How to set up your home before the robot vacuum cleaner cleans so as not to get stuck-CNET

2021-12-13 14:42:08 By : Ms. Carmen Chan

Here is how to get rid of the many traps and traps that will prevent Roomba from moving forward while cleaning.

No matter how smart the robot vacuum cleaner is, there are many dangers in your home. Remove them and you can enjoy easy automatic cleaning.

The robot vacuum cleaner can be a very useful tool that can be kept at home. They are designed to clean your floor automatically, even if you are not at home. Although they are equipped with all complex sensors and smart map systems, even the most advanced machines can get stuck on thick carpets, entangled in ropes, or lost hopelessly. Before you set up the sweeping robot to roam freely, you can help ensure that it does its job by properly preparing your home.

Read more: Best sweeping robots of 2021: iRobot Roomba, Neato and more   

Don't worry, the techniques I will list here are simple. After eliminating these potential pitfalls, you will be able to relax while the robot does all the work.  

Make sure there is enough space around the base of the robot cleaner.

The docking station of the robot vacuum cleaner has many important functions. It charges the battery so that the vacuum cleaner is always ready to be cleaned. The dock also serves as a base and a reference point used by the robot to triangulate its relative position in the room. iRobot's latest Roombas has a base and can even empty and collect the dustbin of the vacuum cleaner.

Carefully choose a location for your dock that has enough space for your robot to operate so that it can be properly aligned with the base when it wants to re-dock and recharge. The exact amount of clearance recommended by each manufacturer may be different. Nevertheless, it is expected that there will be 1.5 to 3 feet of open area anywhere on either side of the pier. Similarly, clear at least 4 feet of empty space in front of the dock.

Placing the dock close to the stairs is also a bad idea. Not only will you create a trip hazard, but narrow areas may confuse your vacuum cleaner.

Small, hard and sharp objects can cause great damage to your robot vacuum cleaner.

For any robotic vacuum cleaner, small, hard, and particularly sharp objects are bad news. Objects such as metal nails, screws, and even plastic Lego blocks can cause major problems. They can damage internal vacuum components and can damage or scratch expensive floors. Before they become problems, be sure to pay attention to these potentials.

A cable nest like this can prevent the robot cleaner from running on its tracks.

For a long time, irregular wires and wires have been a trouble for robot vacuum cleaners. The rotating wheels and brushes of robotic cleaners often wrap themselves around these obstacles. Minimize risks by organizing and protecting them.

The fewer wires and cables you have, the less likely your vacuum cleaner will be entangled in them.

Areas that may be particularly problematic are the living room entertainment center, home office, and bedroom bedside tables. Check out our guide for ideas on how to reduce TV line clutter. You can also see the close-up products that I have tried personally, they can well eliminate my messy wire condition.  

Water and robots cannot be mixed. Remove or prevent contact with pet water bowls and potted plants.

Water and electronics will not mix, as is absolutely true for robot vacuum cleaners. The last thing you want an expensive robot to do is to suck moisture from the damp floor. If water enters critical parts such as sensors, circuits, or motors, your vacuum cleaner may suffer irreparable damage.

Keep it away from pet drinking bowls or objects that may contain water, such as plant pots and flower pots. If your robot supports this feature, you can implement it by placing prohibitive obstacles virtually in the app. Another method is to delete the physical virtual wall device. iRobot bundles such gadgets with its Roomba products: the light beams they emit are invisible, and Roomba does not pass through the infrared light barrier.

Thick carpets usually trap the robot vacuum cleaner.

Plush carpets are comfortable to walk, but they often act as traps for robotic vacuum cleaners. Few robots can walk through long-fiber woven carpets, or even carpets with tassels, without getting stuck.

Consider rolling them up before cleaning, or tape the tassels to reduce the possibility of them getting tangled. Either restrict your robot vacuum cleaner from contacting these carpets. You can use physical barriers or virtual barriers to stop them, depending on the robot. Other options include the use of tape or virtual wall accessories, both of which may be included in the box of the robot vacuum cleaner.

If your sweeping robot uses a LIDAR laser navigation system (such as the Neato Botvac D7 Connected shown here), it can operate in complete darkness. If it has an optical sensor like iRobot Roombas, please turn on a light for it.

iRobot Roombas and some Ecovacs Deebot models rely on the main optical sensor to bypass. This means that if there is not enough ambient light, they will not be able to see obstacles and navigate the room correctly.

Most robot vacuum cleaner owners will clean when no one is at home. Even so, if your robot uses this type of sensor system, remember to turn on a light or turn on a shadow or two.

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