How a Robot Floor Cleaner Can Reduce Labor Costs

Robotic floor cleaning equipment helps reduce the cost of labor and allows manual cleaners to focus on more demanding tasks. Some models also allow you to customize settings, like suction and water power.

It is equipped with cliff sensors that aid in avoiding falling off stairs and obstacle-avoidance system to assist it in weaving around cords and toys that become tangled on a mopping pad.

1. No Cords

Robot floor cleaners are renowned for not relying on wires to clean floors. robotic vacuums can be a major pain for robot vacuums to manage and they can easily become tangled in the rotating brushes and spinning wheels of the device, which can lead to costly repairs. Cords are also a huge danger to the safety of robot vacuums, and especially for children who can get tangled in the wires.

This is why the most effective robot vacuums and mops steer clear of them altogether. They use the latest mapping and navigation technologies as well as smart sensor technology and sophisticated algorithms to expertly dodge cords and other obstructions. Cord organizers can decrease the chance of cord entanglement. They also permit you to take cords off the flooring before cleaning.


The Roborock S8, one of the top robot vacuums we've tested, comes with many features as well as an app that is easy to use. It can create detailed maps of your home in 2D or 3D, save them for future reference, and execute multiple cleaning modes simultaneously. This model has been upgraded to include an advanced cleaning mode that can take care of the most difficult pet hair and spills.

Other models, such as the iRobot Braava Jet m6, provide a variety of mopping options. Certain models let you adjust water level while others have reusable pads which can be washed between uses. In our tests, the pads performed better close to edges and around rugs than the pads of other robots.

You should consult your specific model's manual to determine the most effective cleaning methods for your home. It should also tell you how often your robot should be cleaned or replaced. In addition, make sure that you wash the mopping session to prevent bacteria buildup. If your vacuum or robot mop utilizes disposable pads, you should replace them at the point they begin to wear out and degrade. It is also recommended to wash the pads or mopping clothes and let them completely dry between cleaning sessions. This will prevent them from smelling stale in storage and will be ready for the next time you use them.

2. Simple to operate

A robot vacuum cleaner with an easy-to-use app is a great option for you have pets or children. With the aid of an app, you can monitor the robot's cleaning route, set no-go zones, and control how it cleans and mops. Many of the top robots also have features that allow you to clean around furniture. This feature allows the robot to slide under sofas and ottomans to collect debris that is difficult for a traditional vacuum to reach.

Mapping Capabilities

A robot equipped with maps capabilities can keep track of your floor plan and can navigate better than a robot that doesn't have this technology. For a mopping robot this can help it avoid bumping into area carpets and ensures that carpeted areas don't get accidentally wet.

Smart robots come with a variety sensors and technologies that let them analyze their surroundings, including lasers and 3D obstacle detection. They also employ LIDAR. The result is a more clean and more reliable cleaning than an unmapped robot.

Certain robots recognize carpets and increase suction in order to prevent obstruction. This is an excellent feature for areas of your home with carpet and hard flooring elsewhere. Other robots let you set "no-go" zones using their apps that block off certain floors or rooms.

The apps for these robots can also enable you to send your bot to sweep a specific room or spot that is helpful when you need to clean the living space in a hurry after your children spill something. And, if your robot is dual-purpose, meaning it vacuums and mops, the apps often make it simple to switch between the two modes.

For models that have a vacuum and mops, the dust bin in their bases is easy to remove and empty and the filter in both the dock and the robot is simple to wash and dry before installing. The filter is recommended to be replaced every year or every two years depending on how often you use your robot. Also, you should periodically check and replace your mopping pads if you purchase disposable ones. If you purchase disposable pads, be sure to wash them between uses.

3. Saves You Time

It can be difficult to scrub floors using a mop, especially if you have to deal with stubborn dirt and grime. But using a robot floor cleaner will help you keep your floors spotless without the labor-intensive chores that are associated with traditional cleaning methods. They can effortlessly navigate over obstacles, furniture, and other objects, ensuring that every inch of your home is cleaned. You can also schedule and modify cleaning sessions via an app for mobile devices for more convenience.

In addition to eliminating the need for manual labor, robotic floor cleaners are more affordable than traditional vacuums and mop/vacuum combos. They require minimal maintenance and come with disposable cleaning pads that can be changed out for new ones after they've been used up, instead of being discarded. Many robotic floor cleaners can be used as a mop or vacuum, so you can do both tasks at the same time.

Many robot cleaners use sensors and cameras to navigate through obstacles around your home, and also to map out the layout of your home. The information is saved in the device's memory to make it easier to clean your floors at a later time. They can also adjust their cleaning schedules according to the flooring type in your home, like changing to a lower water level for tile floors and hardwood flooring compared to carpeting.

Most models let you control your robotic cleaner via a mobile application and offer various options for customization like a smart track as well as a scheduler and area mapping feature. You can also set the cleaner to pause at specific areas of soiling for quick and targeted cleanups. In case of spills that occur, you can set your robot to sweep one room or even all of your home at once.

Keep a container filled with compressed air on hand to remove dust from gears and other difficult-to reach places. Make sure you follow the instructions of the manufacturer to charge and store your battery. The battery's charge can be too high or stored it at a low charge will reduce its lifespan.

4. Easy to Maintain

A robotic floor cleaner can be a great tool to keep your home clean. A quality robot mop will clean floors between cleaning sessions, and will help you avoid the often-dreaded "sticky" or "greasy" floors that typically result from a regular manual mopping.

The best mopping robotics use various sensors and technologies to scan their surroundings, which includes walls and furniture. They also utilize a combination of roller brushes, side brushes, and mops to scrub floors thoroughly and collect dust trapped in cracks. Then, they return their dock to recharge and reset.

Some of the simplest models have one water reservoir, and a static pad similar to a Swiffer that spritzes or wipes. More-advanced models have more special pads that move or rotate to scrub dirt. They also have self-emptying docks which make it easy to dump dirty water and then replace or clean the brushes. Some models have onboard sensors that are supposed to allow them to recognize the flooring's texture which means they can avoid carpets and only mop hard floors.

In our testing, the two-in-one vacuum and mop robot from Ecovacs Deebot performed well in both of the tasks. It was easy to set-up and use, and the app is simple to use. Its map navigation and intelligent scheduling worked well, and its mapping algorithms were faster and more precise than other robot vacuums that we test. However, its ability to avoid objects were not as robust. It constantly gobbled up cat toys and other small items in my rooms and its whirling edge brushes did not do a good job of picking up dust along baseboards or around other furniture.

Most robot vacuums and mop cleaners require regular maintenance. This could include emptying the dirt bin and cleaning or replacing the pad and recharging the tank with water. To cut down on time, select a model that is easy to empty and requires little maintenance. There are also models that automatically recharge and resume cleaning when the battery is not fully charged during a cleaning session.