How to Clean a Roomba?

Don’t you just love your Roomba!

A Roomba vacuum is an amazing invention because it can automatically clean your floors for you even while you are not around.

However, from time to time it needs your love in return.

How do you return the love?

The answer is by performing a little Roomba maintenance, which is important if you want your Roomba to keep doing its job efficiently.

So, how to clean a Roomba

Cleaning a Roomba is the same as cleaning any type and model of vacuum. Whether you are looking for ways for how to clean a Roomba 650, 690, 980, or a more recent model, the basic procedure of cleaning is similar.

The first step would be to turn your Roomba over so you can see all the things that need cleaning.

• The dirt bin,
• Filter,
• Brushes,
• Wheels, and
• Sensors

Empty and clean the dustbin

For how to clean an irobot Roomba, it is always best to start by getting rid of the loose dirt on your vacuum. 

Start with a task that you should do after every use, empty and clean the dustbin. Even if you have a Roomba i7 + that empties itself when full, you will still need to rinse it out if you want a clean vacuum.

Here is how to empty a Roomba

• Locate the bin release button on the back of your Roomba.
• Press the button.
• Remove the dirt bin and empty it in the trash.
• Remove the filter.
• Rinse the dirt bin under some warm water.
• Leave it to dry.

Filter Cleaning

Next, we move onto the Roomba filter cleaning. For this step, you can locate the filter inside the dirt bin. 

Vacuum filters trap fine dust and dirt inside the bin and with each use; the chances are high that the filter becomes blocked and the vacuum will stop sucking. When cleaning your Roomba vacuum, it is a good idea to clean the filter. 

• Remove the filter by pressing down and pulling out
• Clean the debris on the filter by:
  • tapping the filter against the side of your trash bin, 
  • using your fingers to loosen the dirt, 
  • Use a hand vacuum with a narrow nozzle, or
  • With a small soft brush.
• Do not wash a Roomba filter.
• Once the dirt bin is dry, and the filter is clean, replace the filter in its place.
• Replace the bin in the vacuum.

If you do not want to remove the filter because of the fear of damaging the filter, you can still clean the filter. You can remove the larger dirt with your fingers or use a handheld vacuum with a narrow nozzle. It is best to clean the filter once a week for normal use and twice a week if you have furry occupants. 

You should consider a Roomba filter change every two months depending on how many times per week you use your vacuum and if you have pets. If your filter is damaged or it got wet somehow, you will need to replace it.

Clean the brushes

The brushes on your Roomba spin to sweep dirt so that it can vacuum it into the dirt bin. But when dirt and debris become entangled in the brushes, it makes it harder for them to do their job. Clean Roomba brushes at least once a week and twice a week if you have a furry friend or two in your home. 

Steps to clean Roomba brushes

• Flip your Roomba over so you can access the brushes.
• It is best to do one brush at a time.
• You will see two yellow plastic tabs that you will need to push down, hold, and lift.
• Pull the brushes out.
• Using the tool that Roomba supplied or a pair of scissors, remove dirt, hair, and all other debris tangled around them.
• Pull off the yellow cap on each brush and clean the area with something small such as a toothpick.
• Replace the caps and place the brushes back into the vacuum.

Clean the wheels

A Roomba vacuum cleaner has three wheels, one small wheel in the front, and two larger wheels on the side. Often hair and other fibers become entangled around the axle of the wheels and clean them at least every two weeks.

You may ask how to clean Roomba wheels

Let us begin with the small front wheel, also known as a caster wheel.

• Move the wheel backward and forwards a few times to dislodge dirt.
• Turn the vacuum back onto the wheels to get the dirt to fall out.
• If nothing fell out, turn the vacuum upside down again.
• Pull the front wheel out using either your fingers or with a screwdriver.
• Cut the hair and other fibers from the axle with either a pair of scissors or a knife.
• Clean the wheel before returning it to the housing.

For cleaning the side wheels, follow these steps:

• Check each wheel for any obvious obstructions and remove and clean it.
• Insert a thin cloth in the wheel’s side housing.
• Turn the wheel with your hand so the cloth threads through the wheel compartment.
• When you feel the cloth has cleaned the wheel compartment, pull it out by turning the wheel slowly.

Cleaning the sensors on a Roomba

The next part of the Roomba cleaning process is cleaning the sensors on a Roomba. The purpose of the different sensors is so the vacuum cleaner can navigate your home. These sensors help it detect dirt and avoid obstacles such as furniture and falling from a higher level.

If these sensors get dirty, it will not work properly because they cannot see. It is best to clean the cliff and floor tracking sensors once a month and the full bin sensors every two weeks.

So, how to clean Roomba sensors

Use a damp microfiber cloth or a magic eraser to wipe each sensor on the top and bottom of your Roomba vacuum clean of dust and grime. Be sure to include wiping the charging contacts on the docking station at least once a month.

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