Dyson turned its skinny PencilVac into a lightweight wet floor cleaner

Dyson has announced an alternative version of its slim PencilVac, designed to clean spills and stains on hard floors instead of vacuuming up dirt and debris. Like the PencilVac, which Dyson called “the world’s thinnest vacuum cleaner” when it was announced nine months ago, the new PencilWash integrates a battery, motor and other electronics into its 1.5-inch-diameter handle. But it trades a dust bin for a water tank in its larger cleaner head that has a single floor-scrubbing roller.

At 4.9 pounds without water or low-sudsing cleaning solution in its reservoir, the PencilWash is slightly heavier than the four-pound PencilVac, but it’s also a bit less expensive. The PencilVac costs $600 for the version with four rotating conical brush heads, while the new PencilWash costs $349, including a charging stand for the handle portion.

Designed specifically for cleaning hard floors like tile, laminate and sealed wood, the PencilWash features a pressurized hydration system to deliver cool water which its high-density microfiber roller uses to scrub surfaces and then collect the dirty water afterwards. The soils are not completely dry, but dry enough that any remaining moisture will evaporate quickly. And unlike Dyson’s larger floor scrubbers, the PencilWash’s swivel handle can lie almost completely flat to reach under furniture.

Battery life is estimated at over 30 minutes on a full charge, which is the PencilVac at its lowest power setting. If that’s not enough to clean all the floors in your palatial estate, the battery, located at the end of the PencilWash’s handle, can be replaced with a backup battery that can be purchased separately.