Most modern robot vacuum cleaners do not just suck your floors – they can also mop them for you. This type of Robovac is sometimes called a “hybrid robot emptiness”, and it is increasingly difficult to find robots that don’t do it Offer cleaners today.
But how much should you focus on the cleaning part? How does it work and is it really good? I review the robot vacuum cleaners to earn a living, and I tested cheap robots with the simplest mops, to the best robot vacuum vacuums on the market, with complex wet cleaning configurations. Here is everything you need to know about the empty robot’s vacuum mops, and if they are worth your time.
How does cleaning work on a vacuum of the robot?
The exact configuration varies depending on the model, but essentially, there will be a tampon of mop (or two) which fed the water of a tank in the main part of the robot. The robot vacuum cleaner will pull the pads on your floors to clean them.
Sometimes the cushion can turn, vibrate or press to dislodge dirt. Some Robovacs will vacuum at the same time as cleaning – the idea being that it reduces the overall cleaning time. Others can be defined to clean up after vacuum cleaner, or simply do one or the other.
If you opt for a more advanced type of platform, it could fill the water tank aboard the bot for you, you do not need to complement yourself so frequently. It could also wash and dry your tampered pads for you. However, with cheaper and more basic robots, you will have to take care of all this yourself.
What types of MOP are there?
Some robot vacuum cleaners can get rid of much better than others. Here is a quick overview of the main types of mop and my experience of the way each cleanses.
D -shaped cushion
This is one of the most common types of MOP. It consists of a fixed -shaped cushion which can be cleaned and reused. The cushion is powered with water from a tank on board because it is dragged along the ground. On more advanced robots, this cushion can vibrate or press as you go, to help dislodge dried dirt.
In general, I found this style of Pad de Vadrouille quite effective. It will do a good job to wipe your floors and pick up any persistent dirt. However, the draft pavement does not offer much by cleaning – and especially if it does not support or does not vibrate – and because the pad does not clean themselves as you have a spill on the ground, it could end up being dragged a little.
Two turning discs
Another common type of Mop Robovac. Two discs in the shape of a disc are attached to the base of the bot and turn to rub the dirt. They are nourished with water from a tank on board while cleaning.
This is probably my favorite type of mop. It is similar to a D -shaped cushion, but rotation means that these mops are a little better to clean; Some may even manage dried stains.
The pads can be removed and jumped into the washing machine for deep cleaning. However, because they are not cleaned as you go, large spills will probably end up spreading, and I would not use this type of mop to fight against sticky or smelly substances.
Rotation roller
This is a less common type of vacuum mop from the robot, composed of a tampon of mop on a track, like a tank. Fresh water is applied when the cushion runs, but where this style of mop has the edge on other configurations is that there is a scraper that siphons dirty water and all general gunk which has been picked up as well.
Vadrouilles are relatively new on the market right now, but become more popular. I wonder if we are going to start seeing much more for a long time.
I have not yet had the chance to test a bot with a roller mop, but my criticisms that have been impressed. In our review Eureka J20, our tester found that he “had done a fantastic work to clean up spills”, although he noted that he was not as successful with dried dirt, suggesting that, like most of the Robovac mops, it is more a wipe as a bidder.
Just a wet wipe
It is rare to see, but some robots at a budget just have space to fix a damp wipe, which is then dragged on the ground. This is the least effective type of MOP.
The pads have a smooth surface rather than diving and do very little friction. They cannot be washed or reused either, so you generate waste if you opt for this style of mop, and you will have to take into account the continuous cost of replacing the wipes.
The most prominent brand to use this approach is Switchbot with its Mini Robovacs. I have not yet tested one of these models myself, and opinions differ as to whether this type of cleaning is worth it.
Our Switchbot K10 + Pro Mini Robot vacuum review described it as “superficial at best” and said that he could not see anyone taking the trouble to buy a new set of damp wipes once the provided pack has been exhausted.
However, my teammate Cat Ellis finds the useful configuration for everyday cleaning: “It is certainly not a substitute for the appropriate waste, but I found it very practical to keep the daily dust under control on my dark floors (which appear all the embarrassment of dirt).
Is the cleaner good?
Generally, my experience is that the robot vacuum cleaner is good enough to be a large exercise pebble – especially if you have a lot of hard floors that require regular cleaning. They are perfect for cleaning daily maintenance, but not good enough so that you don’t need to use manual cleaning occasionally.
Whatever the type of mop, I would not leave one to tackle a big spill (it will remain stuck on the tamper fabric and will eventually be distributed on the ground) or a dried stain (the bot will not rub strong enough to erase it).
Will my carpets be wet?
Maybe – depends on the model you opt. Aspirators of the mid-range robot and above can often detect when they exceed the carpet and lift their tampons of mop so that they do not drag. Some premium robots have magnetic mops which they place in the platform when loaded with suckled carpet.
However, the more expensive and basic robot vacuum cleaners will drag their damp mop pads on carpets if you don’t remove them. On some, the water is automatically “on” when the wading cushion and / or the water tank is attached, so you will have to close the bot in the room you need to clean so that it does not try to give your carpets and carpets the same treatment.
Will the mops start to feel?
If you leave them damp and don’t clean them, yes. Plus basic robot vacuum cleaners will have to remove their mop pads to dry after cleaning, and you will also want to wash them by hand or pass them through the washing machine regularly to keep them fresh and hygienic.
More advanced robot vacuum cleaners have quays that will support MOP maintenance for you. For example, they could be able to wash the tampons of mop – sometimes with hot water, to cut the fat – and dry them as well. This reduces the amount of intervention required of you. You will pay an additional cost for these types of features, however.
Can you use a floor cleaner?
Sometimes, but generally not. Most hybrid robot vacuum cleaners recommend that you simply use water, although it is worth checking the manufacturer’s instructions to find out if it is normal to mix the cleaning solution.
The most advanced robots will Let yourself be used for cleaning liquid, but they will emphasize that only their owner cleaner is authorized, and it is invariably very expensive. Some will have a cleaning liquid tank which is next to the water tanks in the quay and uniformly distributes the liquid when the reservoirs on board the bot are filled.
