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Can a Robot Vacuum Clean Multiple Rooms?

Coby McKinley Profile image

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Updated February 7, 2023

If you’re shopping for a premium vacuum cleaner, you may wonder, “How many rooms can a robot vacuum do?” An advanced robot vacuum should offer efficient cleaning paths that maximize battery life and cleaning performance. That said, many wonder how robotic vacuums handle multi-room floor plans and flooring types.

While most modern robot vacuums can clean multiple rooms on a single charge, in order to ensure this, you need to take a few things into consideration. You should consider a robot vacuum with advanced mapping to ensure the vacuum is more efficient than one that uses random navigation. Additionally, you should make sure your rooms are uncluttered and as open as possible, meaning don’t have clothes or cords on the ground or random furniture in the middle of the room. Keep reading to learn more.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Current vacuum robots can clean multi-room floorplans but may need to recharge between rooms in larger homes.
  • Random navigation models are not ideal for multi-room homes because they cannot track already-cleaned areas.
  • Models with advanced mapping technology can track multiple floorplans and systematically clean from room to room.

How Do Robot Vacuums Deal With Multiple Rooms?

Homeowners with a robot vacuum cleaner should ensure their unit can reach the docking station at the end of a cleaning cycle. Additionally, users wondering if robot vacuums work on carpets should look at the best Roborock vacuums and the suction power they offer. After all, modern robot vacuum models should offer enough battery capacity to clean your entire house.

Insider Tip

If you want a clean video feed, the best option is to connect a high-quality camera to your laptop or computer.

Users concerned with furniture collisions and protecting their hardwood floors should learn what gyro navigation is in robot vacuums. High-end cleaning robots have an array of collision sensors to keep your home and pets safe during cleaning sessions.

Current robot vacuum models can clean multiple rooms, but you should consider a few tips to ensure efficient cleaning behavior and longer battery runtimes. Additionally, the type of robot vacuum you have might affect how good it is at mapping and navigation patterns.

Random Navigation Robot Vacuums

Basic robot vacuums use randomized navigation that eventually cleans your entire room. The lack of systemic navigation means less efficient battery usage and room-to-room movement.

These units do not remember where they’ve cleaned before, so when they return to the charging station, they will not pick up where they stopped cleaning. While random navigating vacuum models can clean multiple rooms, the cleaning job will not be as thorough.

Robot Vacuums with Advanced Mapping

Robot vacuums with mapping systems use LiDAR or vSLAM navigation tech to scan your home and create assigned cleaning patterns that can track an entire floor. Since these modern robotic vacuum cleaners can store multiple cleaning maps, they can cover multi-story homes. The advanced navigation capabilities ensure the unit won’t get caught on furniture or walls.

This type of robot vacuum will complete a room before moving to another one. Additionally, these models can remember where they left off before a charging session.

Warning

Robot vacuums with vSLAM navigation may deliver incomplete floor coverage while cleaning at nighttime or in dark environments.

Optimize Your Space for Robot Vacuums

With a few tips, you can optimize your floor space to ensure efficient cleaning behavior and battery runtimes.

Declutter Your Floors

Clothes, charging cords, and pet toys can prevent your robot vacuum from cleaning your entire floor space. Additionally, cords and shoestrings can become lodged in your vacuum’s brush, jamming the brush and impacting the unit’s suction power.

STAT: A 2018 Atomik Research poll showed that an average of 25% of Americans vacuum their home an hour before guests arrive. (source)

Keep a Semi-Open Floor Plan

Ensure your doors are open and remove any storable furniture that might obstruct the robot vacuum. If your floorplan is circular, experts recommend closing a door to keep the robot vacuum from getting confused.

Can a Robot Vacuum Clean Multiple Rooms FAQs

Can you have two Roombas in one house?

While you may not need a fleet of vacuum robots, some homeowners want multiple units for simultaneous cleaning on numerous floors. Roomba-brand vacuums support up to 10 active units in one household. That said, you need to register the devices with the Roomba app.

How do I clean my robot vacuum?

You can ensure optimal performance by cleaning your robot vacuum once a week. Use a damp cloth outside the unit, and remove hair from the brush to ensure smooth movement. If the unit uses a reusable filter, clean it weekly.

Can I put the Roomba dock under my furniture?

No, you cannot place a charging station under furniture like a desk or coffee table. A Roomba base station needs clearance around the sides and front to function correctly. Roombas require two feet of clearance on the sides and four feet in front of the base station.
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