How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean
Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Based on the model, they can also sweep or mop stairs.
Look for models that have advanced features, such as remote access and app control. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning sessions or monitor progress. Some can even stop, recharge and then return to where they stopped.
1. Battery Life
With self-driving cars drones that fly through the skies and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe say that the future of cleaning is here. As with all technology, some maintenance is required to ensure it's running smoothly.
The most important aspect in the long-term performance of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Keep the dustbin filled and empty. Check for tangled furs and prevent the brushes from getting jammed.
The conditions the robot is stored can also influence battery performance. Extreme heat and cold may impact the battery's performance. You can prolong the life of your robot's battery by charging it to 50% and storing it in a cool area. Also, take robot vacuum cleaner from the power source when it is not in use. Most smart devices also have periodic firmware updates which can improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to check if there are any updates.
If you have many hard floors, a robotic vacuum is a great option. It can quickly and effectively take away dirt and other debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. If you want more than just a quick clean-up, look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles avoidance.
Our top-rated robot The Ecovacs Deebot T20, combines advanced navigation, a powerful suction and a variety of mopping functions to provide a thorough, deep clean of your hard floors. It utilizes LiDAR sensors and cameras to create precise maps of your home, which helps it stay on the right path and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It can also identify objects such as shoes and clutter to automatically clean around them. It also self-empties, meaning you don't need to return the vacuum back to its base station to empty its bin after each cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are ideal for quick midweek cleaning but they aren't able to replace a plug in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. Even the best robot vacuums are susceptible to getting tangled in cords and toys. They also tend to overlook dirt piles near baseboards and struggle to get rid of crumbs from under furniture. Their dust bins onboard fill up so fast that they have return to their charging stations to empty themselves. This could take as long as 30 minutes for some models.
As such, it's important to select a vacuum with a large dustbin and can empty into its dock without returning to complete the job. You'll need to decide if you prefer bags or a model that is bagless. If you opt for the bagless option, you'll need to know how much dust it will hold before you empty it.
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. The amount of sand that is weighed in the vacuum's dust bin onboard allows us to determine the amount dirt that has been accumulated. A high amount indicates that the bin could get fuller and force the robot to stop cleaning.
It's good to know that a lot of robot vacuums have a large dustbin, which can be easily empty. You can also schedule them to empty their bases at least one or two times per day. Keep a bin filled of compressed air nearby to blow away hairs that have gotten caught up in the rotating brush and to clean any filters according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The best robot vacuums have various options for connecting to your home's WiFi network. This enables the robot to download and install updates to its software, and also gives you the option to monitor your robot via an app or voice-activated commands. Although not necessary, this feature offers convenience and a variety of customization options that will enhance your overall robot vacuuming experience.
To ensure they're running at their best they require some level of maintenance. For instance emptying the dustbin and cleaning the brushroll. A regular schedule of cleaning, detaching, and checking consumable parts will also extend the life of their components. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing states that three to five years is the standard life expectancy for a robot vacuum , though this can vary significantly depending on the frequency you use it and whether you take care to maintain it properly.
A robot vacuum must be able navigate obstacles and determine the floor's layout in order to function. Advanced navigation systems have sensors for cliffs, which warn the bot of steep drops. They also have optical and laser sensors that help "see" the arrangement of the room. Certain robots have a mopping function that can be used to maintain floors between deep cleanings using vacuums.
The best 2-in-1 vacuums can also mop. This means that you don't need to switch between an automatic vacuum and a manual one. The iRobot Roomba 690 is a powerful, highly efficient vacuum cleaner that can also wash its mop pad, and wipe down surfaces using its water tank. Its obstacle avoidance and mapping skills were so good that it won the CR's Best Robot Vacuum Award, as well an AVTech Editors' Choice Award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The best robot vacuums that we test have excellent pickup scores on hard floors and carpets with a low pile. They remove dust, dirt and pet hair. They also remove debris and crumbs from the baseboards and at the edges of rooms. They cannot remove deep-seated dirt or tangles of plush shag fibers such as canisters or uprights. They can't pick-up spilled liquids and food items, or use the weight of metal screws. They may also overlook certain areas (including under furniture).
Many models have intelligent features that make them more user friendly. They typically come with an app, allowing you to plan cleaning times and operate the robot remotely. They also can be integrated with your smart home system, which means you can control them with voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Certain models come with different modes that allow you to choose between mopping and sweeping, or vacuuming. They can return to their docks for a recharge and pick up where they left off.
The technology to avoid obstacles has advanced over the years, but it's still necessary to remove cords, toys and any pet debris prior to running the robot. You should also cover any mirrors from floor to ceiling with cardboard before mapping out the room for the first time as the laser used by certain models may bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot to hit the floor or wall.
Certain models that are top of the line use lidar to create 3D maps of your space. This allows the robot to remember obstacles and determine the most efficient route around them. Some models also let you create no-go zones so that the robot can avoid specific areas, such as your pet's food bowls, or a rug that is expensive.
5. App Control
You can create an agenda for cleaning and control the robots using an app. This allows you to take care of your home while you're at work or on vacation. Certain robots also automatically empty their trash into a large bin at the base. This can reduce dust rerelease and is a great feature for those suffering from allergies.
Some robots are able to detect objects on the ground and employ cameras as a way to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This is an impressive feature, and it's even available in cheaper models. It's crucial to regularly empty your robot's trash bin and check for hairs that have become tangled as they accumulate.
Some models also have the ability to create 3D representations. This is useful when you have more than one floor. You can then choose specific rooms and set up digital keep-out zones to ensure your robot stays focused on what you want it to focus on, rather than wandering into areas you don't need cleaning.
Robots are great for midweek cleaning, but they cannot replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner especially when it is a rug. They're better at removing dirt embedded in carpets than floors that are unfinished, but they're still unable to pick up piles of debris near thresholds and baseboards as well as cords and socks that have become tangled. To get the most value from your robot, search for a model with zone and spot cleaning modes to target particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. There are also models that recharges and picks up where it left off which is a huge benefit for a house with a lot of rooms.