How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean

Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Based on the model, they can also sweep, mop, and even vacuum staircases.

Look for models with advanced features, such as remote access and app control. You can use apps to schedule cleaning time or keep track of the progress. Certain apps even allow you to suspend and recharge, and then return to where they stopped.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars drones that fly through the skies, and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe say that the future of cleaning is now here. As with all technology there is a need for some maintenance to ensure it's running smoothly.

The cycle of charge and discharge for the battery is the most important factor for the life of your robot. Make sure the dustbin is full and empty. Check for tangled furs and stop the brushes from jamming.

The conditions in which your robot is kept can impact battery performance. Extreme cold and heat may impact battery performance. You can extend the battery's life by ensuring it's charged to 50% before storage, keeping it in a cool place, and removing it from sources of power when it is not in use. In addition, the majority of smart devices have periodic firmware updates that improve performance, including battery optimization. So make sure to check the app for any updates that are available.

For those with lots of hard floors, a robotic vacuum is a great option. It can remove dirt and debris quickly and efficiently, leaving your floors sparkling. If you're looking for more than a simple cleanup, you'll want to look for a model with superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.

Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, blends advanced navigation, a powerful suction and a wide range of mopping functions to provide a thorough, deep clean of your hard floors. It utilizes LiDAR sensors and cameras to create detailed maps of your home, which assists it in staying on track and avoid getting caught on furniture legs or power cords. It can also identify things like clutter and shoes, and then automatically clean around them. And it's self-emptying, meaning you won't have to return the auto vacuum and mop to its base station to empty its bin every cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are excellent for quick midweek cleaning, but they don't have the suction capacity to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner when it comes to deep cleaning. In addition, even the most powerful robotic vacuums can become tangled in cords and toys, miss piles of dirt close to the baseboards, or struggle with crumbs under furniture. The dust bins on their own fill up so quickly that they must return to their charging docks to empty themselves, which can take up to an hour for some models.

It's therefore important to select a vacuum that has a large dust bin that can be emptied into its dock without returning to finish the task. You'll need to determine if you prefer a bagged model or a bagless one. If you opt for the bagless model you'll need to know how much dust it will hold before you can empty it.

In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand to an area of medium-pile carpet and employ a robot vacuum to sweep it across the carpet. We then weigh the amount of sand in the vacuum's onboard dust bin to determine how much dirt it has accumulated. A high amount indicates that the bin onboard may fill up faster and cause your robot to stop cleaning.

The good news is that a lot of high-end robot vacuums have a large dust bin that is easily empty, and you can schedule them to empty their bases at least once a day or more. It is recommended to keep a bottle of compressed air handy to blow hairs out that have tangled in the rotating brush. You can also clean any filters as suggested by the manufacturer.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The best robot vacuums offer a variety of connectivity options for connecting to the Wi-Fi network in your home. This lets the robot download and install updates to its software, as well as gives you the option to monitor your robot using an app or voice-activated commands. This isn't a necessity, but it offers convenience and customization options that can enhance your robot's overall vacuuming experience.

To ensure they are operating at their best the majority of models require a certain level of maintenance. For instance emptying the dustbin or cleaning the brushroll. Monitoring consumable parts and following a regular schedule of cleaning and detachment will increase their life span as well. Emily Rairdin, a vacuum expert at University vacuum mop cleaner robot & Sewing, states that a robot's life expectancy is between three and five years. However, this can differ based on how often you use it and whether you take care to maintain it.

A robot vacuum must be able navigate obstacles and determine the floor's layout in order to function. Advanced navigation systems typically have sensors that detect cliffs and alert the robot to a steep drop, as well as optical and laser sensors that allow it to "see" a room's layout. Some robots also come with mopping functions that are specifically designed for them that can be helpful for maintaining floors in between deeper cleanings with an upright vacuum.

The best robot cleaner 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means that you won't need to switch between a robot vacuum and a manual one. A prime example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and highly efficient robot vacuum that can clean surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad in a way that is automatic. Its obstacle avoidance and mapping abilities were so effective that it won CR's Best Robot Vacuum Award, and also an AVTech Editors Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The best robot vacuums in our tests have impressive pick-up scores for hard floors and low-pile carpets, removing dirt, dust, and pet hair. They also take out crumbs and Best Robot Vacuum debris along the baseboards as well as at the edges of rooms. However, they are unable to get rid of deep down dirt or tangles in soft shag carpets and also canister or upright vacuums. They can't pick-up spilled liquids, food items, or use heavy metal screws. They might also miss certain areas (including under furniture).

Many models are equipped with clever features that make them more user friendly. Most models include an application that lets you schedule cleaning times and also control the robot remotely. They can also integrate with your smart-home system, which means you can control them via voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with multiple modes, which allow you to select between mopping and sweeping or vacuuming. They can recharge at their docks and keep cleaning where they left.

The technology for avoiding obstacles has advanced over the years, but it's still essential to get rid of cords, toys and pet clutter before operating the robot. Before you map out the space, it is recommended to cover all floor-to ceiling mirrors with cardboard. The lasers used by certain models could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump against a wall or a floor.

Some premium models have advanced mapping capabilities, some making use of lidar to create a 3D map of your surroundings. This helps the robot remember obstacles and determine the most efficient route around them. Some models also let you set no-go zones, so the robot vacuum with mop is able to avoid certain areas, such as your pet's food bowls, or a rug that is expensive.

5. App Control

You can create a cleaning schedule and control the robots through an app. This lets you clean your home while you're working or on vacation. Some robots are also able to self-empty into a larger bin at their base which helps reduce dust re-release and is an excellent feature for people suffering from allergies.

Certain robots, like the pricier Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can even spot objects on the floor and use a camera to teach them to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This impressive feature is also available on smaller models. However, it's important to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot and look for hairs that have become tangled as they build up.

Some models can also create 3D representations. This is helpful in the event that you have more than one floor. You can pick certain rooms, and set digital "keep-out" zones to ensure your robot only is cleaning the areas you want.

Robots are great for regular midweek cleanups however they aren't able to replace a full-size plug-in vacuum, particularly on carpets. They're better at picking up dirt embedded in carpets than plain floors, however they're still unable to pick up piles of debris near baseboards and thresholds, and cords and socks that have become tangled. Choose a model that has spot and zone cleaning modes. This allows you to focus on specific areas and not waste time. You'll also find a model that recharges and picks up where it left off, which is a huge benefit for a house with a lot of rooms.