Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Robot vacuum cleaners are a huge time-saver. Plug them into the charger, program a schedule, and your floors will be cleaned without you having to do much more than empty the dust collector box every few days.

But every so often it's a good idea to give your robovac a service.

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What does this involve? 

Basically, this involves giving it a clean and replacing any consumables that are worn out.

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What materials will you need to do this job?

• Tools -- Robot vacuum cleaners come with a brush and a cutter to remove tangled hair that builds up around the brushes.
• Consumables -- These include filters and brushes, and you usually get a few with the robovac.
• Soft cloth -- For wiping.
• Q-tips -- For getting into crevices.
• Isopropyl alcohol -- For general cleaning.

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• 6 things you can do to give your devices a spring cleaning
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Why you need to clean a robot vacuum cleaner

OK, let's take a look at myEufy RoboVac X8 . This has been in service for about six months, and while I've kept this clean, it's time for a deeper service. 

It's a bit dirty and dusty.

My Eufy RoboVac X8 is in need of a bit of a clean.

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And the brushes are getting a bit clogged with hair and debris.

The brushes -- that do a lot of the hard work -- are a bit clogged with hair.

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Muck can hide in the smallest of crevices.

Hair and dirt can accumulate in random spots.

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And there's the dust collection box.

The dust collection box.

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There's a lot of awfulness in here that needs cleaning. That filter is looking quite clogged.

The dust collection box, especially the filter, needs a good clean.

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How to clean your robovac

1. Collect any cleaning tools that came with it

The great thing about the Eufy RoboVac X8 is that there's a cleaning tool built into the dust box that has a cutting blade on one end and a brush on the other. This is really handy because I don't need to remember where the tool is!

The cleaning tool.

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2. Take out the roller brush

The roller brush is held in place with little clips on most robovacs. If you're in any doubt about how to take apart your robot vacuum, consult your manual! Another good tip is to take photos before you take anything apart: That way you know how to put it back together!

Clips hold the brush in place.

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Lots of dirt on the brush, and around it!

Lots to clean here!

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3. Using the cutter, carefully remove hair and clean the brush.

Cutting away the tangled hair and threads off the brush.

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Get as much of the hair off the roller as possible.

Lots of hair can build up on the roller, and it's a good idea to remove as much of it as possible.

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4. Gather supplies for some deep cleaning 

You'll want a soft cloth, Q-tips, and diluted isopropyl alcohol -- Don't pour the isopropyl alcohol on the robovac! Instead put a small amount on the cloth.

Getting ready for deep cleaning

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5. Clean the charging contacts.

Giving the charging contacts a wipe.

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6. Give the optical sensors a wipe too.

Cleaning the optical sensors.

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7. Clean any air vents. 

These are important in keeping the vacuum cleaner running well.

Brushing out any air vents.

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8. Clean the inside of the robovac with a cloth.

Getting into the belly of the robovac!

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9. Take the dust collector and filter outdoors to clean, if you can. 

These are pretty dirty and it's best to do this outside! Brush out the filter carefully. With care, it's possible to keep reusing the filter for a year or so (your manual will tell you what the recommended life of the filter is).

Now time to tackle the dust collector and filter.

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10. Come back inside and clean the box. 

With a touch of isopropyl alcohol on your cloth, wipe it down.

Looking good!

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11. Give the outside of the robovac a wipe.

Wiping down the outside!

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12. Don't forget to give the charging base a wipe-down! 

Pay attention to the charging contacts and the lens for the sensor that allows the robovac to find the charging base.

Giving the charging base a wipe down.

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13. Finally, remember to put the cleaning tools away!

Put the tools away so you can find them the next time you need them!

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All done!

Finished the clean! The robovac is ready for more cleaning duties!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

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