In one of the world’s cleanest countries, South Korea, eating on city buses is banned and heavy fines penalize polluters. Both indoors and out, South Korean citizens adhere to high standards of cleanliness.
So it’s no surprise homes are packed with smart devices, from machines that automatically seal bags to ultraviolet sterilizers for knives and cutting boards.
The Daily Mail reported that South Koreans are competing on social media to show off their new gadgets. Examples include a shoe cabinet that kills bacteria and eliminates odors, portable washing machines, and electronic waterproof sterilizers for fruits and vegetables.
Who’s Leading the Smart-Cleaning Revolution?
As the “smart living” trend grows online, numerous videos have appeared showing amazing household gadget innovations.
One blogger who visited South Korea showed the smart house where she stayed, including a wardrobe that steams clothes to prevent wrinkles. “Everything’s great until the power goes out. All that’s missing is a robot housekeeper,” she joked.
However, The Korea Times pointed out that South Koreans did not always act like exemplary neat freaks. In the 1950s, environmental pollution and unsanitary conditions were widespread in the country. Now cleanliness has become a nationwide norm.
Other futuristic household gadgets include wireless devices that remove dust mites, sleek robot vacuums, and electronic diffusers that humidify the air and add scent.
The craze for household innovations from South Korea came soon after social media users fell in love with Japanese cleaning devices.
A viral TikTok posted by a Japanese homeowner showed some of the most advanced cleaning setups. The clip, which has racked up more than 8,000 likes, followed a homeowner’s daily rituals enhanced by tech. A compact washing machine with a range of personalized settings is mounted on the bathroom wall. Obsessed with cleanliness, she washes her shoes in a separate compartment. She dries the shoes in an electric dryer that keeps them fresh, then stores them in a special heated drawer. In the bedroom, the homeowner uses a handheld vacuum to clean the mattress. At the end of the clip, she proudly shows the huge pile of trash collected during the cleaning.
As in South Korea, cleanliness is an important part of household culture in Japan and is taught from an early age.
