How To Choose a Robot Vacuum for Garage Floors?

Garages are an oft-forgotten frontier of household cleaning, a liminal space between the indoors and outdoors where cobwebs, clutter and remnants of the outside tracked in by cars accumulate. But the age of robotic helpers is upon us, and they’ve come to rescue garages from the clutches of disarray. I’m talking about robot vacuums, those tireless machines with the ability to navigate labyrinthine garage layouts and leave them spotless. In this article, we’ll delve into the features of garage-cleaning robots, exploring the features that make them successful.

Do Robot Vacuums Work for Garages?

Yes, robotic vacuums can be used to clean garage floors, which are typically paved with concrete or other hard materials like rubber, PVC, vinyl, or tile floors. Garage owners often face challenges like accumulated dirt, oil stains, and clutter from tools and equipment. Dust and debris can quickly build up, making the space difficult to maintain. Poor ventilation can exacerbate dust issues, while hard-to-reach areas and heavy items stored in a garage can make cleaning more complicated. 

Compared to a leaf blower or shop vacuum, garage vacuum robots have the upper hand in terms of hands-free operation, smart obstacle navigation, and the ability to simultaneously vacuum and mop, among other features.

Best DEEBOT Robot Vacuums For Garages

DEEBOT X5 PRO OMNI

The DEEBOT X5 PRO OMNI offers a nearly hands-free cleaning experience. Let the device do the dirty work for you while all that is required of the user is emptying the dust bin and dirty water tank, and refilling the clean water tank, every few weeks or months1. One of the core technologies of this model is its intelligent obstacle avoidance, courtesy the AINA 2.0 Intelligent Navigation Model, which plots the most efficient and safest path through your garage and moves around obstructions like cables, storage boxes, and car supplies. As an extra precaution, users can programme no-go zones or restricted areas using the intuitive ECOVACS HOME app. Its TruEdge Adaptive Edge Mopping feature ensures precise edge cleaning with a minimum 1mm proximity, while its Continuously Variable Mop Extender technology ensures the device’s mopping pads remain consistently close to edges for thorough cleaning. This D-shaped gadget also combines the best aspects of round and square robot vacuums and cleans corners in the most efficient possible manner.

DEEBOT T30S COMBO

One of the best robot vacuums for garage floors from ECOVACS, the all-new DEEBOT T30S COMBO robot vacuum and mop, efficiently handles dust, dirt and oil, all while adapting to potential obstacles to deliver an exceptional cleaning experience in garages. The robot garage floor cleaner’s innovative hot water mop washing dissolves dirt and oil with 70°C water, for hands-free mopping and minimal odour and bacterial growth. The gadget also comes with an Intelligent Deep Mopping mode that detects and automatically re-mops extremely dirty areas for a thorough clean. Featuring TrueDetect 3D 3.0 for precise object recognition and anti-collision, the TrueMapping 2.0 feature — which can be activated by saying “OK YIKO” to wake the YIKO virtual assistant or via the ECOVACS HOME app — allows the smart device to map the entire garage in minutes.

DEEBOT N20 PLUS

Another robot vacuum option for garages from ECOVACS is the DEEBOT N20 PRO PLUS. This auto vacuum and mop is especially suitable for packed garages, as it can clear thresholds and obstructions up to 20mm high. It uses advanced algorithms for millimetre-level obstacle detection and real-time distance measurement to ensure intelligent cleaning planning with enhanced accuracy and coverage. And thanks to the OZMO’s Vibrating Mopping System and 220ml water tank that ensures continuous wetness, it tackles even the most stubborn grease and grime so that garage floors are left sparklingly clean.

Why Do You Need a Robot Garage Vacuum Cleaner?

Robot garage vacuum cleaners are a practical solution for keeping your garage tidy as they can handle a variety of hard surfaces generally found in these spaces, such as concrete and cement floors, as well as epoxy-coated surfaces and tile. They’re equipped with sensors to navigate around tools, boxes, and other stored items, and can efficiently pick up debris from rough and smooth surfaces alike. Plus, they're designed to handle scattered dirt, dust, gravel, and even oil stains, so you don’t have to sweep the garage yourself.

These devices can also adapt to different conditions and debris types commonly found in garages, such as leaves, sawdust, and tiny metal shavings from DIY projects. Their powerful suction and high-capacity dustbin allow them to manage larger messes compared to regular indoor models. These vacuums often feature durable wheels and treads that allow them to roll smoothly over cracks or textured concrete, ensuring they reach every corner without getting stuck. Many models even include HEPA filters that capture fine dust particles and allergens, resulting in improved air quality in your garage.

How Can Cleaning Robots Work Best in Your Garage?

Because they are particularly designed for cleaning indoor living spaces, cleaning robots floor cleaners face a set of challenges when it comes to working on garages, such as tackling areas filled with boxes, tools, and sports equipment. However, they are more than up to the task, especially when it comes to managing uneven and rugged surfaces, and can effectively handle outdoor elements like pebbles, leaves, a bit of mud — and even the occasional litter box! These gadgets are designed to navigate potential oil spills, car repair messes, and DIY project debris, all while operating in low-light areas and adapting to varying temperatures. To help you get the most out of your robot vacuum cleaner in the garage, here are some practical tips to boost its performance and efficiency.

Remove damaging obstacles

First, remove anything that could hinder your smart vacuum cleaner’s performance. Garage-cleaning robots have no issue handling sawdust, leaves, and dry dirt. They can, however, be damaged by certain materials such as oil, water, mud, small pieces of metal like screws, or large wood chips. Although DEEBOT smart vacuums utilise advanced obstacle detection sensors to detect debris down to 2mm across (certain models can even do this in the dark), an important best practice for using robot vacuums in garages is to remove obstacles that could damage the device’s internal parts or get stuck in the suction vent.

Set up virtual boundaries

Many automatic vacuums offer a boundary feature where users can set invisible ‘walls’ or no-go zones that the robot cannot cross. This is generally done using tape or in DEEBOTs’ case, with virtual boundaries on the mobile app. In a garage setting, this can be helpful for avoiding sensitive areas like shelves with fragile objects. Users can also set personalized cleaning modes by zone (e.g., vacuum-only, vacuum-mop, higher suction power, etc.). They can, for instance, set stronger suction around a workstation. If you’re wondering how to block your robot vacuum from accessing specific areas in your garage, you can download the companion app, get the device to map your home, and create no-go zones in restricted parts of the space.

Pre-schedule cleaning

Set a schedule for the garage vacuum robot to clean on certain days at certain times. Unlike indoor spaces, where users frequent the space more and can see if something has been dirtied, garages go for long stretches of time, sometimes days or weeks, without eyes being laid on them. Smart vacuums can automatically hoover up the daily accumulated dust, debris, and micro-particles on pre-set days, therefore maintaining purer air¹.

Position docking station

Consider placing another docking station inside the garage. This will limit the need for the user to carry the robotic floor cleaner in and out for every cleaning session, especially if the garage is only accessible via stairs in houses with multiple floors. For example, DEEBOT robot garage vacuums have intelligent charging wherein they return to the base station to charge when they fall low on battery during a task. Automation, arguably the most important part of auto vacuums, is greatly reduced if the robot vacuum in the garage can’t independently access its charging dock and make the best use of its auto-empty feature.

Secure loose objects and cables

The next way to optimise robotic vacuums for garage floors is to wrap up loose cords and move obstacles away from the walls. This will not only allow the smart home devices to better reach wall edges and corners , but consolidating potential obstacles will potentially help them clean faster as they can then spend less time analysing objects and changing their paths.

Maintain the robot vacuum

Finally, a bit of maintenance of your garage robot vacuum cleaner will keep it working better for longer. Wipe the front sensors with a dry, clean cloth every few weeks or months (depending on how dirty your garages get), clean the brushes with a toothbrush or water if the material allows, and empty the base station's dustbin regularly. Note that the vacuum’s brushes may wear out faster if used frequently on concrete floors.

FAQ

Disclaimer(s):

1. Purer air: ECOVACS’ DEEBOT robotic vacuum filters have a 99.99% antibacterial effect on common bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus). Test data from a third-party authoritative laboratory.