Topic
Bags & spares
Dock bags, filters, side brushes, main brushes and mop pads wear out. Using the right part for the exact model keeps suction and mopping working as they should.
- Bags
- Model-specific
- Filters
- Often every few months
Buy bags, filters and brushes for the exact model; docks from the same maker often use different bags. Many makers sell kits with a season of spares.
Clean the cliff sensors, the charging contacts and the wheels from time to time. A robot that stops docking or turns back at thresholds often only needs its sensors wiped.
Common mistakes
- Fitting a bag from a different dock that does not seal.
- Washing a filter the maker says should only be tapped clean.
Guides on this topic
- Shark robot vacuum error codes and fixesShark robot vacuum error codes explained by type: brush and wheel jams, cliff sensors, bumper, dustbin, battery and charging, with fixes in order.Fix
- Roomba not working or will not run: fixesWhy an iRobot Roomba will not run or keeps stopping, from brush jams and dirty sensors to error numbers, battery and Home Base faults, with fixes.Fix
- Robot vacuum won't dock or keeps returning to the dockFixes for a robot vacuum that cannot find its dock, misses the contacts or keeps going back mid-clean, from dock clearance to sensors, battery and maps.Fix
- When to replace robot vacuum brushes, filters and mopsA part by part replacement schedule for robot vacuum brushes, filters, mop pads and dock bags, with typical maker intervals and signs a part is worn.Guide
- Robot vacuum not charging: causes and fixesWhy a robot vacuum stops charging, from dirty contacts and dock position to the power switch and a worn battery, with checks in order from simplest.Fix
- Robot vacuum making a loud noise: causes and fixesIs your robot vacuum's noise normal? Tell the short self-empty roar apart from grinding brushes, clicking wheels, a whining fan or rattles, and fix each one.Fix
- Robot vacuum dock bags: sizes, fit and how often to change themDock bag sizes in litres for Dreame, Eufy, Xiaomi, Tapo and Lefant robots, genuine versus compatible bags, and which bases are bagless.Guide
- How to replace a robot vacuum batterySigns your robot vacuum battery is worn, how to match voltage and connector, how to swap it step by step, and how to recycle the old lithium-ion pack.How-to
- How to reset a robot vacuumHow to soft reset, Wi-Fi reset and factory reset a robot vacuum, with the general pattern for Shark, Ecovacs, Eufy, Roborock and iRobot models.How-to
- How to clean a robot vacuum and its dockClean your robot vacuum's brushes, filter, sensors, lidar window, mop tray and dirty-water tank with this simple weekly and monthly routine.How-to
- How long do robot vacuums last?How long a robot vacuum lasts depends on the battery, brushes and how you look after it. See which parts wear first and which you can replace yourself.Guide
- Eufy RoboVac troubleshooting and error codesFix a Eufy RoboVac that stops, beeps or shows an error: the main fault types, from wheels and brushes to the suction fan and charging, in simple order.Fix