Generally, when your Roomba robot vacuum cleaner starts spinning around in circles, something might be blocking the wheels or sensors or stopping the vehicle from traveling in straight lines. Other reasons include the bumper sensors being dirty or software issues.
There are times when your Roomba keeps cleaning the same area back and forth or in circles, which is a genuine concern.
If none of the previously mentioned issues are causing your device to keep going in circles, there could be a problem with the gyroscope and other system parts.
This article will explain why your sophisticated robot vacuum suddenly starts acting in this manner and quick fixes for the issue.
Why Does My iRobot Vacuum Keep Going in Circles?
Even though there are several causes for this, I found the most frequent reasons.
Stuck Bumper
The bumper becoming caught is one of the most frequent problems people have with their Robot vacuum cleaners.
There are a few things you can do to resolve this irritating issue.
Check to see whether the bumper is genuinely trapped on anything before continuing. If so, carefully strip away anything impeding its free movement.
Malfunctioning Wheels
The wheels used in the robot vacuums are often made of rubber, which degrades over time due to continual use.
In this situation, your Roomba will need help to maneuver efficiently and will keep circling the same area.
Therefore, You should examine the state of the wheels, and if a problem is discovered, you should install new wheels.
Dirty Cliff Sensors
You should check the sensors equipped with sensors that alert robot vacuums when something is blocking its path. The bumper can sometimes become stuck when these sensors are dusty or out of alignment.
Consider wiping the sensors down with a soft cloth. To remove any debris or dust, try cleaning the sensors with a can of compressed air.
You might also attempt to reset them by simply pressing the “Reset” button for approximately 3 seconds to fix the issue.
Software Issues
There could be a problem with the software in your Robot vacuum cleaner if it continues to get stuck or circle.
To get assistance in resolving the issue, you should get in touch with the customer service of the manufacturer of your robot vacuum.
Related Article – Why can’t My Roomba Find its Home Station
How To Fix Robot Vacuum Going in Circles?
It will be much simpler to solve this problem now that you have determined its underlying causes.
These are the solutions to stop your irobot Roomba from going in circles.
Tap the Bumpers Gently
To begin with, lightly tap the bumper a few times. Any debris that has become caught inside the bumper will be cleared. Then restart by pressing the clean button.
This basic operation may get your Roomba to run as previously.
Clean the Bumper Sensors
A Dirty bumper sensor is likely to cause your robot vacuum to go in circles. As a result, you’ll need to use a soft brush to thoroughly clean the trapped debris inside bumper sensors.
Turn the robot vacuum on its side, detach the lid, and then open the bumper to complete the procedure.
After you’ve taken off the cover, look for any dirt or debris that may have contributed to the jammed bumper. Use a scalpel-like instrument to remove any accumulated debris from the sensors if any is discovered.
Clean the Wheels
If the wheels are blocked because of clumped dust, they keep moving in circles. To fix the issue, you must clean the wheels of your robot vacuum.
To clear the wheels of any dust or debris, repeatedly push the wheels up and down. Once you’re done cleaning, ensure that the wheels can spin freely by gently rotating both.
Wipe the Cliff Sensors
A dirty sensor may cause your Roomba to circulate in the same area continually. In some cases, gently washing the cliff sensors with a clean, lightly dampened melamine foam will resolve the issue.
Always try to keep your vacuum cleaner’s cliff sensors as clean as possible.
How To Prevent Roomba from Going in Circles?
You can try a few different fixes to prevent your Roomba from going in circles in the future. With time, the sensors beneath the front bumper may get dusty, which might cause the Roomba to veer off course. So, make sure the Roomba sensors are clean all the time.
To clean the sensors, use a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol to wipe the sensors.
Secondly, when you are vacuuming using a Roomba, always check the path of movement of the robot to see if there is anything in the Roomba’s path that is stopping it. If there is, relocate it to a different location so the Roomba can have unrestricted movement.
Lastly, keep checking whether the Roomba’s wheels are stuck because of any debris or gunk clumped on it.
If there are, scrape the gunk out with a toothpick or other pointed item. Your Roomba should not be spinning in circles if you take care of these things and complete the above steps.
Can I Make My Roomba Go in Straight?
Want to make your Roomba go in straight lines? Need clarification on why it is moving round and round? When your Roomba’s sensors become puzzled by some malfunctioning, it will experience this annoying movement and become stuck in an endless cycle of rotatory movement. You can resolve the issue in several ways.
First, ensure that there are no obstructions on the sensors, such as clumps of sludge. After ensuring there is no debris, try resetting the Roomba by holding down the “clean” button for two to three seconds. As a final step, replace the sensors if your Roomba cannot break free of the circular movement pattern.
This is a rather simple fix you can complete on your own with a screwdriver and a newly purchased set of sensors. Your Roomba should be functioning normally and moving in straight lines.
You are prepared to clean your floors once again once you have installed new sensors in your robot vacuum and it is working just fine.
Summary
Many probable causes might explain why your vacuum is going in circles. The first factor can be that dirt and debris have gotten stuck in the bumper. Grab something resembling a narrow wand, such as a screwdriver, to free your bumper and prevent your vacuum from going in circles.
The vacuum may not be able to move straight ahead due to other factors, such as dirty sensors.
To fix this,
- You can use a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol to clean the sensors so that the vacuum recognizes its path and moves accordingly.
- Also, any objects, such as a rug or piece of furniture, obstructing the vacuum’s path can result in the vacuum going in circles too.
- If you have checked your robot vacuum for all these things and still can’t get it to move in straight lines, contact irobot Customer support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Roomba not go in straight lines?
Roomba is designed to clean efficiently and not necessarily move in straight lines. Roomba vacuums are programmed with an algorithm that focuses on maximizing coverage of the cleaning area, which sometimes necessitates making turns or changing directions.
To ensure the best possible clean, Roombas are programmed to take a zig-zag pattern around the room and make 360-degree turns at the end of each row so that they can cover every inch of your floors.
Additionally, Roombas are designed to carefully maneuver around objects in their path, which results in them only sometimes taking the most direct route from one point to another.
Why is Roomba going back and forth?
The most common reason a Roomba might go back and forth is that it has become stuck in a loop or an area where it can’t find its way out.
This usually happens when the Roomba encounters a wall, furniture, or other objects that block its path. When this happens, the Roomba will try to go back and forth to find its way out.
To prevent this from happening, make sure your Roomba has clear pathways, and no objects are blocking its path. Also, you can adjust the cleaning parameters of the Roomba so that it does not become stuck in a loop.
Can you hard reset a Roomba?
To hard reset a Roomba vacuum do this, press and hold the Home button for 10 seconds until all the lights flash on the robot. This will reset the Roomba to its factory settings and delete any saved data or Wi-Fi connections.
How do I reset my Roomba sensor?
- If you need to reset the Roomba sensors, it’s effortless and can be done with just a few steps.
- Make sure your Roomba is powered off and unplugged from its power source.
- Locate the Reset button, which should be located on the bottom of your Roomba.
- Press and hold this button for 10 seconds until the indicator lights on your Roomba flash twice.
- Release the Reset button and plug your Roomba into its power source.
- Once the Roomba has powered back up, press “Clean” on the Roomba. This will reset your sensors, and your Roomba should be ready to go!