Got a new robot vacuum but not quite sure where to start? I can help. I've tested many of the best robot vacuums on the market – and some of the worst – so I've done more than my fair share of setting up and using robovacs.
Let's say you've unboxed the bot, attached any side sweepers or mop pads that need to be attached, downloaded the app and connected your robot vacuum up to it. What now? Here are seven things to do to get started with your new automated home helper...
1. Do a mapping run (but tidy up first)
Once you've connected your robot vacuum to its companion app, you'll typically be prompted to do a 'mapping run'. During this, the robot won't do any cleaning, but it'll explore its new surroundings and create a map. It'll do this by popping into each room, wandering about a bit, and then leaving.
To prepare your home for this, open all the doors and tidy away any clutter on the floors. In fact, I tend to lift up anything that's not going to be a permanent fixture – for instance, I’ll place dining chairs onto the table.
While it's possible to skip this step and just launch straight into cleaning, opting to map first allows the bot to be more efficient when vacuuming. Plus, it typically won't take long at all – less than 10 minutes.
2. Edit the map
After the robot has completed its mapping run, it will return with a rough map of the space it has just scouted. The accuracy of this map can vary, but even the most advanced models rarely get it perfect on the first try.
You’ll likely need to name each room to help make sense of the map. This is useful for tracking where the robot has been and where it has encountered issues. Additionally, it simplifies launching single-room cleans. You might also need to split or merge rooms or areas.
Sometimes, the robot vacuum may include areas it can't actually clean. For example, when I map my home, the robot includes parts of the garden that it can 'see' through full-height patio doors. If I map a floor that's not the ground floor, it will also include the stairs going down. Thankfully, its cliff sensors will prevent it from reaching those areas.
For such spaces, I add a virtual wall or no-go zone, ensuring the bot won't waste time trying to clean areas it can't access.
3. Launch a whole-floor vacuum
At this point, I typically proceed with a whole-floor clean. I send the robot vacuum off to clean everywhere using its default settings. Everything should be off the floor from the mapping run, allowing for a thorough clean.
During this run, I can identify any problem areas where the robot might get stuck or lost, or places it can't currently reach. I can then make adjustments to resolve these issues.
I can also gauge the robot vacuum's navigation capabilities. More advanced models learn as they go, so even if navigation is a bit off at first, it will improve with use. Generally, I find that most robot vacuums today do a good job of navigating.
4. Explore the mopping
Most modern robot vacuums can mop as well as vacuum, and I like to explore the bot's mopping capabilities early on. Setups vary considerably from robot to robot. For a basic model like the Dreame D9 Max Gen 2, you'll need to fill the water tank and attach the mop pad, carry the robot to the room you want mopped, close the door, and ask it to mop. If the robot can't sense carpet, or if there are hard floor areas you want to avoid mopping, you'll need to set no-mop zones in your app.
More advanced models can sense carpet and lift their mop pads to avoid getting them damp. They may also have a dock that refills the onboard water tank, eliminating the need for manual refills. If I have a high-tech model, I’ll include mopping as part of the first whole-floor clean.
Typically, you can choose to vacuum and mop simultaneously or vacuum first and then mop. I always opt for the latter to ensure any dust and debris are cleared before the water is introduced.
5. Create a schedule
After my initial exploratory cleans, I set up a cleaning schedule for the future. Most robot vacuums offer this option. The beauty of a robot vacuum is its ability to operate autonomously with minimal input from you. I usually schedule it to clean two or three times a week at times when I know I’ll be out. I might also include one 'deep' clean with higher intensity settings.
Robot vacuums can clean at night, as most modern models use LiDAR for navigation, which doesn't rely on light. Many models supplement this with headlamps for object detection in dark rooms. If your bedrooms are near the cleaning areas, you might want to avoid this option to prevent noise from disturbing your sleep.
6. Tweak settings
As you get familiar with your robot vacuum, you may notice aspects you'd like to adjust. On more advanced models, you can tweak various settings, from the amount of water used for mopping to how often it auto-empties its dust cups. Explore the app to see what options are available.
If you find your robot vacuum frequently runs into obstacles, look for a 'pet mode' in the settings, which generally increases the sensitivity of the bot's object avoidance. If you're unsure what settings to change, here are more settings you might want to change on your robot vacuum.
7. Map other floors
As of now, stair-climbing is beyond a robot vacuum's capabilities. However, that doesn't mean your robovac is limited to a single floor. Most companion apps allow you to map multiple levels; you just need to carry your bot to the new floor and back again once it's finished cleaning.
The only other potential issue is lack of access to the dock. While it's rare for a robovac to need to recharge or empty its dust cup mid-clean, it can run out of water if it's doing a lot of mopping.
To supplement my scheduled clean on the floor with the dock, I often map other floors in my home. I then carry the robot up for occasional cleaning – it's still less effort than using a stick vacuum.