How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean

Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Depending on the model they can also sweep or mop stairs.

Look for models that include smart features such as remote control of apps and remote access. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning sessions and track the progress. Some apps allow you to pause and recharge, then return to where they were when they left.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars drones that fly through the skies, and robot vacuums that nimbly maneuver around furniture, it’s safe claim that the future of home cleaning is here. As with any technology there is a need for some maintenance to ensure it’s running smoothly.

The most important factor in the life of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Keep the dustbin filled and empty. Make sure you check for furs that are tangled and stop the brushes from clogging.

The location that your robot is kept can impact the battery’s performance. Extreme temperatures and cold could affect the battery’s performance. You can help preserve the life of your battery by ensuring it is charged to 50% before storage, storing in an environment that is cool and disconnecting it from sources of power when it is not in use. The majority of smart devices also come with periodic firmware updates which can optimize performance and battery optimization. Check the app to see if there’s any updates.

A robot vacuum is an excellent alternative for those with many hard floors. It is able to remove dirt and debris quickly and efficiently and leave your floors sparkling. If you want more than just a quick cleaning, you should search for a model that has superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.

Our top-rated robot is the Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation and strong suction and a range of mopping functions to deliver a thorough, deep clean of your floors. It utilizes LiDAR sensors and cameras to create detailed maps of your home, which assists it in staying on track and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect items like clutter and shoes and clean around them automatically. And it’s self-emptying, meaning you won’t have to return the vacuum to its base station to empty its bin every cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are good for quick midweek cleaning, but lack the suction to replace a plug in vacuum cleaner for deep cleans. Even the top robot vacuums are susceptible to getting caught in cords and toys. They also tend to miss dirt piles near the baseboards, and struggle to eliminate the crumbs that have accumulated under furniture. Their onboard dust bins fill up so quickly that they need to return to their charging docks to self-empty–a process that can take as long as half an hour for some models.

As such, it’s important to select a vacuum that has a large dustbin and can empty into its dock without returning to finish the job. You’ll want to decide whether you prefer a bagged model or a bagless one. If you decide to go with the bagless version you’ll need to determine how much dust it will hold before you empty it.

In our tests, we placed 100 grams of sand onto a medium-pile carpet surface and utilized a robot vacuum cleaner to clean the sand. We then weigh the amount of sand that we find in the vacuum’s onboard dust bin to determine the amount dirt it has accumulated. A high volume of dirt suggests that the bin could fill up more quickly and could cause the robot to stop its cleaning cycle or even stop working altogether.

It’s a good idea to know that a lot of robot vacuums come with an enormous dust bin that can be easily empty. You can also schedule them to empty their bases at least two times per day. Keep a can with compressed air in your bag to blow out any hairs that are tangled in the rotating brush and to clean the filters in accordance to the instructions of the manufacturer.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The top robot vacuums provide various connectivity options for connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi network. This lets the robot update its software and provides you with the possibility of monitoring your robot through an app or voice commands. Although not required, this feature offers convenience and personalization features that enhance the overall experience for robot vacuuming.

Most models require some level of regular maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin or cleaning the brush roll to ensure that they function at their peak performance. A regular schedule of cleaning, detaching and examining consumable components will also increase their life. Emily Rairdin, a vacuum expert at University Vacuum & Sewing, says that a robot’s life expectancy is between three and five years. However, this can vary based on the frequency you use it and if you take care of it.

In order to operate, a robot vacuum needs to be able to map your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems usually include sensors that detect cliffs and alert the robot to steep drops and optical and laser sensors that help it “see” the layout of a room. Some robots have mopping functions that can be used to keep floors between deep cleanings with the use of a vacuum.

The best 2-in-1 robots can vacuum and mop, allowing you to avoid the hassle of having to switch between two types of vacuum. A prime example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that can wipe down surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad automatically. Its mapping and obstacle avoidance skills were so good that it was awarded CR’s Best Robot Vacuum Award, along with an AVTech Editors’ Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The top robot vacuums we test have excellent pickup scores on hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They remove dirt, dust and pet hair. They also take out particles and crumbs along the baseboards as well as at the edges of rooms. They can’t remove deep-seated dirt or tangles of plush shag fibers like an upright or a canister. They are also unable to pick up spilled food and liquids or heavy metal screws, and they may be unable to reach certain areas of the home (including under furniture).

Many models come with sophisticated features that make them more user-friendly. They typically include an app, that allows you to plan cleaning times and operate the robot remotely. They can be integrated with your smart-home system to allow voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with multiple modes that let you select between mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming. They can also recharge at their docks and keep cleaning where they left off.

Obstacle-avoidance technology has advanced in recent years, however it is still necessary to clean out any cords, toys and pet messes prior operating the robot. You should also cover any floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard before mapping out the space for the first time, because the laser employed by certain models could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to crash into a wall or floor.

Some of the top models utilize lidar to create 3D maps of your space. This helps the robot recognize obstacles and design the most efficient route to avoid them. Some allow you to define no-go zones, so the robot is able to avoid certain areas, like your pet’s food bowls or a rug that is expensive.

5. App Control

You can set up an agenda for cleaning and control the robots through an app. This lets you tidy your home even when you are at work or away on vacation. Some robots also have the ability to self-empty to a larger bin in their base which can reduce dust re-release and is a great feature for people suffering from allergies.

Certain robots can detect objects on the ground and use cameras as a guide to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. vacuum bot is also available on less expensive models. However, it’s essential to regularly empty your robot’s dustbin and check for hairs that have become tangled as they accumulate.

Certain models can also create 3D representations. This is helpful when you have more than one floor. You can then choose specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure your robot stays focused on what you want it to do, instead of wandering around areas that you don’t need to clean.

Robots are good for midweek cleaning, but they aren’t able to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner, especially when it comes to rugs. They are more adept in removing dirt from carpet than plain flooring, but they will miss piles near baseboards and thresholds, as well as strangling cords and socks. Find a robot that has spot and zone cleaning modes. This will allow you to concentrate on specific areas without having to spend time. There are also models that recharges and then resumes where it left off, which is a huge benefit in a large house.