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Cleaning your Roomba vacuum cleaner regularly will keep the robot operational and increase its lifespan. Yet, if you’re asking yourself how do you actually clean get to them, keep reading. This article will help you learn how to clean a Roomba quickly and effectively.
Contents
How to Clean a Roomba
Roombas come in various designs. Therefore, start by familiarizing yourself with your Roomba model to see where everything is located. Keep in mind that you need to deep-clean the machine’s brushes, dust bin, wheels, filter, and sensors. Thoroughly clean each component, using the following guide.
Learn more about how to clean a variety of household products at CleanerWiki.com.
Cleaning the Dust Bin
How you clean the dust bin will depend on the Roomba model. Older models take more cleaning time, as newer models require fewer steps. Advanced features on newer models, such as a center bin placement and vacuum bags, while they improve efficiency, they change the way you clean them.
Cleaning an Older Roomba’s Bin
As noted, newer model Roombas feature a center-mounted bin. Therefore, if your Roomba is an older model, use the following steps to clean the bin:
- Undock the Roomba from its charging station.
- De-attach the bin, located toward the back of the machine.
- Press the release tab to remove the bin.
- Shake out the dust and dirt and place them in a trash bag.
- Rinse the bin with lukewarm water.
- Allow the bin to dry.
Cleaning a Newer Roomba’s Bin
For newer model Roombas (Roomba S9 Plus, Roomba i7 and above) with a center-mounted bin, it’s easier to clean the bin. Newer Roomba models feature a Clean-Base dock that sucks dust and debris into a bag. Simply remove the bag and empty it, and you won’t have to remove the robot from its charging dock.
This is great, because it means you won’t have to clean the bin as often as with older models. Once you’ve changed the bag, rinse the bin. Allow it to air dry before adding another bag.
Cleaning the Filter
After you clean the bin or remove the bin’s bag, flush the air filter. To avoid creating a mess, you can use a handheld vacuum to clean the filter. Trust us, this is much better than shaking the content of the filter into a bag, which defeats the purpose by spreading dust back into the air.
Avoid using water to clean the filter as it can damage your Roomba. If you see your filter is extra-dirty, replace it instead.
Cleaning Off the Wheels and Brushes
Make sure you clean dirt off the accessories with a damp cloth. Also, loosen and remove any strings or strands of hair. This can be tricky, especially if they have become wrapped around the wheels or brushes.
Check to see what cleaning tools have come with your Roomba. In many cases, it is easier to use your hands to uncoil strings or strands. You may need scissors to cut away the debris from the Roomba’s parts. Take care when using the scissors to prevent punctures or damage.
One of the tools that iRobot offers for its 500, 600, or 700 Roombas is a cutting blade and plastic teeth. While the blade allows fast removal of hair or strings, the comb enables you to remove the freed debris.
Wipe Off the Sensors and Metal Contacts
When dirt builds up on the robot’s sensors, the machine may stop working. As a last step of your cleaning process, use a dampened microfiber cloth to wipe off dirt from the sensors. These sensors are on the bottom and top of the machine.
Inspect and clean the metal contacts, used to draw power from the charging dock. Use a slightly dampened microfiber cloth to remove the excess grime. If you don’t regularly clean the sensors, your robot may fail to charge.
How Is The Roomba Designed To Work
To learn how to keep a Roomba working properly, you should also review how it operates. For example, the robot features a side brush that spins out past the vacuum’s shell. The brush on the other side catches any residue.
The Roomba’s agitator, located on the underside, features two counter-rotating brushes. These brushes capture dust and debris and deposit them into the bin. Therefore, knowing the design can help you determine which parts need more attention.
How Often You Should Clean Other Parts
Staying on top of cleaning will reduce the risk of breakdowns. You should usually clean your Roomba and check it after each use.
However, you don’t need to perform a deep cleaning of your Roomba every day. There are other parts that require less regular cleaning.
Weekly
Clean the dust bin each time you use the machine and check the wheels and brushes each week. Don’t allow dust or hair to accumulate or clog your machine.
Monthly
Once a month, use a screwdriver to remove the vacuum’s spiral brush. Loosen any hair and remove the dust below the brush.
After cleaning this section, unfasten the screws on the cover. Remove the dirt in your robot’s internal parts. To clean this part of the device, use compressed air. Wipe away any remaining residue with a soft and dry cloth.
Once you are through, screw back in the spiral brush and screw on the cover. Dust off the shell after making sure all the screws are secured.
Final Notes
Cleaning your Roomba is easier than it looks. However, a regular and efficient cleaning and maintenance can make it run the longest, all you need it’s a bit of time and the right tools.
