diff --git a/roborock/api.py b/roborock/api.py
index 764adff0..777ead6d 100644
--- a/roborock/api.py
+++ b/roborock/api.py
@@ -48,10 +48,8 @@ def __init__(self, device_info: DeviceData) -> None:
         self.is_available: bool = True
 
     def __del__(self) -> None:
-        self.release()
-
-    def release(self) -> None:
-        self.sync_disconnect()
+        if self.is_connected():
+            self._logger.debug("Roborock is connected while being released")
 
     async def async_release(self) -> None:
         await self.async_disconnect()
@@ -65,12 +63,12 @@ async def async_connect(self):
         """Connect to the Roborock device."""
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def sync_disconnect(self) -> Any:
+    async def async_disconnect(self) -> Any:
         """Disconnect from the Roborock device."""
 
     @abstractmethod
-    async def async_disconnect(self) -> Any:
-        """Disconnect from the Roborock device."""
+    def is_connected(self) -> bool:
+        """Return True if the client is connected to the device."""
 
     @abstractmethod
     def on_message_received(self, messages: list[RoborockMessage]) -> None:
diff --git a/roborock/cloud_api.py b/roborock/cloud_api.py
index b608c89a..f2731371 100644
--- a/roborock/cloud_api.py
+++ b/roborock/cloud_api.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def is_connected(self) -> bool:
         """Check if the mqtt client is connected."""
         return self._mqtt_client.is_connected()
 
-    def sync_disconnect(self) -> Any:
+    def _sync_disconnect(self) -> Any:
         if not self.is_connected():
             return None
 
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def sync_disconnect(self) -> Any:
 
         return disconnected_future
 
-    def sync_connect(self) -> Any:
+    def _sync_connect(self) -> Any:
         if self.is_connected():
             self._mqtt_client.maybe_restart_loop()
             return None
@@ -155,14 +155,14 @@ def sync_connect(self) -> Any:
 
     async def async_disconnect(self) -> None:
         async with self._mutex:
-            if disconnected_future := self.sync_disconnect():
+            if disconnected_future := self._sync_disconnect():
                 # There are no errors set on this future
                 await disconnected_future
             await self.event_loop.run_in_executor(None, self._mqtt_client.loop_stop)
 
     async def async_connect(self) -> None:
         async with self._mutex:
-            if connected_future := self.sync_connect():
+            if connected_future := self._sync_connect():
                 try:
                     await connected_future
                 except VacuumError as err:
diff --git a/roborock/local_api.py b/roborock/local_api.py
index 31deba46..f0a2de96 100644
--- a/roborock/local_api.py
+++ b/roborock/local_api.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def _data_received(self, message):
 
     def _connection_lost(self, exc: Exception | None):
         """Called when the transport connection is lost."""
-        self.sync_disconnect()
+        self._sync_disconnect()
         self.on_connection_lost(exc)
 
     def is_connected(self):
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ async def async_connect(self) -> None:
         async with self._mutex:
             try:
                 if not self.is_connected():
-                    self.sync_disconnect()
+                    self._sync_disconnect()
                     async with async_timeout.timeout(self.queue_timeout):
                         self._logger.debug(f"Connecting to {self.host}")
                         self.transport, _ = await self.event_loop.create_connection(  # type: ignore
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ async def async_connect(self) -> None:
             await self.hello()
             await self.keep_alive_func()
 
-    def sync_disconnect(self) -> None:
+    def _sync_disconnect(self) -> None:
         if self.transport and self.event_loop.is_running():
             self._logger.debug(f"Disconnecting from {self.host}")
             self.transport.close()
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def sync_disconnect(self) -> None:
 
     async def async_disconnect(self) -> None:
         async with self._mutex:
-            self.sync_disconnect()
+            self._sync_disconnect()
 
     async def hello(self):
         request_id = 1
diff --git a/roborock/version_1_apis/roborock_client_v1.py b/roborock/version_1_apis/roborock_client_v1.py
index f817ff71..754b1af8 100644
--- a/roborock/version_1_apis/roborock_client_v1.py
+++ b/roborock/version_1_apis/roborock_client_v1.py
@@ -164,10 +164,6 @@ def __init__(self, device_info: DeviceData, endpoint: str):
         self.listener_model = self._listeners[device_info.device.duid]
         self._endpoint = endpoint
 
-    def release(self):
-        super().release()
-        [item.stop() for item in self.cache.values()]
-
     async def async_release(self) -> None:
         await super().async_release()
         [item.stop() for item in self.cache.values()]
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 82a29428..dba77a42 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -45,15 +45,6 @@ async def test_can_create_mqtt_roborock():
     RoborockMqttClientV1(UserData.from_dict(USER_DATA), device_info)
 
 
-async def test_sync_connect(mqtt_client):
-    with patch("paho.mqtt.client.Client.connect", return_value=mqtt.MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS):
-        with patch("paho.mqtt.client.Client.loop_start", return_value=mqtt.MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS):
-            connected_future = mqtt_client.sync_connect()
-            assert connected_future is not None
-
-            connected_future.cancel()
-
-
 async def test_get_base_url_no_url():
     rc = RoborockApiClient("sample@gmail.com")
     with patch("roborock.web_api.PreparedRequest.request") as mock_request: