Most modern robotic vacuum vacuum not only your floors – they can also mop them to you. This type of robovac is sometimes referred to as a ‘hybridrobotvakuum’ and it is increasingly difficult to find bots that Don’t do it Offer Mopping these days.
But how much do you have to focus on the mopping part? How does it work and is it actually something good? I am reviewing the robot wacuum for a living, and I have tested cheap bots with the very simplest mops, right up to the very best robot wacuum on the market, with complex wet cleaning setups. Here’s all you need to know about robotic quacumes and if they’re worth your time.
How does mopping work on a robot vacuum?
The exact setup varies by model, but essentially there will be a mop pad (or two) that is fed water from a tank in the main part of the robot. The robot wacuum pulls the pillow (s) over your floors to clean them.
Sometimes the pillow can spin, vibrate or press down to remove dirt. Some Robovacs will vacuum at the same time as Mopping – the idea is that it cuts down on the total cleaning time. Others can be set to mop after vacuuming, or just do one or the other.
If you choose a more advanced dock type, it may fill the bot’s water tank on board, so you don’t have to remove it yourself as often. It can also wash and dry your mop pads for you. But with cheaper, more basic bots, take care of all this yourself.
What kind of mop is there?
Some robotic wacuum can mop much better than others. Here is a quick review of the most important mop types and my experience of how well each one cleans.
D-shaped pillow
This is one of the most common mop types. It consists of a fixed, D-shaped pillow that can be cleaned and reused. The pillow is fed with water from a onboard tank when pulled along the floor. On more advanced bots, this cushion may vibrate or press down as it goes to help remove dried dirt.
In general, I have found this style with mop pad pretty effective. It will do a good job of wiping your floors down and picking up any lingering dirt. However, the pad does not offer much by scrubbing – and especially if it does not press down or vibrate – and because the pillow is not cleaned as it goes if you have a waste on the floor, it may end up being pulled a little.
Two spinning slices
Another common type of robovac mop. Two disc -shaped pillows are attached to the bot’s base and spin to scrub the dirt away. They are fed with water from a onboard tank when cleaning.
This is probably my favorite mop type. It looks like a D-shaped pillow, but the rotation means these mops are a little better at scrubbing; Some can even handle dried spots.
The pillows can be removed and into the washing machine for a deep clean. But because they are not cleansed when they go, big waste is likely to end up spreading around and I would not use this kind of mop to tackle sticky or smelly fabrics.
Rotating roll
This is a less common type of robotic vacuum tops, which consists of a mop pad on a track, like a tank. Fresh water is applied when the pillow rotates around, but where this MOP style has the edge of other setups is that there is a scraper that also turns off dirty water and any general gunk that has been picked up.
Rolling mops are relatively new to the market right now, but becoming more popular. I wonder if we start to see much more of them soon.
I haven’t had a chance to test a bot with a roll of mop yet, but my reviewers who have done so have been impressed. In our Eureka J20 review, our tester found it “did a fantastic job of cleaning up waste”, although it noticed that it was not so successful with dried dirt, which suggested that like most Robovac Mops is more of a wiper than a scrubber.
Just a wet wiping
It is rare to see, but some budget bots just have room to attach a wet wiping, which is then pulled across the floor. This is the least effective type of mop.
The pillows have a smooth surface rather than a gripping one and do very little using scrubbing. They also cannot be washed or reused, so you generate waste if you choose this mop style and you will need to be included in the ongoing cost of replacing cloths.
The most profiled brand to use this approach is Switchbot with its Mini Robovacs. I have not yet tested one of these models myself, and opinions are different about whether this kind of mopping is worth at all.
Our Switchbot K10+ Pro Mini Robot Vacuum Reviewer called it “Perfunctory at best” and commented that he couldn’t see anyone bothering to buy a new set of wet dryer when the included package run out.
However, my teammate cat elli’s setup finds useful for everyday cleaning: “It is certainly not a substitute for proper mop, but I have found it very convenient to keep everyday dust under control of my dark floors (which emerges to recently.”
Is mopping something good?
In general, my experience is that robotic vacuum topping is good enough to be a significant insert-parger-ice if you have lots of hard flooring that requires regular moping. They are good for cleaning everyday maintenance, but not good enough that you do not have to resort to manual cleaning occasionally.
Regardless of mop type, I would not let one tackle a big waste (it will get stuck on the mop cloth and end up being spread around the floor) or a dried stain (the bot scrub hard enough to clear it).
Do my blankets get wet?
Maybe – depends on which model you are looking for. Mid-range robotic wacuum and above can often detect when they go over the blanket and lift their mop pads so they don’t pull. Some Premium bots have magnetic mops that they get rid of the dock when they are tasked with vacuuming carpet.
However, cheaper, more basic robot wacuum pulls their damp mop pads over blankets if you do not remove them. On some, the water is automatically ‘on’ when the mop pad and/or the water tank is attached, so you will have to close the bot in the room you need so it does not try to give your blankets and blankets the same treatment.
Will Mopers start smelling?
If you leave them moist and don’t clean them, yes. More basic robot wacuum will have to have their mop pads removed to dry after moping, and you also want hand washing them or driving them through the washing machine fairly regularly to keep them fresh and hygienic.
More advanced robot wacuum has docks taking care of some mop maintenance for you. For example, they may wash the mop pads – sometimes with warm water, to cut through fat – and wipe them off too. It cuts the amount of intervention required from you. However, you pay extra for these kinds of features.
Can you use floor cleaner?
Sometimes, but generally no. Most hybridrobotvakuum recommends that you just use water, even if it is worth checking the manufacturer’s instructions on whether it is okay to mix the cleaning solution.
The most advanced bots will Let yourself use cleaning fluid, but they will emphasize that only their proprietary detergent is allowed and it is always very expensive. Some will have a cleaning fluid tank that sits next to water tanks in the dock and dispenses liquid evenly when BOT’s boarding tank is refilled.
