opportunity to put line following to use.
Millions of first robotics kids have trained for this moment!
I was unsure of its size based on the article’s thumbnail, bur it was actually huge in comparison!
Great Idea. Cleaning grout can be a real pain in the neck, and back….
A few years ago i took one of those cheap “Spin Scrub” things that just lacked the gusto to get any cleaning job done, removed the NI-Cd battery, cheesy 5vdc electric motor, and after a little work on a new motor mount, added a higher speed, higher torque 12v motor and a barrel jack connection to the rear of the tool that was the right size for a laptop power supply i had, and its runs like a champ now. Cleans showers, tile, sinks, toilets, (yes…. i have different brushes for certain jobs) and the grout on my tile floor in my house.
Each cleaning will necessarily remove some grout. Eventually you will have to re-grout the whole floor. Instead, just leave it alone.
Usually you have to re-grout after 20 years anyway as cracks and other damage accumulates. It’s easier if the broken grout is already removed over the years.
He could try to angle the wheel slightly so it doesnt press down on the grout as much and will partially scrub the sides of the tile too.
If the floor is installed properly, it shouldn’t come out. Shown is a sanded grout which is basically concrete so it shouldn’t deteriorate from cleaning if it’s been installed properly.
It’s an interesting concept but video doesn’t show the results. Also needs a vacuum to pick up the now dirty liquid because without that your just moving around dirt not removing it
Too many screws.
All that and no before and after comparison pictures to show it did the job.
I guess I am missing the part where he built something to keep the cleaning fluid out of the motor and other electrical parts.
It’s called maintenance and operating cost. Sometimes replacing an inexpensive motor once a year is cheaper than designing a system that operates for 10 years.
My entire house has had tile floors for over thirty years. Grout looks like the day it was laid. What am I missing? I run the steam cleaner over them about every month and vacuum weekly. Is the tile in this article outside or what?
I love my steam cleaner too
Do you use it to kill dandelions in your yard/garden?
I guess it is more applicable to heavy use rooms like gym showers and such that have permanent running water. Still Even thoose are usually fine. But I don’t know how much scrubbing an chemicals that takes.
Many people dont use grout sealer.
Sealer doesn’t prevent dirt or eliminate need to clean grout
Grout sealer flakes off then looks worse than none .
I would thing a “handtool” design would have been even nicer. Yes this is better for knees, but it wont work on walls that have the same issue. Cool nevertheless.
Solution: make the handle swappable. Why choose when you could have both!
Won’t work on the 1/16″ grout lines my wife prefers
The chosen nylon brush wheel is way to hard it will do more harm than good, look for softer brushes.
Put black dye in the mix before laying, why make make-work stuff. White anything on the floor? A grid of cracks holding stuff everywhere, or smooth surfaces free of cracks and fissures. Which would anyone want. The tile floor in a local brew pub is clean (sort of) but the tile extends up to waist height. The first 2 rows are filthy black from using mops on the floor. Scrub and suck it up, no mops. Clean!