Gadgets make spring cleaning less of a chore

— -- As spring arrives, bears awake from hibernations, eager to explore the outside world. People, too, are emerging from their caves after being cooped indoors, and thus starts a long-standing tradition: spring cleaning. Cheer up, it's the 21st century. We have cool toys to make it less of a chore.

Scooba 390

In time for spring cleaning, the latest refresh of iRobot's Scooba line, a sibling to the popular Roomba vacuum robots, was unveiled mid-March. The Scooba 390 sports 30 percent longer battery life and a four-stage cleaning process that picks up debris, dispels water, scrubs and squeegees.

The mopping robot includes two reservoir tanks: one to discharge clean water and another to collect dirty water. A full tank can clean 425 square feet before needing a refill.

Cliff detection helps the Scooba avoid falling down stairs and off other edges while virtual wall technology confines the machine to a set space.

Robot chore masters don't come cheap though. The iRobot Scooba 390 retails for $499.99.

Neato XV-21

Also in March, Neato Robotics offered a peek into its latest autonomous vacuum: the Neato XV-21. This robot can tackle different types of flooring — carpet, wood, tile, vinyl — and was specifically engineered for pet owners.

It's a powerful sucker and uses a special brush and filter to tackle pet hair and other allergens.

Like previous Neato models, the XV-21 utilizes lasers to map rooms and find the most efficient cleaning path, all while avoiding furniture, objects and doorways.

For extra convenience, it can be set to clean on a daily or custom schedule. Plus, did we mention lasers? The vacuum will be available in May for $429. Neato is taking pre-orders on Amazon.

Dyson DC39

Not to be outdone, Dyson also prepared for this spring cleaning season by launching a new model in the U.S. The DC39 is Dyson's first canister vac on a ball, a design that helps avoid many pitfalls of conventional canisters.

In the past, this type of vacuum has proven unpopular with Americans (contrast that with Germany, where canisters make up nine in 10 full-size vacuum sales, according to NPD Group), but Dyson's hoping the ball will change that.

Like the company's upright vacuums, the design allows the DC39 to maneuver with ease. But its strange form factor makes it awkward to store, an aspect Dyson can continue to fine tune. The DC39 begins at $449.99.

Scrubba Wash Bag

Yes, we understand it's spring. You'd much rather be outside. To that end, we also have a couple cool cleaning toys for your outdoor adventures. Scrubba is a washing machine that fits in your pocket. The waterproof bag was designed by a backpacking enthusiast and includes a flexible internal washboard. To use, you add detergent, water and clothes into the bag. After releasing excess air, you scrub the clothes for about 40 seconds, rinse and hang dry.

The Scrubba Wash Bag has been raising funds at the Kickstarter-like site IndieGoGo and reached its $2,500 goal about a month before its deadline. It expects to start shipping later this month.

CamelBak All Clear

Would you spend $100 on a water bottle? Thought so. But what if it could microbiologically purify water in 60 seconds? CamelBak's All Clear bottle includes a cap that uses UV technology to neutralize contaminants from streams, spigots and taps.

The UV cap is powered by two rechargeable lithium batteries that can be juiced up via USB. The All Clear bottle treats 0.75 liters at a time, and the UV bulb should last about 10,000 cycles, the equivalent of purifying three bottles a day everyday for nine years. An additional pre-filter, available for $15, can be used in tandem to strain larger sediments before the purification process.

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E-mail Alice Truong at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter: @alicetruong.