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.

Find models that have smart features such as app control and remote access. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning time or keep track of the progress. Certain apps even allow you to pause and recharge, then resume where they stopped.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe to say that the future of cleaning is here. But as with any technology it requires some upkeep to ensure it's running smoothly.

The cycle of charge and discharge for the battery is the most crucial factor in the life of your robot. Keep the dustbin full and empty. Be sure to check for furs that have become tangled and stop the brushes from getting jammed.

The conditions in which your robot is stored can also affect the performance of your battery. Extreme cold and heat can affect the battery's performance. You can prolong the battery's life by ensuring it's fully charged prior to storage, storing in a cool place, and removing it from sources of power when not in use. Additionally, most smart devices are equipped with periodic firmware updates that can optimize performance, including battery optimization. So make sure to check your app for any available updates.

A robot vacuum is a great option for those who have a lot of hard flooring. It is able to quickly and efficiently take away dirt and other debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. However, if you're looking to do more than just a quick cleanup, you'll want to look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles-avoiding capabilities.

Our top-rated robot is the Ecovacs Deebot T20, blends advanced navigation with an impressive suction system and a variety of mopping functions to deliver a thorough, deep clean of your hard floors. It makes use of cameras and LiDAR sensors to create detailed maps of your home. This assists it in staying on track and avoid getting caught on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect things like shoes and clutter to automatically clean them. It's also self-emptying so you don't need to return it to its base to empty the trash after every cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are ideal for quick midweek clean-ups however, they lack the suction power to substitute for an electric vacuum cleaner for deep cleans. In addition, even the most powerful robot vacuums can be caught in cords and toys and snooze on piles of dirt close to the baseboards, or struggle with crumbs under furniture. Their dustbins onboard fill up quickly that they need return to their charging stations to empty themselves. This could take as long as 30 minutes for some models.

It is crucial to select a robot vacuum with a large dustbin which can be emptied into the dock without having to return to complete the job. You'll need to decide if you prefer a bagged model or a bagless one. If you opt for the bagless option yo function, a robot vacuum needs to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems include sensors for cliffs, which warn the robot vacuums that mop of steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors to help it "see" the layout of a room. Some robots come with mopping capabilities that can be used to maintain floors between deep cleanings using vacuums.

The best 2-in-1 robots can mop and vacuum, allowing you to skip the step of having to switch between two types of auto vacuum and mop. One of the best examples 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 the mop pad in a way that is automatic hoover. Its superior mapping and obstacle-avoidance capabilities earned it CR's best robot vacuum award, and an AVTech Editors Choice award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The best robot vacuums in our tests have excellent performance on hard floors and low-pile carpets cleaning dust, dirt and pet hair. They also get rid of 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 canisters or uprights. They are also unable to pick up spilled liquids and food particles, or heavy metal screws and they could leave a few spots in the house (including under furniture).

Many models come with smart features which make them more user-friendly. They typically have an app allowing you to schedule cleaning sessions and manage the robot remotely. They can be connected to your smart home system to allow voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have different modes that let you pick between mopping, sweeping and vacuuming. They can recharge their docks and keep cleaning where they left off.

Obstacle-avoidance technology has improved in recent years, Robot Vacuum but you still need to clear out any cords, toys and pet messes prior operating the robot. You should also cover any mirrors that are floor-to-ceiling with cardboard before tracing the room for the first time as the laser used by certain models may bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump into a wall or floor.

Some premium models have advanced mapping capabilities, some using lidar to generate an 3D map of your space. This helps the robot to remember obstacles and plan an efficient route around them. Some robots allow you to create no-go zones to ensure that the robot is able to avoid certain areas, such as your pet's food bowls, or a costly rug.

5. App Control

Many robots let you set a schedule to clean and operate them hands-free using an app, so you can keep your home clean while you're working or away. Some robots also have the ability to self-empty into a larger bin at their base, which reduces dust re-release and is a great feature for people suffering from allergies.

Some robots are able to detect objects on the ground and employ cameras as a way to avoid obstacles such as power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This amazing feature is available on even smaller models. It's essential to regularly empty the robot's dustbin and examine it for fur that has become tangled as it builds up.

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

Robots are great for routine midweek clean-ups however they aren't able to substitute for a full-sized plug-in vacuum, particularly for rugs. They're better at removing dirt embedded in carpets than floors that are unfinished, but they're not able to spot piles of debris close to baseboards and thresholds, as well as tangled socks and cords. To make the most of your robot, look for models with spots and zone cleaning options to target specific areas and avoid wasteful cleaning. You'll also find a model that recharges and then resumes where it left off which is a huge advantage in a big house.