How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean

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

Find models that have clever features, such as remote control and app control. You can use apps to schedule cleaning time or keep track of the progress. Some apps can even stop and recharge, then resume where they left off.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe say that the future of cleaning is now here. However, as with all technologies it needs some care to ensure it's running efficiently.

The battery's charge-discharge cycles are the most important factor for the longevity of your robotic device. Make sure the dustbin is full and empty. Check for tangled furs and prevent the brushes from jamming.

Another aspect to consider is the climate in which your robot is stored because extreme heat and cold can impact the battery's performance. You can extend the battery's life by ensuring it is charged to 50% prior to storage, storing it in an environment that is cool and disconnecting it from sources of power when it is not in use. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates that help optimize performance and battery optimization. Check the app to see if there's any updates.

A robot vacuum is a fantastic option for those who have a lot of hard flooring. It can remove dirt and debris quickly and efficiently, leaving your floors sparkling. 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 obstacle avoidance.

The Ecovacs T20 robot is our top rated robot. It combines advanced navigation, powerful suction, and a variety of mopping features to provide a deep, thorough clean of your flooring. It makes use of LiDAR cameras and sensors to create detailed maps of your home. This allows it to stay on course and avoid getting caught in furniture legs or power cables. It can also identify items such as clutter and shoes, and clean around them automatically. It's also self-emptying, so you don't have to return it to its base to empty the trash after each cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are ideal for quick midweek cleaning however, they lack the suction to replace a plug in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. Furthermore, even the top robot vacuums can be caught with toys and cords and snooze on piles of dirt close to the baseboards, or struggle with crumbs that have fallen under furniture. And, their onboard dustbins fill up so quickly that they must return to their charging docks in order to self-empty, which can take as long as half an hour for some models.

As such, it's important to choose a vacuum that has a large dustbin that can be empty into its dock without returning to finish the job. You should also consider whether you'd like bags or a bagless model, and if you do opt for a bagless version the amount of dust be able to hold before needing to be emptied.

In our tests, we placed 100 grams of sand to the carpet's surface in a medium pile. We utilized a robot vacuum cleaner to remove the sand. We then weigh the amount of sand that we find in the vacuum's onboard dust bin to determine how much dirt it has accumulated. A high amount indicates that the bin could get fuller and force your robot to stop cleaning.

It's good to know that most Robot vacuum best vacuums have large dust bins that is easily emptyable. You can also set up them to empty their bases at least two times a day. It is important to keep a container of compressed air handy to blow hairs out that have become entangled in the rotating brush and clean any filters according to the guidelines provided by the manufacturer.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The best rated robot vacuum robot vacuums come with many options to connect to your home's WiFi network. This lets the robot download and install updates to its software, as well as giving you the option to monitor your bot via an app or via voice-activated commands. This feature isn't essential, however it provides convenience and options for customization that can improve the overall robot vacuuming experience.

Most models require a certain amount of routine maintenance, like emptying the dust bin and cleaning the brush roll to ensure that they function at peak efficiency. Monitoring consumable components and a regular schedule of cleaning and detachment will increase their lifespan as well. Emily Rairdin, a vacuum expert at University Vacuum & Sewing, says that a robot's life expectancy is between three and five years. However, this could vary based on the frequency you use it and if you take care of it.

To be able to function a robot vacuum, it has to be able to map your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems include cliff sensors that alert the robot of steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors to help it "see" the layout of a room. Some robots also come with a specialized mopping function that can be helpful for maintaining floors in between deep cleanings using a stand-up vacuum.

The most effective 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means that you won't need to switch between the robot vacuum and a manual one. The iRobot Roomba 690 is a robust, highly efficient robot vacuum cleaner that is able to clean its mop pad and clean surfaces with its water tank. Its top-quality mapping and obstacle-avoidance skills made it the Best robot vacuum cleaner UK robot vacuum award, as well as an AVTech Editors' Choice award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The best robot vacuums that we tested had impressive pick-up scores on hard floors as well as low pile carpets. They get rid of dirt, dust and pet hair. They also sweep away particles and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. However, they cannot eliminate deep down dirt or tangles of plush shag carpet fibers as well as canister or upright vacuums. They also can't pick up spilled liquids and food particles, or screws made of heavy metal, and they may be unable to reach certain areas of the house (including under furniture).

Many models have sophisticated features that make them more user-friendly. They usually come with an app, which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can also integrate with your smart-home system, which means you can control the robots with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have multiple modes, which allow you to choose between mopping and sweeping, or vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and resume cleaning the area they left.

Obstacle-avoidance technology has advanced in recent years, however you must still clear out toys, cords, and pet messes prior to running the robot. Before you map out the room, you'll want to cover all floor-to ceiling mirrors with cardboard. The laser used by some models may bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot vacuum best to hit the wall or floor.

The most expensive models come with advanced mapping capabilities, with some using lidar to create an 3D map of your space. This helps the robot hoover and mop to identify obstacles and create an efficient path around them. Some allow you to create no-go zones so that the robot can avoid specific areas like your pet's food bowls, or a rug that is expensive.

5. App Control

Many robots allow you to set a timer for cleaning and manage them hands-free using an app, so you can keep your home clean while you're working or away. Certain robots also have the capability to self-empty into a larger bin at their base which helps reduce dust re-release and is a wonderful feature for allergy sufferers.

Some robots are able to detect objects on the ground and use a camera as a guide to avoid obstacles such as power cords, furniture leg or pet toys. This amazing feature is available on even smaller models. It is essential to regularly empty the dust bin of your robot and also examine it for fur that has become tangled as it accumulates.

A high-end model can also store multiple floor maps, which can be beneficial if you live in more than one level, and some can create 3D models of your home. You can then pick specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure that your robot is focused on what you want it to focus on, instead of wandering around in areas that don't require cleaning.

Robots are great for routine midweek clean-ups but they're not able to substitute for a full-sized plug-in vacuum, particularly for carpets. They are more adept in removing dirt from carpets than bare flooring, but they can be unable to find piles near baseboards or thresholds as well as tangled cords and socks. Look for a robot with spot and zone cleaning modes. This will allow you to concentrate on certain areas without having to spend time. You can also find a model that recharges and picks up the same place it left off, which is a major benefit in a large house.