Robotic Vacuum Cleaners And Scattered Cat Litter?

[Anne]

We're looking into buying one and my husband is worried about the scattered litter that we usually have around the boxes. Does anyone have one of these and can comment on how it deals with litter?

We're looking into Roomba/irobot models specifically so if anyone has tried these, that would be awesome.

 

[Norachan]

I don't have one. My sister used to have one and apparently they don't do very well if you have long haired dogs that shed a lot. The poor Roomba choked and died on all the fur.

No idea about how they cope with cat litter though.

 

[betsygee]

We had one. It handled the litter well and really helped with picking up the cat hair around the floors. The problem we had was it was constantly picking up little cat toys and cords from wand toys. We also have several Persian rugs with fringes and it would get tangled up in those.

If you're good at keeping small things off of the floor, unlike us, it should do fine.

 

[x-ta-z]

We have a one called "eufy" for exactly that reason. We chose that brand as it was a lot cheaper than most of the known brands and received a lot of good reviews. We don't have carpets so no idea how it would work on those but for laminate it works well. We use the natural cat's best litter and it does quite well in picking it up, though it sometimes "shoots" it to the side (it uses these swirling brushes like a street cleaner) but eventually it picks everything up. Not had a problem with it choking on hair yet.... my only criticism is that it isn't very structured in it's cleaning approach - so it often covers the same area multiple times and doesn't cover all areas unless you let it run for a long time...

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I first bought a Roomba. I tried it at home and was satisfied, although there was no cat litter for it to catch. It worked well on my hardwoods and vinyl. It would make an easy transition from the bare floors to the rug runners. It didn't come with a remote so I returned it to the store and bought a Shark 720 model. I had a $50 off coupon so was able to get it for around $250 at the Target store. It came with remote, an extra filter and extra brush. I keep it by the back door from the kitchen to the porch. Sometimes I sit a litter box there to clean it so there is litter on the floor. I turn on the robot and it picks up the litter with no problem.

Both the Shark and the Roomba came with instructions to clear areas where you see the machine having struggles. The Shark came with some magnetic strips to lay down on the floor where it might get stuck. I use those at tne corners of the living room furniture as it is Lazy Boy's that don't come all the way to the floor. I have entry way rugs that I pick up from the floor and some rag rugs by my beds that I also remove from the floors.

Did you buy one yet Anne ? My recommendation would be to make sure you are at home the first time you use it. That way you can see if the machine is going to have any problems getting stuck. Then you might want to program it and let it clean while you are away. I d on't use that feature as I am home during the day and don't mind having it run while I spiffy up the bathrooms. Also, the online instructions for my Shark said to let it charge the first time for at least three hours. The included instructions didn't say that. So whatever you buy, you might want to check the online instruction at the website.
I think you will love it. I am searching, trying to find another one for my upstairs room at a good price. Happy cleaning.

 

[x-ta-z]

I forgot to add - be careful of running it when you aren't home if you have notorious vomiters or occasional poop scooters like I have. The machine would not be able to tell the difference and could spread the mess around!

 

[Anne]

Thanks, everyone! We borrowed my MIL's roomba for the weekend so we're giving it a try. I work from home so I keep an eye on it. So far, so good. I just need to stop talking out loud to the little guy

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

The suggestion from another member about poop on the floor is a good reminder. I have heard some horror stories about the robots spreading dog poop.

 

[AbbysMom]

I just need to stop talking out loud to the little guy

I can picture myself doing that.

 

[LittleQuill]

I was always curious about the robot cleaners too! For those of you that do have one, are they worth the investment? Do they have a habit of running into walls and furniture? Or does the sensor they're said to have really work? How long can they run around the house before they need to charge? How long do they take to charge? Would you ever go back to a regular vacuum cleaner? I'd really like to try one one day!

 

[Anne]

I think it really depends on the model LittleQuill . We're giving my MIL's Roomba i500 a trial here this week. It does bump into walls and furniture as part of making its rounds but it doesn't cause any damage in the process. It is a very old model though. I don't think they sell that one anymore (at least on Amazon they don't). Maybe more advanced models have better sensors?
I do like the fact that I can just press one button and forget about it until it's done. We've decided we're going to get one of our own. This model looks very promising but it's probably not within our budget. We may look for something other than an actual roomba.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I am the vacuum robot !
I use a Sears Craftsman wet/dry shop vac with 1-7/8" hose . That thing will pull in a sock ! Very powerful and great for homes with pets . $49.00 .

( sorry - I do not make house calls )

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I have the Shark 720 model. LittleQuill It is worth every dollar I spent. Yes, it does bump into some things, but it turns around and moves. This one comes with a roll that you can cut off in strips. They are magnetic. You lay them on the floor where you think the machine might get stuck. As I stated in my earlier post, the instructions say to pick up things that might be a problem, loose change, paper clips, etc. I am shocked every time I clean the little thing. It really does pick up a lot of things. I will say this. I don't think it takes the place of a regular vacuum. This is something to use when you don't have time to do a thorough vacuum. But in a small area, apartment, mobile home. It might be all you need. My house is 2000 square. I would have to turn it on every day to keep things decent. I am seriously considering buying a second one and seeing if the two would keep my house clean enough I wouldn't have to use the Electrolux.

 

[LittleQuill]

~ I am the vacuum robot !
I use a Sears Craftsman wet/dry shop vac with 1-7/8" hose . That thing will pull in a sock ! Very powerful and great for homes with pets . $49.00 .

( sorry - I do not make house calls )

Haha, damn. And here I was, hoping to hire your services. Won't you visit for a quote?

I have both a Hoover Pet, a Dyson, and a Bissel carpet shampooer, and they're all very good, and I use them all regularly. (Yaay for rentals with cream carpets. Whoever said renting out houses with carpets that show up EVERYTHING needs to be very hurt. So much work.)

I have the Shark 720 model. LittleQuill It is worth every dollar I spent. Yes, it does bump into some things, but it turns around and moves. This one comes with a roll that you can cut off in strips. They are magnetic. You lay them on the floor where you think the machine might get stuck. As I stated in my earlier post, the instructions say to pick up things that might be a problem, loose change, paper clips, etc. I am shocked every time I clean the little thing. It really does pick up a lot of things. I will say this. I don't think it takes the place of a regular vacuum. This is something to use when you don't have time to do a thorough vacuum. But in a small area, apartment, mobile home. It might be all you need. My house is 2000 square. I would have to turn it on every day to keep things decent. I am seriously considering buying a second one and seeing if the two would keep my house clean enough I wouldn't have to use the Electrolux.

Thanks for the information. Yours sounds pretty good! I'll definitely look into it. Do your cats like it? I've seen so many videos of cats hitching a ride on them. Lol. Some people also name them, I've heard. Did you name yours?