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 stairs.

Look for models that have advanced features, such as remote access and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and track progress. Some apps allow you to suspend, recharge and return to where they stopped.

1. Battery Life

With cars that drive themselves, drones that navigate the skies, and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe say the future of cleaning is now here. However, like all technology it requires some upkeep to ensure it's running smoothly.

The cycle of charging and discharging the battery is the most important factor for the longevity of your robotic device. Keep the dustbin filled and empty. Check for tangled furs and prevent the brushes from jamming.

Another aspect is the environment in which your robot is kept, because extreme heat and cold can impact battery performance. You can extend the life of your battery by ensuring it's fully charged prior to storage, storing in a cool place, and taking it off of sources of power when not in use. More Material feature periodic firmware updates which can improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to check if there are any updates.

For those who have many hard floors, a robot vacuum is an excellent option. It's able to swiftly and efficiently take away dirt and other debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. If you want more than just a quick cleaning, you should search for a model with superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.

The Ecovacs T20 robot is our top-rated robotic. It is a combination of advanced navigation, powerful suction, and a variety of mopping options to offer an efficient, thorough clean of your hard floor. It uses cameras and LiDAR sensors to create detailed maps of your home. This allows it to stay on the right track and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect items like shoes and clutter, and clean around them automatically. And it's self-emptying, meaning that you don't have to return the vacuum back to its base station to empty its bin 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 deep cleans. Even the best robot vacuums are susceptible to getting caught in cords and toys. They also can miss dirt piles near baseboards and struggle to get rid of the crumbs that have accumulated 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 certain models.

It's therefore important to choose a vacuum with a large dust bin that can be emptied into its dock without having to return to finish the task. You should also consider whether you'd like bagged or unbagged models If you decide to choose a bagless option what amount of dust will it hold before it needs to be emptied.


In our experiments, we put 100 grams of sand on the carpet's surface in a medium pile. We used a robot vacuum to clean the sand. Weighing the amount of sand in the vacuum's dust bin onboard allows us to measure the amount dirt that has been accumulated. A high amount of dirt suggests that the bin could get fuller faster and could force the robot to stop its cleaning process or, even worse, cease working completely.

The positive side is that many high-end robot vacuums have an enormous dust bin that is easily empty and you can even schedule the emptying of their bases at least once a day or more. Keep a bin filled with compressed air on hand to blow away any hairs that are tangled up 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 provide a variety of connectivity options to connect to your home's Wi-Fi. This allows the robot to download and install updates to its software, as well as gives you the option to monitor your robot using an app or through voice-activated commands. While not essential it is a useful feature and a variety of customization options that will improve the overall experience for robot vacuuming.

To ensure they are functioning at their peak they require a certain level of maintenance. For example emptying the dustbin and cleaning the brushroll. A regular schedule of cleaning, detaching, and checking consumable parts will also extend their life. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says that three to five years is the average life expectancy of the robot vacuum, but it can differ significantly based on the frequency you use it and whether you take care to maintain it properly.

A robot vacuum must be able to navigate obstacles and determine the floor's layout in order to be able to perform. Advanced navigation systems typically have cliff sensors that alert the bot to steep drops, as well as laser and optical sensors that allow it to "see" a room's layout. Certain robots also have mopping functions that are specifically designed for them that can be helpful for maintaining floors in between deeper cleanings with a stand-up vacuum.

The most effective 2-in-1 robots mop and vacuum and sweep, which means you can skip the step of having to switch between the manual and robot vacuum. One example is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that can clean up surfaces using its water tank and wash its mop pad in a way that is automatic. Its mapping and obstacle avoidance skills were so good that it was awarded the CR's Best Robot Vacuum Award, as well 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 carpets with a low pile. They remove dirt, dust and pet hair. They also get rid of crumbs and debris along the baseboards as well as at the edges of rooms. But they can't remove deep-down dirt or tangles in soft shag carpets and also an upright or canister vacuum. They cannot pick up spilled liquids, food items, or use the weight of metal screws. They may also leave out certain areas (including under furniture).

Many models have intelligent features that make them more user-friendly. The majority of models have an application that lets you schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can be connected to your smart home system, so that you can use voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some have different modes that let you select between mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming. They can recharge at their docks and continue cleaning where they left.

Obstacle-avoidance technology has advanced in recent years, however you still need to clear out any cords, toys and pet messes prior to operating the robot. You should also cover any floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard prior to tracing out the space for the first time as the laser employed by certain models could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump into walls or floors.

The most expensive models come with advanced mapping capabilities, some making use of lidar to create a 3D map of your surroundings. This helps the robot remember obstacles and plan an efficient path around them. Some robots let you create no-go zones so that the robot is able to avoid certain areas, for example, your pet's bowls of food or a costly rug.

5. App Control

Many robots let you set a schedule for cleaning and control them without hands using an app, meaning you can keep your home clean when you're at work or away. Some robots also have the ability to self-empty to a larger bin in their base, which reduces dust release and is a great feature for people suffering from allergies.

Certain robots can detect objects on the ground and employ a camera as a guide to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture leg or pet toys. This is a remarkable feature, and it's even available in less expensive models. It is essential to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot and look for fur that is tangled as it builds up.

More Material -end model can also store multiple floor maps, which is useful if you live on more than one floor, and some can create 3D models of your home. You can then select specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure your robot is focused on what you want it to, instead of wandering around in areas you don't need cleaning.

Robots are great for midweek cleaning, but they can't replace a plug-in vacuum especially when it is a rug. They are better at picking up dirt from carpets than bare flooring, but they can miss piles near baseboards and thresholds, as well as tangled cords and socks. To get the most value from your robot, look for models that have spots and zone cleaning options to target particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. You can also find models that charge and resume the same place they stopped. This is great for large houses.