Like other recent home technology innovations, Roomba is a convenient tech device that insanely increases productivity and reduces household cleaning workload.
However, like any other machine, it also has problems that require troubleshooting once in a while to function properly.
Though you can get easy fixes with these repair guides, you might need extra tips and tricks. These tips guide you on how to get the most out of the cleaning device, increasing efficiency.
Some Roomba care tips include keeping your pets out of the way during cleaning, cleaning the parts of the Roomba devices, and clearing clutters before starting the cleaning device, among others. The care and maintenance of your Roomba device are important if you want to get the most out of the machine.
Tips and Tricks on How to Get the Most Out of Roomba?
Roombas are quite convenient for home cleaning, especially if you are a busy individual.
However, to avoid damaging the machine or reducing its efficiency, you might need some guidelines and tips to maintain the device.
Below is a comprehensive list of tricks and tips you will find helpful while handling and using your Roomba:
#1. Tip 1: Keep Your Pets Out During Cleaning
Most pets have highly sensitive hearing; hence, the cleaning device’s noise can be unsettling.
If you have dogs, cats, or any other type of pet, keeping them in an enclosed room or, better still, outside the house is best.
#2. Tip 2: Clean the Roomba Brushes And Caster Wheel Regularly
It is not unusual to forget that a cleaning device can clean every open space in your house, but not itself. Therefore, if you want your device to run efficiently, you must give it proper care.
To prevent clogging in the Roomba, clean the brush one to two times a week. Cleaning the device will ensure it cleans your home effectively.
#3. Tip 3: Clean the Device Filter
The Roomba filter ensures that dust and debris do not escape into the air while the device cleans your home. Therefore, clean the filter with a dry microfiber cloth to avoid dust residue.
#4. Tip 4: Clean out the Device Bin
Once the device dustbin fills up, the Roomba will stop vacuuming. However, you can remove the filter and wash the bin thoroughly to avoid interruption while the unit runs.
#5. Tip 5: Purchase And Store Roomba Spare Parts
It is definite when your Roomba will break down during use. Therefore, you must purchase replacements beforehand in case a part malfunctions.
Replacing weak components of your cleaning device keeps it in good form. Depending on the part of the machine, replacement frequency ranges from 2 to 12 months.
#6. Tip 6: Clear up Any Cluster
Clear it up if there are clusters like toys on the floor before activating the unit. This clearance will allow the unit to run efficiently.
#7. Tip 7: Clean Charging Contacts and Sensors Frequently
The Roomba sensors are essential in the smooth running and movement of the cleaning device.
If the sensors are dirty, it might hinder its movement, and eventually, the machine will malfunction. To keep your Roomba from malfunctioning, clean the monthly sensors with melamine foam.
#8. Tip 8: Flush Obstructing Furnitures to the Wall
Its infrared sensors allow Roomba to detect obstacles that could hinder proper cleaning. However, if you want to clean the surface under the furniture, flush it against the wall.
#9. Tip 9: Move Clutters to a Particular Location
If larger objects are clustered in a room, move them to a central location to allow the Roomba to clean the unreachable areas.
#10. Tip 10: Lean Light Chairs Against the Wall
The Roomba unit has a height ranging from 3.32 inches to 3.5 inches. The size means it can move underneath furniture with a space allowance of 3.6 inches and above.
Therefore, if your furniture has a lower allowance, you can lean it against the wall.
#11. Tip 11: Cover Cliff Sensors to Clean Dark Surfaces
The cliff sensors in your Roomba use infrared technology to detect objects around the house.
If the device does not detect any object on the floor, it interprets the lack of object as a cliff space.
Therefore, the surface might not reflect the infrared lights if you have dark flooring or carpet. Cover the sensors with a cloth to enable the machine to clean the dark spot.
#12. Tip 12: Use Risers to Create Space Underneath Furniture
You could use furniture risers if you do not want to do any heavy lifting to create spaces under your furniture. The device will allow your Roomba to clean the space under the furniture.
#13. Tip 13: Cover Wirings with Rugs
If the Roomba gets stuck in wiring, it is advisable to cover the pieces of cords with a rug during the cleaning.
#14. Tip 14: Turn on Idle Mode During Travels
Most Roomba units have a standby or idle mode. Turn it on to prevent the device from cleaning unnecessarily and save battery if you are on vacation.
#15. Tip 15: Tie Long Curtains
Apart from wires, Roomba units cannot handle certain obstructions during cleaning. The device can get stuck in the curtain and stop running altogether.
Remove the curtain from the machine’s path or tie it up to allow the machine to run smoothly and efficiently.
#16. Tip 16: Clean Wet Floors Before Starting the Device
Though Roombas are smart cleaners, they are also machines. Therefore, water can cause harm to it. Clean any water spills on the floor before running your Roomba unit.
#17. Tip 17: Run Your Roomba Frequently
If your Roomba unit stays fully charged for a long time, it could reduce its battery life and eventually cause battery decay. To prevent this, run the machine every day.
#18. Tip 18: Create a Roomba Cleaning Plan
With the latest Roomba innovation, you can easily control your Roomba unit without hassles.
Use the iRobot Home app to assign and schedule tasks to your Roomba unit when you are away.
#19. Tip 19: Turn on the Lights During Cleaning
Most recent Roomba devices use electric cell sensors that require proper lighting to detect objects.
Ensure your lights are turned on at night, allowing the unit to vacuum your home properly.
#20. Tip 20: Use the Cleaning Modes Appropriately
Roomba units have varying cleaning modes that suit different floors. Therefore, you must note the different modes and the most suitable floor for the mode.
Other tips you can apply to get the most out of your Roomba unit include:
- If your Roomba unit is Wi-Fi-enabled and cleans a big house, it is better to install a Wi-Fi router or mesh instead of a smaller wireless network device.
- Ensure your Roomba Home Base dock station is in an open space so it can easily find its way back after cleaning.
- You can use random objects to reroute your Roomba unit till it cleans all the untouched areas in your home.
- If your Roomba device is compatible with Virtual Wall Lighthouse, install it and easily use the navigation device to control the Roomba unit’s movement.
- Organize the cords lying around your house to prevent tangling and allow the machine to clean the wiring areas properly.
- If the Roomba unit wanders out of a room without cleaning it thoroughly, enclose the unit within the room until it cleans all the areas.
- You can also use Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier to navigate your Roomba device. This tool keeps it from colliding with delicate items while cleaning your home.
Does Roomba Eventually Learn the Floor Plan?
After taking a few runs around your home, your Roomba can eventually learn your home floor plan.
The unit uses sensors to map out the house’s floor, making cleaning easy and faster. Older versions might not be able to fully store the floor plan in memory.
However, newer versions are capable of mapping out rooms and remembering the floor plan in detail.
Some latest Roomba units can remember more than five-floor plans and connect with other wireless devices, though they might be expensive.
How Many Times Does the Roomba Learn Your House?
Depending on the model of the Roomba device, the machine will only need to learn your house three to six times.
Once you set the Roomba to ‘Clean All Areas’ mode, it will clean every part of your home while learning the layout of your home plan.
If there are obstacles, it might record that as well, so ensure there are no unnecessary clusters on the floor surface when you turn on the clean mode.
Once the Roomba has learned your home floor plan, it stores the details in cloud storage for later retrieval.
Why Is My Roomba Not Cleaning the Whole House?
This issue could be due to faulty batteries, dead batteries, wrong dock position, or you might be experiencing issues with the navigation systems.
If it is a battery fault, purchase new Roomba batteries from an online or offline store. However, if it is a case of a dead battery, take the Roomba unit to its Home base and allow it to charge.
If the Roomba is in the wrong dock position, it cannot locate its Home base. Ensure there are no obstructions around the docking area.
Here are a few Roomba unit issues and how to solve them:
| Roomba Unit Issues | Solutions |
|---|---|
| Dirty charging contacts | Dip a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol and clean the charging contacts. |
| Roomba is not charging | Ensure the outlet is working. |
| Roomba does not connect to Wi-Fi. | Reboot your Roomba and check the Wi-Fi connection. |
| Roomba displays certain glitches. | Turn off the Roomba and disconnect it from the dock. |
How Long Does It Take the Roomba to Learn Your House?
It takes a Roomba three to five runs to completely map the house to detail. In this short period, a Roomba unit will map out the home floor plan of your house for efficient cleaning.
You can control the Roomba device and schedule tasks for the machine with the iRobot app. You can also review the home map in the app through cloud storage.
With Smart mapping, your Roomba unit can effectively store about ten-floor plans in its cloud storage.
Conclusion
Roombas are assistive home technology that allows you to perform other tasks and save time you might have used for cleaning.
You must maintain and care for the device to get the best out of your Roomba. Ensure no clusters, obstructions, or pets exist before activating your Roomba.
