How to Get Roomba to Clean the Whole House? (10 Easy Hacks)

A Roomba vacuum is a great home cleaning tool, but it might not be as thorough as you want it to be.

No worries—there are several ways you can make your Roomba clean your whole house.

Here are some easy ways to get your Roomba to clean your whole house instead of the usual one room or area at a time!

Dealing with the Problems

get roomba to clean whole house

Before diving into those hacks that will let your Roomba clean the whole house, you may want to know what will prevent your vacuum from doing so.

One thing that can prevent your Roomba from cleaning your whole house is obstacles. If there are too many obstacles in the way, the Roomba will get stuck and won’t be able to continue cleaning.

Another thing that can prevent your Roomba from cleaning your whole house is Virtual Wall Sensors. These sensors tell the Roomba where it can and can’t go, so if you have them turned on, the Roomba won’t be able to clean specific areas of your house.

Wires can also prevent your Roomba from cleaning your whole house. If there are wires in the way, the Roomba might get tangled up and be unable to continue cleaning.

How to get Roomba to clean the Whole house?

  • Plan a cleaning schedule and frequency.
  • Clear the floor of obstacles.
  • Use virtual barriers or close doors to limit access to specific areas.
  • Check for thresholds or ledges that the Roomba may struggle with.
  • Position the charging dock in a central location.
  • Empty the dustbin and maintain the Roomba regularly.
  • Charge it fully before starting a new cleaning season.

1. Clear any clutter from its path

Before you can expect your Roomba to do a good job, you must clear the clutter. Pick up loose items off the floor and ensure there are no cords or other obstacles in their way.

Put any cords or cables in high places where they won’t get sucked up by the vacuum head or trapped in wheels (e.g., behind a desk)

2. Schedule daily cleanings

Another way to ensure your Roomba cleans your whole house is to schedule it to clean every day. That way, it will never miss a spot and improve its navigation capabilities.

You can set it up on a weekly or monthly schedule when you’re not home during the day.

You can also schedule daily cleanings with your Roomba so that it will automatically clean your house every day. Here’s how to do this:

  • Open the Roomba app and select your Robot.
  • Select settings and then select the days of the week you want your Roomba to clean and tap on the time you want it to start cleaning.

Once you’ve done this, your Roomba will clean your entire house every day at the specified time.

3. Know where your dirtiest areas are

Target those areas that tend to accumulate the most dirt first and ensure the Roomba doesn’t miss anything.

This could be high-traffic areas like living rooms and kitchens or places where your pets spend a lot of time. Once you know where the dirtiest areas are, you can take steps to make sure your Roomba covers them completely.

Place your Roomba in the dirtiest areas first to focus on them, then move on to the rest of the house.

4. Keep your Roomba in good condition

Roomba’s brushes help it gather dust or debris from the floor and send it to the dustbin. Try to replace the brushes and filters as needed and also ensure to empty the dustbin after each use.

Also, don’t forget to clean all the sensors in your vacuum.

It is said that the “sensor is the eye of the Roomba,” So if you leave your Roomba’s sensors dirty, it could create a variety of problems. Read this guide to clean your entire Roomba.

5. Set boundaries

Virtual walls are special devices that emit an infrared beam that tells your Roomba where to clean and where not to clean.

You can use virtual walls to create a virtual boundary around your entire house or areas you want your Roomba to clean. It can also help you keep your Roomba in certain areas or rooms. But if you notice that your Roomba is not cleaning a specific area, it might be due to the active virtual Wall.

Check if the virtual Wall is turned on. You may have used it for a cleaning period and then forgotten to turn it off. If it is, turn it off, and your Roomba will continue to clean that area.

Virtual Wall isn’t compatible with all Roombas models. Consult your user manual or get assistance from iRobot customers to care.

6. Charge it fully before starting a new cleaning season

Before starting a new cleaning season, ensure your vacuum has a full charge. A Roomba with a full charge will be able to clean for a longer time and will therefore be able to clean a larger area.

If you notice that your Roomba’s battery isn’t holding a charge, replace it with a new one. But before that, check out our complete guide to fix any charging issue on your Roomba!

7. Ensure all of your rooms are accessible

If you want your Roomba to be able to clean your entire house in one go, you need to make sure that all of your rooms are easily accessible. This means removing obstacles that might block the Roomba’s path, such as furniture or rugs.

You should also ensure that no cords or other objects are lying around that could get tangled up in the Roomba’s brushes. If you have a multi-level home, you’ll need to ensure that your Roomba can reach all the floors you want to clean.

8. Keep pets and children out of the way

Keep your pets and children out of the way while the Roomba is cleaning. The best way to do this is to put them in a room that the Roomba isn’t scheduled to clean.

That way, they can’t accidentally get in their way and disrupt the cleaning process.

9. Set the Roomba to “Clean All” mode.

Some of the most recent Roomba models have improved cleaning and mapping capabilities. Imprint Smart Maps, for example, are available on the Roomba I and S series.

This is such a technology that allows Roomba vacuum cleaners to analyze and adjust to your home.

However, the issue is that you may have forgot changing your Roomba’s cleaning method. Your Roomba may bypass rooms because it’s set to clean only specified areas. Check out your iRobot Home App and select “Clean All” to clean the entire house. 

10. Activate the “Edge Clean” feature.

Another excellent feature of Roomba is edge cleaning. This feature allows Roomba to clean every nook and cranny in your home. By the way, the “Edge Clean” option is turned on on all devices.

So, Ensure that the “Clean All” and “Edge Clean” buttons are turned on before configuring your Roomba to clean the entire house.

11. Make sure there’s enough light in every room

Some Roomba vacuum cleaners, like people, require light to run smoothly. They require light to detect things and take the necessary cleaning procedures.

Some Roombas, like the 960 and 980, require proper lighting to develop and capture holographic maps of your home.

In low-light settings, however, any Roomba with a photocell sensor will perform poorly. For this, your Roomba may not work as excepted. Make sure your home is well-lit using a Roomba with a photocell sensor.


F.A.Q.s

Q. How long does it take Roomba to clean a room?

Roomba can clean an entire level of your home, meaning it can clean several rooms in one go. The amount of time it takes to clean a room depends on the size of the room and the level of dirt and debris.

Generally, it takes the Roomba up to two hours to clean an entire level of a home. However, this time can vary depending on the size of the rooms and the amount of dirt and debris.

Q. Should I run my Roomba every day?

The answer may depend on a few factors. Such as,

  • The size of your home.
  • The amount of traffic in your home.
  • And your personal preferences.

You may only need to run your Roomba once or twice a week if you have a small home or apartment. Larger homes tend to have more traffic and may require more frequent cleaning.

But, if you have a larger home, you may want to run your Roomba daily or every other day. This will help keep your floors clean and free of dirt, dust, and other debris.