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 have intelligent features, like remote access and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and monitor the progress. Some apps allow you to suspend and recharge, and then return to where they were when they left.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars drones that can navigate the skies, and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe to say that the future of cleaning is here. As with all technology, some maintenance is required to keep it running smoothly.

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

The conditions the robot vacuum cleaner is stored can also influence the battery's performance. Extreme cold and heat could affect the battery's performance. You can help preserve the battery's life by ensuring it's charged to 50% before storage, keeping it in an area that is cool, and disconnecting it from sources of power when not in use. The majority of smart devices also come with periodic firmware updates that can optimize performance and battery optimization. Check the app to see if there are any updates.

For those with many hard floors, a robot vacuum is a good choice. It is able to quickly and efficiently take away dirt and other debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. But if you're looking for more than just a quick cleanup, you'll want to consider a model that offers superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.

The Ecovacs T20 robot vacuum best rated robot vacuum - additional reading, is our top rated robot. It is a combination of advanced navigation, powerful suction and a variety of mopping features to provide an extensive, thorough cleaning of your hard floor. It uses LiDAR cameras and sensors to create detailed maps of your home. This helps it stay on track and avoid getting caught in furniture legs or power cables. It also can detect things like clutter and shoes to automatically clean them. It also self-empties 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 cleaning but lack the suction to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. Moreover, even the best robot vacuums can be caught up in cords and robot Vacuum best toys, miss piles of dirt near the baseboards, and struggle with crumbs under furniture. And, their onboard dustbins 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 choose a vacuum that has a large dustbin that can be empty into its dock and not return to complete the job. You'll need to determine if you prefer bags or a one that doesn't have a bag. If you opt for the bagless option you'll need to know how much dust it can hold before you empty it.

In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand on an area of medium-pile carpet and use a robot vacuum to clean the carpet. The amount of sand that is weighed in the dust bin onboard allows us to determine the amount of dirt that has been collected. A large amount of dirt indicates that the bin onboard could fill up more quickly and could cause your robot to pause its cleaning process or even cease working completely.

The good news is that a lot of high-end robot vacuums have a large dust bin that is easily empty and you can even schedule the emptying of their bases at least once per day or more. Keep a container filled with compressed air in your bag to blow out hairs that have become 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 offer various options for connecting to your home's WiFi network. This allows the robot to download and install updates for its software, and also allows you to monitor your robot via an app or through voice-activated commands. Although not necessary, this feature offers convenience and a variety of customization options that will improve your overall robot vacuuming experience.

To ensure they're operating at their best the majority of models require some level of maintenance. For example emptying the dustbin or cleaning the brushroll. Keeping tabs on consumable parts and a regular schedule for cleaning and detachment will increase their lifespan as well. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says three to five years is the standard lifespan of a robot vacuum. However, this can vary significantly depending on the frequency you use it and whether you maintain it in a proper manner.

To be able to function a robot vacuum, it has to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems incorporate sensors for cliffs, which warn the bot of steep drops. They also have laser and optical sensors that help "see" the layout of the room. Certain robots also have mopping capabilities that are specialized that can be helpful to keep floors clean between deep cleanings with a stand-up vacuum.

The best 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means you don't have to switch between the robot vacuum and a manual one. One example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and highly efficient robot vacuum that can also clean surfaces with its water tank and wash the mop pad automatically. Its mapping and obstacle avoidance capabilities were so impressive that it was awarded the CR's Best Robot Vacuum Award, and also an AVTech Editors' Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The best 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 remove particles and crumbs along the baseboards and at the edges of rooms. They can't remove deep-seated dirt or tangles of shag fibers, like an upright or canister. They cannot pick up spilled liquids or food items, or use the weight of metal screws. They may also leave out certain areas (including under furniture).

Many models have clever features that make them more user-friendly. The majority of models come with an app that lets you schedule cleaning times and also control the robot vacuum that vacuums and mops remotely. They can be integrated with your smart home system so that you can make voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with multiple modes that let you choose between mopping, sweeping and vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and continue cleaning the area they left.

The technology for avoiding obstacles has improved over the years, but it is still necessary to remove cords, toys and any pet mess before you run the robot. It is also recommended to cover any floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard prior to tracing out the room for the first time as the laser used by certain models may bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to crash into a wall or floor.

Certain models that are top of the line use lidar to create 3D maps of your surroundings. This helps the robot to recognize obstacles and devise an efficient route around them. Some robots let you designate no-go zones so that the robot avoids 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 allows you to tidy your home even when you're working or on vacation. Some robots can also self-empty their trash into a large bin at the base. This can reduce dust release and is a wonderful feature for allergy sufferers.

Some robots, such as the pricier Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can even spot objects on the floor and employ a camera to instruct them to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This is a remarkable feature, and it's even available in cheaper models. However, it's essential to regularly empty your robot's trash bin and check for hairs that have become tangled when they begin to accumulate.

A high-end model is also able to store multiple floor plans, which are helpful if you live on multiple levels, and some can create 3D models of your house. You can then choose specific rooms and set digital zones for keeping out to ensure that your robot focuses on what you want it to do, rather than wandering into areas that don't require cleaning.

Robots are great for routine midweek cleaning but they're not able to substitute for a large-sized vacuum, especially on rugs. They are more adept in removing dirt from carpet than bare flooring, but they will miss piles near baseboards and thresholds, as well as tangled cords and socks. To make the most of your robot, choose models that have spots and zone cleaning modes to target specific areas and reduce the need for cleaning. You can also find a model that recharges and then resumes where it left off which is a huge benefit for a house with a lot of rooms.