Roombas are all about saving you precious vac-up time and effort.
Yet, nothing is more stressful than coming home to your Roomba stuck under the bed or the couch.
Beds, tables, couches, and other furniture are Roomba’s nemesis.
“What can we do about them?”
Read on to find out:
- Why do Roombas get stuck under the bed/couch.
- 7 tips to prevent your Roomba from getting stuck under furniture.
- Ways to prepare your house so your Roomba can clean without problems.
- And a lot more…
Why does my Roomba get stuck under my bed / couch?
Your Roomba gets stuck under your bed or couch because of low-rise furniture. Another reason is the clutter on the floor, such as tangled wires and cables. Sometimes, Roombas get stuck due to clogged brush and wheels.
7 tips to prevent your Roomba from getting stuck under your bed / couch
#1: Use furniture risers
Buying furniture risers is one super-easy way to prevent this problem.
Furniture risers give that much-needed height boost to your low-rise furniture.
You can attach them to the legs of almost all types of furniture.
And you can get them in various heights and styles to fit your needs.
“But my bed is too heavy.”
Worry no more.
Furniture risers support up to 1300 lbs of weight. Apart from this, they’re very cheap and easy to buy.
They’re, no doubt, the best solution to clumsy Roombas stuck under your bed.
Note: Make sure to check the height clearance of your robot cleaner before buying.
#2: Try Using Bumper Extenders
We all know that prevention is better than rescuing a stuck Roomba.
So why not install a bumper extender?
“Oh, what’s that?”
It’s cone-shaped, with little rubber feet that you can glue on the bumper of your Roomba (and other robot vacuums).
A bumper extender will prevent your Roomba from going under any furniture where it can’t come out.
They’re multipurpose and can double as lifters for other electronic devices.
Talk about a great deal!
Bonus Tip: Use a 3M adhesive hook as a bumper extender.
This video shows how well it works:
#3: Use spare pool noodles
If you have some unused pool noodles, here’s a DIY hack that’ll solve your trouble.
- Cut up pool noodles according to your couch’s length.
- Place them according to the space from the base of your couch to the floor.
This will act as a barrier for your robot vacuum cleaner. When your Roomba bumps into the pool noodle, it’ll change its course.
And just like that, you got yourself a fix to prevent your Roomba from going under your couch.
#4: Provide limited access to your Roomba
Restricting your Roomba’s access is another easy fix you can try.
You can put physical barriers like the previous tip or buy virtual wall barriers.
Sure, the latter is more expensive. But, they save you all the hassle of cutting and gluing pool noodles.
Virtual wall barriers stop your Roomba from exploring risky parts of the house.
You can also download and use iRobot’s mobile application.
There, you have virtual control of your Roomba. And restrict the areas you don’t want your robot vacuum to go.
#5: Keep your house well-lit
You must be thinking:
“Why do I need to keep my lights on?”
The answer is simple: Your robot vacuum uses optical sensors to navigate.
These optical sensors need light to detect their surrounding environment.
So, if you don’t want your Roomba to get stuck under furniture while cleaning, keep at least one light on in a room.
#6: Buy elevated furniture
Get raised furniture if you’re in the market for replacing old cabinets and couches.
This is a definite way to keep your robot vacuum from getting stuck under something.
Plus, raised furniture provides extra storage and more legroom.
It also gives your cleaning buddy enough space to operate freely.
You might also like: 10 Easy Ways to Get your Roomba To Clean the Whole House
#7: Make sure your house is ready
Robot cleaners have sensors to help them navigate around obstacles. But they’re not refined enough to go through tangled cables, wires, and other snags.
For your robot cleaner to work without a glitch, make sure to:
Fix cluttered wires
Organize computer cables and other wires better. Keep them as close to the wall as possible.
This way, your Roomba can clean without getting tangled.
What’s more, this ensures safety for everybody and avoids mishaps.
Clear out clutter on the floor
Free your floor from other clutters like toys and clothes.
Your Roomba needs space to clean. Remove things that can block its path.
Obstructions will force your robot cleaner to stop working.
On the other hand, smaller pieces like Lego can damage your Roomba’s internal mechanism.
So make sure to clear them out, too.
Put away chairs
Lift chairs up in the dining room and place them over the dining table.
Why?
Roombas often bump into chair legs. Then, they get stuck.
Manual labor can help your little Roomba do a more efficient task.
Clean your Roomba
I can’t stress this enough.
Regular cleaning is essential for your Roomba to work well.
Over time, pet hair, dust, and fluff will clog the Roomba’s brush and wheel.
This will make your machine more prone to errors and other problems.
Roomba maintenance
Care and maintenance are the same no matter your Roomba series and model.
So clean your Roomba regularly to make sure it works like new.
This will also save you time and money for costly repairs.
Refer to this guide for a detailed Roomba care procedure.