This Unexpected Mini Find Is My Trick to Keeping the Bathroom Floor Clean (It’s $30!)
Not to sound dramatic, but I hate my hair. It’s so thin and fine (thank you very much, genetics) that someone in high school once compared it to straw — and clearly I’ve never forgotten. I blow-dry it pretty much every time I shower just to get some volume, but that means I’m constantly picking up rogue hairs from my bathroom floor.
Enter the Mini Maus Table Vacuum from the MoMA Design store. I was gifted this little guy a few weeks ago and started using it to suck up countertop crumbs in my kitchen, but then I had a better idea: Why not keep this under my bathroom sink to instantly clean up my (alarming volume of) floor hairs?
This handheld vacuum operates with two AA batteries, and it’s easy to grip at just 4 inches tall, 3.5 inches wide, and 2.75 inches deep. Because of the super-small profile, it tackles those tough-to-reach bathroom spots (the ones you don’t like to think about what’s going on back there) that my Dyson can’t usually access, even with the slimmest suction attachment.
The Mini Maus vacuum takes up minimal space in the cabinet underneath my sink, aka it’s so conveniently placed that it forces me to tidy up the floor pretty much daily — whereas it’s much more of an undertaking lugging my stick vacuum out from the depths of my coat closet. My apartment’s also slightly ancient and perpetually dusty, so this new ritual helps temporarily keep dirt and grime at bay. Plus, I just love using the vacuum because it looks so cute (like a little mouse!) but simultaneously sleek and modern.
Beyond human hair, pet parents can also take advantage of this handheld vacuum, even on upholstery (I can confirm it worked well on my couch). And I’m neither a man nor do I live with one, but this would be perfect for cleaning up beard hairs on the bathroom counter, too.
The only caveat is that because it’s so teeny and technically designed for crumbs, the inside has a pretty limited capacity (sometimes I still have to collect hairs poking out the bottom that didn’t get sucked in all the way). I’d also suggest emptying the table vacuum as often as possible, depending on how much it’s used — the bottom portion pops right off, and you can dump any residue in the trash.
Aside from that, the Mini Maus Table Vacuum has been such a game-changer in my small, windowless rental bathroom so far, that I may get one more to just have on hand throughout my apartment. It’s currently exclusive to the MoMA Design Store for $30 ($27 for members), which is ultimately a small price to pay for fewer all-over hairs, flecks of dust, and crumbs. Not to mention, it’s arguably stylish enough to leave out ready to go on the corner of your desk or countertop if you’re short on storage space.