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 include clever features, such as remote control and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and monitor the progress. Some even allow you to suspend, recharge and pick up where they stopped.
1. Battery Life
With cars that drive themselves, drones that navigate the skies, and robot vacuums that nimbly maneuver around furniture, it's safe say that the future of cleaning is now here. But as with any technology it needs some care to keep it running smoothly.
The cycle of charging and discharging the battery is the most important aspect for the longevity of your robotic device. Keep the dustbin full and empty. Be sure to check for furs that have become tangled and stop the brushes from getting jammed.
The environment that your robot is stored may impact battery performance. Extreme temperatures and cold could affect battery performance. You can extend the life of your battery by ensuring that it is charged to 50% prior to storage, storing in an area that is cool, and removing it from sources of power when it is not in use. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates that can improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to see if there are any updates.
A robot vacuum is a great alternative for those with a lot of hard flooring. It can quickly and effectively remove loose dirt and debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. If you're looking for more than just a quick clean-up, you should look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.
Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation and strong suction and a variety of mopping functions to provide a thorough, deep clean of your floors. It utilizes cameras and LiDAR sensors to create precise maps of your home. This allows it to stay on the right track and avoid getting caught on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect objects like clutter and shoes to automatically clean around them. It's also self-emptying so you don't have to return it to its base to empty the bin after each cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are ideal for quick midweek clean-ups however, they lack the suction capacity to replace an electric vacuum cleaner when it comes to deep cleaning. Even the top robot vacuums are susceptible to getting caught in cords and toys. They also can overlook dirt piles near baseboards and struggle to get rid of dust from under furniture. Their dustbins onboard fill up quickly, and they have to return to their charging stations to empty themselves. This can take up to 30 minutes for some models.
As such, it's important to choose a vacuum with a large dustbin and can empty into its dock without having to return to complete the job. You'll need to determine if you prefer a bagged model or a one that doesn't have a bag. If you decide to go with 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 onto an area of medium-pile carpet and use a robot vacuum to sweep it across the carpet. Weighing the amount of sand in the dust bin onboard lets us determine the amount of dirt that has been collected. A high amount of dirt suggests that the bin could get fuller faster and could force your robot to stop its cleaning process, or worse, cease working completely.
It's good to know that most robot vacuums come with large dust bins that can be easily empty. You can also schedule them to empty their bases at least one or two times a day. Keep a bin filled with compressed air in your bag to blow out hairs that have gotten caught in the rotating brush and to clean any filters in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The best robot vacuums offer a variety of connectivity options to connect to your home's Wi-Fi. This allows the robot to update its software and gives you the option of monitoring your bot via an app or voice commands. Although not necessary it is a useful feature and customization features that can improve the overall experience of robot vacuuming.
The majority of models require some form of routine maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin or cleaning the brush roll, to ensure they are operating at peak efficiency. Monitoring consumable components and a regular schedule of cleaning and detachment will extend their lifespan as well. Best robot vacuum cleaner UK at University Vacuum & Sewing says three to five years is the standard lifespan of the robot vacuum, but this can differ greatly based on how often you use it and whether you take care of it properly.
To be able to function the robot vacuum, it needs to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems usually include sensors for cliffs that alert the bot to steep slopes, as well as laser and optical sensors that help it "see" a room's layout. Certain robots have a mopping function that can be used to maintain floors between deep cleanings by using a vacuum.
The best 2-in-1 vacuums can also mop. This means that you won't need to switch between a robot vacuum and a manual one. The iRobot Roomba 690 is a robust, highly efficient robot vacuum cleaner that is able to wash its mop pad, and clean surfaces with its water tank. Its superior mapping and obstacle-avoidance skills earned it CR's best robot vacuum award, as well as an AVTech Editors Choice award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The top robot vacuums in our tests have excellent performance on carpets with a low pile and hard floors and remove dust, dirt 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 eliminate deep down dirt or tangles that are a part of plush shag carpet fibers as well as an upright or canister vacuum. They also aren't able to remove spilled food and liquids or heavy metal screws and may also miss a few areas of the home (including under furniture).
Many models are equipped with clever features that make them more user-friendly. They typically come with an app, allowing you to schedule cleaning sessions and control the robot remotely. They can be integrated with your smart home system so that you can use voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have multiple modes that let you pick between sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. They can also return to their docks for a recharge and continue cleaning where they left off.
Obstacle-avoidance technology has improved in recent years, but you must still clear out any cords, toys and pet messes before operating the robot. You'll also want to cover any mirrors from floor to ceiling with cardboard before mapping out the room for the first time, since the lasers 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, with some using lidar to generate a 3D map of your surroundings. This helps the robot identify obstacles and create an efficient path around them. Some robots allow you to designate no-go zones so that the robot is able to avoid certain areas, for example, your pet's food bowls or a costly rug.
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 at work or on vacation. Certain robots are also able to self-empty into a larger bin at the base of their machine which helps reduce dust re-release and is a wonderful option for those suffering from allergies.
Certain robots can detect objects on the ground and employ cameras as a guide to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This amazing feature is available on cheaper models. It is essential to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot, and that you look for fur that is tangled as it builds up.
Certain models can also create 3D representations. This is beneficial in the event that you have multiple floors. You can pick specific rooms, and set up digital "keep-out" zones to ensure that your robot only cleans the areas you want.
Robots are good for midweek cleaning, but they can't substitute a vacuum cleaner with a plug-in, especially when it comes to rugs. They are better at removing dirt from carpet than plain flooring, but they can miss piles near baseboards and thresholds, as well as tangled cords and socks. Choose a model that has zones and spot cleaning modes. This will allow you to focus on specific areas without having to spend time. There are also models that recharges and then resumes where it left off which is an enormous benefit in a large house.