Help Your Robot Vacuum Clean More Effectively

Before you send out your robot vacuum to clean the room, take time to break the trail and clear the cleaning path to reduce obstacles that can hinder performance. Robot vacuums can be very helpful - doing the cleaning while you're doing more enjoyable things. However, they do have limitations when it comes to how much they can handle and what they can negotiate through the myriad of items they find along the way. A little tidy-up can help and you can train your family too, to eliminate the clutter and give the robot a helping hand.

  • Remove toys, building blocks, newspapers, string, books and other items from the area you want to be cleaned. A robot can easily get stuck when it snags anything it can't swallow.
  • Remove/lift stools, magazine racks, dining room chairs and other easy-to-remove small furniture items for best cleaning coverage.
  • Tie up blind strings or curtains that drape on the floor.
  • Manage cables and cords. Find ways to organize and lift these from the floor.
  • Although some robot vacuums have de-tangle features, thin cords such as those from telephone or satellite radios tend to wrap around and items could get pulled off a table, if not lifted from the floor area.
  • Remember to empty the robot's dirt bin often. It's surprising how fast they fill up for washing floors, vacuum the area first to remove larger dirt particles before washing.
  • Avoid sending a robot vacuum around area rugs with fringes that could become entangled.
  • Some robots are equipped with sensors that can detect when the floor or room ends, especially at the top of the stairs. If your model doesn't have this feature, use boundary marker sensors that will prevent falls.
  • Transition flooring strips could be a problem for some robots and it may require cleaning two different rooms as opposed to programming one area.
  • Follow the manufacturer's recommendations as to care and cleaning for best performance.