Roomba Won’t Clean/Pick Up/Vacuum Very Well

Roombas are a fantastic tool to have in your home. Vacuuming is widely considered one of the most boring chores, and thus many people don’t vacuum as much as they should. Roombas keep floors nice and tidy without you lifting a finger, but like with any vacuum, their performance can dwindle for seemingly no reason.

If your Roomba is not vacuuming effectively, a common issue could be a clogged or obstructed brush roll. Over time, hair, string, and other debris can wrap around the brush, reducing its effectiveness in picking up dirt. To fix this, first turn off and unplug your Roomba. Then, remove the brush roll by unscrewing or unlatching it according to your model’s instructions. Clean away all entangled debris and reattach the brush roll securely. Power on your Roomba and test to see if it is now vacuuming as it should.

Another reason why your Roomba may not be vacuuming could be due to a dirty or clogged filter. A full or clogged filter can restrict airflow, affecting the vacuuming performance. To resolve this issue, locate the filter compartment, usually found in the dustbin, and remove the filter. Clean it by tapping it against a hard surface to remove loose debris. If the filter is visibly worn or damaged, consider replacing it with a new one.

Battery issues can also result in reduced vacuuming effectiveness. If your Roomba’s battery is old or faulty, the device may not have enough power to operate at full capacity. To diagnose this, place your Roomba on its charging station and allow it to charge fully. If the battery doesn’t hold a charge or if the device still performs poorly after a full charge, you may need to replace the battery. Purchase a compatible battery from a trusted supplier and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for replacement.

Roomba Not Picking Up: Causes/How to Fix

Roombas are very appealing pieces of tech. They literally vacuum for you, which is one step towards robots taking care of many household chores, but for now, we have vacuuming covered.

There are many problems a Roomba can have even if they are generally well-made, but today, we will be covering the core aspect of one – its cleaning ability.

Generally, a Roomba works very well. It automatically navigates a room and picks up debris along the way as long as it isn’t unreasonably large. It should be able to pick up your typical stuff such as pet hair and dust with no trouble – it was designed for this purpose, after all.

But when it suddenly starts to perform poorly, what do you do? First off, Roombas require some amount of maintenance. They aren’t entirely set and forget. Sure, they are so advanced that they charge themselves, but they still require human maintenance in the form of cleaning them.

Cleaning the Cleaner

First and foremost, when addressing a Roomba that is starting not to pick up debris, the first thing to ask yourself if you’ve been maintaining it. The rudder brushes should be regularly cleaned to ensure optimal performance. If there is old debris blocking new debris from entering, then you can guess that the cleaning efficiency will be diminished.

Hair and debris can start to wrap around the brushes, which will require manual removal. Right now, there isn’t a feature for a Roomba to clean itself until tech gets more advanced; thus, it needs to be cleaned manually.

iRobot recommends cleaning the brushes once per week and twice per week for homes with pets. Additionally, the brushes themselves should be replaced every 6 to 12 months.

The filter is another part of a Roomba that requires relatively frequent maintenance. The filter’s responsibility is to filter out all the dust and dirt in the air as the vacuum is doing its job. The vacuum has to expel that air back out without all that debris, and thus that is why the filter is there.

If you aren’t regularly cleaning the filter, what the vacuum is trying to pick up will simply be pushed around. Thus that is the reason why your Roomba might not be cleaning as well as you would like. iRobot recommends cleaning it once per week and twice per week in homes with pets, just like the brushes.

Furthermore, ensure you are emptying the bin regularly; this is another common reason why a vacuum, in general, will not pick up well.

Roomba Not Picking Up Dirt: Causes/How to Fix

A Roomba will fail to pick up dirt if either the brush or filter isn’t being regularly maintained. Roomba recommends cleaning both once per week if your home doesn’t have pets and twice per week if it does.

You should be replacing the filter every 2 months and the brush every 6 to 12 months, depending on how frequently you use the Roomba and if you have pets or not.

Roomba Not Picking Up Hair: Causes/How to Fix

Hair is tricky for any vacuum to pick up, but they usually can do it without issue. However, over time the hair will start to wrap around the brushes, blocking new hair from being sucked up. iRobot recommends cleaning the brushes twice per week if you are picking up hair.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 3, 2020.

Roomba Not Picking Up Pet Hair: Causes/How to Fix

If you have a pet, you’ll know that there is quite a bit of hair to clean up, especially when shedding. Roombas generally pick up pet hair quite well, but if too much hair gets wrapped around the cleaning brushes, that will block new air from coming in. Furthermore, dry environments make it harder for the vacuum to pick up hair due to the built-up static. A humidifier can help with this.

iRobot recommends cleaning the brushes twice per week if you have pets.

Roomba Not Suctioning: Causes/How to Fix

If your Roomba is not sucking up dirt effectively, a common issue could be a clogged or blocked air pathway. Over time, dirt, dust, and debris can accumulate in the vacuum’s airflow system, reducing its suction capabilities. To resolve this issue, turn off and unplug your Roomba. Open the dustbin and remove the filter. Inspect the air pathway for blockages and clean out any visible obstructions using a soft brush or cloth. Reinsert the filter, attach the dustbin back into the Roomba, power it on, and check to see if the suction has improved.

Another possible reason for a Roomba not sucking effectively is a worn-out or damaged rubber seal located around the vacuum’s air intake. The rubber seal ensures an airtight seal, which is crucial for optimal suction. If the rubber seal is damaged, suction power will be compromised. To fix this, locate the rubber seal and inspect it for wear or damage. If it appears worn out, you may need to replace it with a new one, which you can obtain from an authorized Roomba parts supplier.

Faulty or degraded motors can also result in your Roomba’s poor suction performance. Motors in older Roomba models or units that have been used extensively can lose efficiency, affecting suction power. To troubleshoot this issue, listen for any unusual sounds coming from the motor while the Roomba is operating. A weakened or sputtering motor may indicate that it needs replacement. If this is the case, contact Roomba customer service or a qualified repair technician to replace the motor.

Roomba Not Cleaning Well: Causes/How to Fix

If your Roomba isn’t picking up on rugs, carpet, or hard floors, ask yourself when was the last time you cleaned the brushes and filter. iRobot recommends cleaning both at least once per week if you do not have pets and twice if you do. Also, ensure you are emptying the bin regularly.

Roomba Not Cleaning Carpet: Causes/How to Fix

Roombas perform well on carpet generally, but if you’ve been noticing that it isn’t cleaning as well as it should, this could indicate that the brushes and filter need to be cleaned or even replaced. Both should be cleaned at least once a week or twice if you have pets. Furthermore, more filters should be replaced every 2 months and the brush every 6 to 12 months.

Roomba Won’t Clean Rug: Causes/How to Fix

The vacuuming power of your Roomba should increase when going over rugs and carpet. If it’s not, first check to see if the right vacuuming behavior is selected on the iRobot app. If you have the right settings and it still isn’t cleaning correctly, this could indicate that the brushes and filter need to be cleaned.

Both should be cleaned once a week if you are regularly using it and twice a week if you have pets. Furthermore, the brushes should be replaced every 6 to 12 months and the filter every 2 months.

Final Thoughts

Roombas are great products that work the vast majority of the time without issue. If you hate vacuuming manually but still want clean floors, they are worthwhile and will improve your quality of life. But they aren’t totally hands-free and need to be maintained by the user on a weekly basis.

A Roomba not picking up comes down to not cleaning the brushes and filter at least once per week (twice if you have pets) or replacing them after a certain period of time. iRobot recommends replacing the filter every 2 months and the brushes every 6 to 12 months.