“Oh my god, what would I do without my Roomba?”
Roomba has helped ease the life of many for almost 2 decades already.
Ensuring household owners that their precious homes are well-kept.
Sure, it’s impressive to see Roomba clean the tiniest crumb of cracker at the edge of your sofa.
But, hey! Your Roomba can do sooo much more…
Read on to learn:
- 27 Roomba tips and tricks.
- If Roomba can clean carpets and rugs.
- When to clean and replace Roomba parts.
- How to make Roomba clean the whole house.
- And a lot more…
27 best roomba tips and tricks
#1: Move your pets outside
In general, Roomba units register noise at about 70-80 decibels. Loud enough to be heard in the lower or upper floor when running. But not loud enough to wake you from sleep.
But this frequency of noise can be too noisy for dogs and cats.
Dogs have really sensitive hearing. That they can hear three times better than humans.
So, the noise of Roomba can be irritating for them.
Before running your device, move your dogs outside. Let them run around the backyard for a while.
If that isn’t an option, consider moving them in a closed room.
Reading tip: 10 Proven Tips To Make A Roomba Instantly Quieter
#2: Empty the dustbin after every use
Your Roomba will stop cleaning once it’s dustbin gets full.
If you use a Clean Base, your device will automatically return to it to dispose of its waste. If not, then your Roomba will stop in the middle of a cleaning session.
To prevent this from happening, make sure to empty the dustbin after every use.
If it’s washable, run it under warm water to remove excess dirt.
Important note: Remove the filter out before washing the washable dustbin.
#3: Clean the brushes, extractors, and caster wheel frequently
Roomba can clean your whole house. But not itself.
To keep your device in tip-top condition, give it proper and regular maintenance.
Clean the brush and extractor once a week. Twice a week if you have pets at home. For the front caster wheel, you should clean it once every 2 weeks.
This helps your Roomba clean your home more efficiently.
Plus, it will help your device last even longer. As it prevents clogging of dirt and machine damages.
#4: Dust off filter once a week
The function of the filter is to make sure that no dust or allergen gets back into the air while your device vacuums.
So, to keep the air in your house clean, make sure to clean the Roomba filter once a week. Twice if you have pets at home.
Warning: Never wash the filter. As this is not designed to be washed or get in contact with liquid.
Simply tapping or shaking it off will help clean the filter.
#5: Wipe sensors and charging contacts regularly
Your Roomba cleans “smart,” because it’s equipped with advanced technologies.
It moves around, picks up dirt, and avoids cliffs because of its sensors.
Roomba sensors are crucial in running your device properly.
If the sensors get blocked or dirty, it may cause your device to malfunction.
So, clean the cliff sensors, charging contacts, floor tracking sensors, and iAdapt localization camera once a month. While the full bin sensors every 2 weeks.
You can use either a melamine foam or microfiber cloth to clean it.
Check out: Roomba Not Charging: 9 Ways To Fix It In 30 Seconds
Watch this short video to learn where the Roomba sensors are located:
#6: Buy part replacements in advance
When used regularly, certain Roomba parts can wear out. Compromising your device’s cleaning effectiveness.
You’ll never know when your Roomba is going to break.
So, consider buying replacements ahead of time. Or at least a month before its recommended replacement frequency.
For your reference, here’s how often your should replace Roomba parts:
- Filter: every 2 months.
- Front caster wheel: every 12 months.
- Brushes and extractors: every 6-12 months.
Buying reminder: To ensure product quality, buy directly to iRobot store.
#7: Flush low-lying furniture to the walls
Roomba can detect furniture or obstructions along its path using an infrared sensor.
If the furniture has enough allowance underneath to fit the Roomba, the device will continue to clean underneath it.
If not, Roomba will instinctively avoid it and change its path.
There’s no issue with that.
The problem is Roomba can get stuck behind huge furniture. And eventually stop cleaning.
As a solution, you can consider flushing low-lying furniture to the walls. This will give your device a clearer and safer cleaning path.
#8: Lean light sofa chairs
The height of Roomba units ranges from 3.23 in (82 mm) to 3.5 in (88 mm).
Meaning to say, it can fit under beds or couches that have an allowance of not more than 3.6 in (92 mm).
Roomba can obviously not clean underneath it. So, those spaces will accumulate dirt, dust, and allergen. Which defeats the purpose of Roomba in keeping your home clean.
What you can do is to lean light low-lying sofa chairs and tables to the walls.
This will allow your Roomba to clean underneath spaces of unreachable furniture.
#9: Flip dining tables upside down
Wondering what’s one of Roomba’s hardest courses? The dining table.
The foot of the dining table and dining chairs can be an obstruction to your device.
While you can always rely on Roomba to reach certain areas, many small areas in the dining table are always left untouched.
As a solution, you can flip the dining chairs upside down. And place it on the dining table for the meantime.
This will give your Roomba enough space to thoroughly clean the dining area.
Learn more: Do robot vacuums work in small spaces?
#10: Tidy up clutter on the floors
Any clutter can mess up Roomba’s cleaning pattern. Plus, it causes the cleaning time to be longer.
Before setting your Roomba to clean, tidy up your space first.
Make sure that there’s no clutter on the device’s path.
To help you out, here’s a short checklist of what you should remove:
- Toys and books.
- Clothes and shoes.
- Chargers and wirings.
- Gadgets and electronics.
#11: Move clutter in one center
If you can’t store some objects, move them above tables or couches in the meantime.
For larger objects that can’t be stored, move them altogether in the center of a room. Or anywhere else that has plenty of free space.
Moving them to the center will help your Roomba navigate and clean without many obstructions.
#12: Tie or organize wires
Wirings is a Roomba’s worst nightmare.
Aside from the fact that it can obstruct the device’s path. Your Roomba can get strangled on it as well.
If possible, move wirings from the floor. Pick them up and let them hang on top of nearby furniture or appliance for a short while.
If that’s not possible, consider buying a wire organizer box to hide the wirings away from the device. Or at least tie them up using a tie wire.
#13: Place rugs over cords
Have you tried tying the wires on the floor together, but your Roomba still gets stuck?
Then, try placing a thin rug over the cords this time.
It will create a little bump, but your Roomba should be able to pass through it.
Because Roomba robot vacuums are designed to go over bumps and thresholds that’s not over ⅝ inch (15.9 mm).
#14: Tie up long curtains
Along with wires, Roomba vacuums hate curtains.
As this can tangle the device and cause it to get stuck and stop cleaning.
If you use long curtains on your windows, make sure to tie them up first. Then, put them away from the device’s path.
And of course, don’t forget to move away the curtain tassels.
#15: Block cliff sensors to clean dark carpets
All Roomba units have cliff sensors. This particular sensor makes sure that the Roomba will not fall off on cliffs or stairs.
In simple words, a cliff sensor uses infrared technology. This sensor emits infrared beams to detect objects. But when it doesn’t detect anything, it interprets the space as a cliff.
Dark-colored carpets may not reflect infrared beams, making the Roomba mistake it as a cliff. And that’s why Roomba often skips dark carpets.
But, there’s a trick to that!
You can cover the cliff sensors in the meantime to force your device to clean dark carpets. Just make sure to remove the coverings after use.
#16: Remove shag rugs
You can trick Roomba to vacuum dark carpets, but not shag rugs.
Vacuuming shag rugs can be tricky. And it’s not supposed to be cleaned very frequently. Plus, it’s always better to steam-clean shag rugs anyway.
To avoid damage both on the Roomba and the shag rug, make sure to remove the rug away before running the device.
#17: Mop wet floors before cleaning
Roomba vacuums are smart. But it’s still a machine. And machines are not always waterproof.
Before starting a cleaning session, make rounds around your house first.
Check whether there’s a spill of water or dog pee on any of your floors.
If yes, mop the wet areas first to avoid Roomba from running into it.
If you have pets at home, it’s better to move their water bowl first somewhere up. To avoid your device from bumping into it.
#18: Create a cleaning schedule
Now with iAdapt 3.0 and Imprint Smart Maps, you can control your Roomba much better.
Using the iRobot Home app, you can create routine cleaning schedules.
May it be during every morning or night. Or every Saturday of the week.
Whichever you prefer, you can always rely on the iRobot Home app to set cleaning sessions.
If you want your Roomba to clean the whole house while you’re away, just open your app and assign tasks to your device.
#19: Utilize cleaning modes
Roomba can clean different types of floors.
And so, iRobot made it possible to clean different floors with various cleaning modes.
If you want your Roomba to clean more effectively, make sure to utilize its cleaning modes.
Roomba has several cleaning modes. Some of these are:
- Eco Mode: best for cleaning at night or with pets.
- Automatic Mode: best when cleaning with carpets and rugs.
- Performance Mode: best for houses with various types of floors.
You can toggle on these modes through the iRobot Home App.
You may also wonder: How often should you run your robot vacuum?
#20: Monitor its first cleaning session
The latest Roomba vacuums have intelligent mapping technology. Thanks to Imprint Smart Maps.
With this, your Roomba device can create more accurate mapping of your house. Making it possible for you to assign cleaning sessions in specific areas.
Like older units, you have to set your device in one place and direct it to “clean everywhere.” As this is how the device creates initial virtual maps.
You can trust more accurate mapping on newer series.
But to avoid error, monitor your Roomba on its very first cleaning session.
Put away any objects that can obstruct the device.
#21: Place dock in an open space
If you’re using a Home Base or Clean Base, make sure to place it in an area with little to no obstruction.
Your Roomba has to communicate with its docking station after its cleaning sessions.
When there are too many obstructions along the way, your device can lose its way home.
Causing the cleaning time to be longer. And making your device machine and battery more prone to wear and tear.
#22: Use WiFi router or mesh
This applies to WiFi-enabled Roomba units.
Once you connect Roomba to your internet connection, it can only be controlled through the iRobot Home app. Unless you reset it.
Meaning to say, your device will always have to stay connected to your WiFi.
If you notice your device stopping in the middle of a cleaning session, it might be due to a loss of connection.
For homes with larger floor areas or several floors, you should install a WiFi router or mesh.
This will help ensure that your Roomba is receiving a stable and strong internet connection.
#23: Leave the lights on
Newer Roomba units use a photoelectric cell sensor to detect objects more accurately.
This type of sensor needs light to function. As it uses light beam reflection to access its surroundings.
So, if you’re using a Roomba with a photocell sensor, make sure that your home is well-lit.
If you’re running a cleaning session at night, leaving the lights on while your Roomba is doing its job would be better.
#24: Use random objects as bumpers
If you want to mix up your Roomba’s cleaning patterns to reach other untouched areas, then try this!
Place any object along its path. It may be a shoe or box. If you’re placing a shoe, make sure to tuck in its shoelaces.
This will force your device to change its normal route. And possibly reach other untouched areas.
You don’t have to worry if you’re using a Roomba unit with Imprint Smart Maps technology.
As placing small obstructions won’t affect your recorded maps.
#25: Close doors to confine the device
Sometimes your Roomba can skip some rooms from cleaning.
It can be a nuisance. But thankfully, there’s a clever way to address it.
If you want your Roomba to thoroughly clean a certain room, you can close the doors on it.
Since the device’s path is blocked, it will continue to clean the same room until all the areas are covered.
If you want to block the device from passing through an archway, try placing several shoes on the archway to block it off.
#26: Install Virtual Wall Lighthouse
If you have a budget, why not buy Virtual Wall Lighthouse?
Note: Not all Roomba units are compatible with Virtual Wall Lighthouse.
Virtual Wall Lighthouse is a navigation control device made by iRobot. It can block and confine a Roomba in a specific area.
You can use it to block your Roomba from entering restricted areas. Such as a playroom or stockroom.
If you’re having problems setting Roomba to clean your whole house, this device can also come in handy.
Just turn on the “Lighthouse” toggle, and it will direct your Roomba to clean a specific room after the other.
#27: Use Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier
Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier is another navigation control device by iRobot.
Unlike Lighthouse, Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier is compatible in most Roomba units. So, you shouldn’t have a problem using it.
Its main function is to restrict Roomba from entering restricted areas. The difference is that it covers a longer range.
Plus, you can use it to block Roomba from getting near specific objects. To do this, simply turn the “Virtual Wall” toggle on.
When you turn on the “Halo” toggle, you can block your Roomba from getting near your delicate vases, pet water bowls, or indoor plants.
Note: If you want to clean all areas of your home. Make sure that the Dual Mode Virtual Wall Barrier is off. As this will continue to block specific areas for up to 6 months.