Four Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Robot Vacuum Cleaner
I’m someone who knows a thing or two about robot vacuum cleaners. I set up a new one for testing a few times a month, and while each bot is a little different, they all have some things in common. While it’s true that some bots are better and some aren’t, the real important factor in performance is you . How you set yourself and your bot up for success can impact the cleanliness of your floors and, therefore, your continued attachment to your robot vacuum.
Segment based on traffic, not “numbers”
The new robots will map your space using LiDAR and then double-check you to make sure they’ve placed the rooms correctly. They are surprisingly accurate in dividing up spaces, and then you can ask the bot to take care of one space or a combination of them, or set a schedule for them. But let’s take the living room for example: Do you need to vacuum and mop under the sofas every day? Probably no. But how often do you need to sweep and mop high-traffic areas where people walk along or under your feet where you drop things? At least once a day, am I right? So divide the space depending on how often you want to clean. You can do this by editing the map, which usually allows you to split or merge spaces. My living room now has two “rooms”: one for the high-traffic area and one for the “yeah, let’s pick up dust bunnies once a week so we can be a responsible adult.” You can assign names to each room and use the voice assistant to send the robot there to clean. At least three times a day, I send my bot on Blueberry’s path of destruction to get rid of the paw prints between the doggy door and the kitchen.
Don’t buy third party cleaning products and accessories.
These floor robots require maintenance. Their rollers get crushed, their brushes need to be replaced, and their vacuum bags need to be replaced. Branded ones are expensive; Amazon is full of third party options that are always cheaper. While mileage will vary, I have found these aftermarket options to be incredibly disappointing. For every bot I’ve purchased third-party bags for, the robot has difficulty recognizing that there is a new bag and asks me to change it every week. The videos are never as good quality and deteriorate faster. While I’m not really sure there’s anything special about a branded cleaning liquid, I wouldn’t make my own or replace it with anything other than a cleaner specifically designed for robot mops.
Leave the settings at maximum
All bots now have different wash and vacuum intensity levels. I’ve experimented with all intensity levels and the only benefit they have is lower noise levels. Since I never have enough money to watch a movie or make a business call while the bot is running, it doesn’t do much good. Of course, the bot also wears less. But usually, when the bot is running at a lower intensity level, I have to return it to higher intensity areas. My life became easier when I left it at maximum intensity all the time. Particularly when mopping floors, I don’t see any benefit other than the highest intensity.
Disable obstacle avoidance
The days of Bump and Go bots are largely a thing of the past. On the plus side, there are fewer abrasions and knocked-over tower fans. The downside is that LiDAR is often more careful about avoiding obstacles than one would like. For example, most robots now have a pet setting, so your bot will avoid possible poop piles as well as your pet. I live in a poop-free zone and have yet to find a pet that would allow itself to be eaten by a slow-moving robot, so this benefit was lost on me. I noticed that this setting meant that a lot more of the floor was left unswept, so I turned it off. Then I went a little crazy and turned off obstacle avoidance altogether, and overnight my floor went from 80% to 95% clean. My robot doesn’t bump into things, but it has become more aggressive around corners and tight spots, which is very appreciated.