How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean

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

Find models that have smart features such as remote control and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and keep track of the progress. Some can even pause, recharge and resume where they were when they left.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that can maneuver around furniture, it's safe claim that the future of home cleaning is now here. But as with any technology it requires some upkeep to keep it running smoothly.

The battery's charge-discharge cycles are the most important aspect for the life of your robotic cleaner and mop device. Keep the dust bin filled and empty, examining for hairs that are tangled regularly, and making sure that the brushes are not jammed will all aid in running your robot more effectively.

The conditions that your robot is stored can also influence battery performance. Extreme heat and cold could affect battery performance. You can help preserve the life of your battery by ensuring it is charged to 50% prior to storage, storing in an environment that is cool and removing it from sources of power when it is not in use. Additionally, most smart devices are equipped with periodic firmware updates that optimize performance, including battery optimization, so make sure to check your app for any available updates.

If you have many hard floors, a robotic cleaner and mop vacuum is a good choice. It can take away dirt and debris quickly and efficiently and leave your floors sparkling. If you're looking for more than just a quick clean-up, you should look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.

Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation and strong suction and a range of mopping features to offer a thorough, deep clean of your hard floors. It utilizes LiDAR cameras as well as sensors to create detailed maps of your home. This helps it keep its course and avoid getting stuck in furniture legs or power cables. It also can detect objects like clutter and shoes to automatically clean around them. It's also self-emptying, which means you won't have to return the vacuum to its base station to empty its bin after every cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are ideal for quick midweek cleaning, but they aren't able to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner for deep cleans. Furthermore, even the top robotic vacuums can get tangled up in cords and toys, miss piles of dirt that are close to the baseboards, and have to contend with crumbs that have fallen under furniture. The dust bins onboard are filled quickly that they need return to their charging stations to empty themselves. This can take up to 30 minutes for some models.

It is important to choose an automated vacuum cleaner with a large dustbin that can be empty into the dock without having to return to finish the task. You'll need to determine if you prefer bags or a one that doesn't have a bag. If you decide to go with the bagless version you'll need to determine how much dust it will hold before you have to empty it.

In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand to the carpet in a medium pile and use a robot vacuum to sweep it across the carpet. The amount of sand that is weighed in the vacuum's dust bin onboard allows us to measure the amount dirt that has been accumulated. A large amount of dirt suggests that the bin onboard could get fuller faster and could force your robot to stop its cleaning process or, even worse, cease working completely.

It's a good idea to know that most robot vacuums have an enormous dust bin that can be easily emptied. It is also possible to schedule the cleaning of their bases at least two times per day. It is important to keep a container of compressed air handy to blow hairs out that are tangled in the rotating brush. You can also clean any filters as suggested by the manufacturer.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The best robot vacuum that mops robot vacuums offer a variety options for connecting to your home's WiFi. This allows the robot to update its software and provides you with the option of monitoring your robot through an app or using voice commands. Although not required it is a useful feature and a variety of customization options that will enhance your overall robot vacuuming experience.

To ensure they are operating at their best the majority of models require some level of maintenance. For example emptying the dustbin and cleaning the brushroll. Regularly cleaning, detaching and examining consumable parts can also prolong their lifespan. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says that three to five years is the typical lifespan of the robot vacuum, but this can vary significantly depending on how often you use it and if you take care to maintain it in a proper manner.

To function a robot vacuum, it has to be able to map your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems typically include sensors for cliffs that alert the robot vacuum best (click to read) to steep slopes, as well as optical and laser sensors that allow it to "see" a room's layout. Some robots come with mopping functions that can be used to keep floors between deep cleanings with a vacuum.

The most efficient 2-in-1 robots vacuum and mop, allowing you to avoid the hassle of having to switch between a robot and a manual vacuum. One example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that is able to clean surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad automatically. Its obstacle avoidance and mapping skills were so good that it won the CR's Best robot vacuum cleaners best Vacuum Award, as well an AVTech Editors' Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The top robot vacuums in our tests have outstanding pickup scores for carpets with a low pile and hard floors, removing dirt, dust and pet hair. They also remove particles and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. They cannot remove deep-seated dirt or tangles of shag fibers such as an upright or canister. They aren't able to pick up spilled liquids and food items, or use large screws made of metal. They may also overlook certain areas (including under furniture).

Many models come with intelligent features that make them more user friendly. Most models come with an application that lets you schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can be integrated into your smart home system, so that you can use voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have multiple modes, allowing you to choose between sweeping and mopping or vacuuming. They can return to their docks for a recharge and pick up where they left off.

The technology for avoiding obstacles has advanced over the years, but it's still essential to get rid of cords, toys and pet mess before you run the robot. It is also recommended to cover any floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard before mapping out the space for the first time, because the laser used by some models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump into the floor or wall.

The most expensive models come with advanced mapping capabilities, some using lidar to create an 3D map of your surroundings. This allows the robot to identify obstacles and create an efficient path around them. Some models also let you set 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

Many robots allow you to set a schedule for cleaning and manage them hands-free using an app, so you can keep your home clean when you're at work or away. Some robots are also able to self-empty into a larger bin at their base which can reduce dust release and is a wonderful feature for allergy sufferers.

Some robots can spot objects on the ground and use cameras as a way to avoid obstacles such as power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This is an impressive capability and is even available in cheaper models. It's essential to regularly empty the robot's dustbin and check for tangled fur as it builds up.

Some models can also create 3D representations. This is useful when you have multiple floors. You can then choose specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure that your robot vacuums uk focuses on what you want it to, instead of wandering around in areas you don't need cleaning.

Robots are great for routine midweek clean-ups however they aren't able to substitute for a full-sized plug-in vacuum, particularly on carpets. They are better in removing dirt from carpets than bare flooring, but they can miss piles near baseboards and thresholds as well as tangled cords and socks. Find a robot that has spot and zone cleaning modes. This allows you to concentrate on certain areas without having to spend time. You can also find models that charge and then resume the same place they stopped. This is great for houses with large spaces.