Why Does My Roomba Keep Telling Me to Clean Brushes?

 

Roomba and the iRobot brand is the most popular at-home robot that has built up a very loyal user base of people who love their products. These robot vacuums are great at keeping your home nice and clean without having to do all the work yourself.

However, part of the job of owning one of these Roomba vacuum cleaners involves having to clean it’s brushes before they get clogged with hair and stop functioning properly.

They offer different brush cleaners and cleaning tools on their website; but more often than not, you can use household items like salt and vinegar to help get your Roomba back into shape to help save you some money.

Your Roomba may start alerting you to clean it’s brushes and you may ask, “Why does my Roomba keep telling me to clean brushes?” We know why!

The main reasons why a Roomba may tell you to clean it’s brushes is because it has hair and debris stuck in the brushes, rubbers can get damaged, anti-vibration element may get loose, the motor that drives the brushes could be damaged, there’s a problem with it’s sensors, the battery is depleted, the brushes are stripped, the upper brush may be bent, the battery is overheating, the motor is overworked or the brushes could be broken.

Let’s get into detail of each of the top 11 reasons why your Roomba keeps telling you to clean it’s brushes!

 

11 Top Reasons Why Your Roomba Keeps Telling You to Clean It’s Brushes?

 

1. Hair and debris get stuck in the brushes

 

The brushes inside the Roomba are made up of two rubber circles. The first one is the upper brush, which sweeps in the stationary-unit area, and the second one is the lower brush that sweeps in revolving-unit area.

Hair and debris which is stuck in the brushes may force them to move backwards and not cause it to clean better.

2. Rubbers can get damaged.

 

The brushes inside the Roomba are made up of two rubber circles. The first one is the upper brush, which sweeps in the stationary-unit area, and the second one is the lower brush that sweeps in revolving-unit area.

Hair and debris which is stuck in the brushes may force them to move backwards and not cause it to clean better.

As they begin to wear out, they’re likely to become more prone to damage by other materials such as plastic pieces or even static electricity caused by touching a dryer sheet during cleaning.

 

3. Anti-vibration elements may get loose.

 

The brushes inside the Roomba are made up of two rubber circles. The first one is the upper brush, which sweeps in the stationary-unit area, and the second one is the lower brush that sweeps in revolving-unit area. Hair and debris which is stuck in the brushes may force them to move backwards and not cause it to clean better.

As they begin to wear out, they’re likely to become more prone to damage by other materials such as plastic pieces or even static electricity caused by touching a dryer sheet during cleaning.

 

4. The motor that drives the brushes could be damaged.

 

Motor damage, is the main reason for why does my Roomba keep telling me to clean brushes. This could happen because of too much hair or materials such as hair and other small items that are stuck in the upper brush or lower brush.

When this happens, it will force the motor to run abnormally fast and will make a burning smell. The motors which control each unit may be damaged if both units stop working together at the same time; it may have become bent if only one unit stops working.

 

5. There’s a problem with the sensors that tell the robot where it’s located.

 

The sensor on each side of the Roomba are used by its software to decide if it is safe to drive in a certain area or not, example is when you get close to the edge or slide under your bed. They will be avoided by the Roomba because its software is designed that way.

The cleaning system does not move forward until it has mapped out which areas are safe and which aren’t, then moves on from there. If they cannot be programmed correctly, it is likely that the cleaning system will get damaged and the brushes won’t be able to move properly.

 

6. The battery could be depleted.

 

The Roomba needs a lot of power to function optimally, and when it runs out of charge, its programming computer will begin to function incorrectly and may make a buzzing sound when you press the Roomba’s buttons.

A sure sign that there’s a battery problem is if your Roomba begins to drive itself in circles instead of making its way in one direction when it is charged up; this can also happen when there’s no charger connected to it.

 

7. The brushes could be stripped.

 

If there’s a lot of hair, or even some other object in the upper brush, while it is cleaning itself, it is likely that the rubber will not be able to grip onto the hair properly and may cause it to emerge out of the brush after getting cleaned.

This will then cause your Roomba to stop its operation before it can finish cleaning itself. It is best for you to keep these brushes clean at all times.

 

8. The upper brush may be bent on its side.

 

If the upper brush’s rubber circle bends to the side on its own, it is likely that it has become damaged and unable to sweep properly. It’s best to avoid having your Roomba overheat itself if this happens. The solution is to order replacement brushes to replace the ones that have become damaged.

 

9. The battery may be overheating.

 

When your Roomba won’t charge up properly, and it gets really hot instead of staying cool while charging, this could mean that there’s a problem with the battery itself; probably because there is no cooling fan inside its plastic case.

The battery may also be damaged if it has been exposed to heat from the sun or sunlight for too long; this could extend its lifespan needs be replaced.

 

10. The motor may be overworked.

 

When the Roomba begins to work properly again, and the brushes don’t move as they should, it’s likely that not all of its rubber components have been pure enough during manufacturing, and this is causing it to stop working easily. It is best to fully charge its battery to prevent this from happening.

 

11. The brushes could be broken.

 

When there is a lot of debris or hair inside the brushes, this can damage them, and when it does, your Roomba may not be able to move in one direction or another for quite some time; it will just keep spinning in circles until its batteries run out.

This can be easily fixed by ordering replacement brushes from its manufacturer website before contacting a service center so that you can avoid having your Roomba fixed by a third party person.

Why Does My Roomba Keep Telling Me To Clean Brushes – Final Thoughts!

In conclusions, why does my Roomba keep telling me to clean brushes? It can be caused by a few conditions; you may need to order replacement brushes to help fix it.

In most cases, if the Roomba keeps telling you to clean brushes and stops moving on its own, it’s best to order new brushes because they can be sold as a set of two.

If you enjoyed this article! Check out our Why Does My Roomba Die Before Docking? article here!