Home Q&A: How do I stop my robot vacuum cleaner from going over dog mess?

'This can be a disaster over a larger area, horrendously unhygienic — and nothing short of domestic terrorism by a trusted appliance'

You should always specify a robot with avoidance sensors and specific technology aimed at collision avoidance with small objects. File picture 

Question

How do I stop my robot vacuum from going over dog mess?

Answer

There are some hilarious videos with a heavy “ick” online showing the results of cheap, older robot vacuum cleaners, painting the floor with dog dirt. 

This can be an utter disaster over a larger area, horrendously unhygienic — and nothing short of domestic terrorism by a trusted appliance. 

You should always specify a robot with avoidance sensors and specific technology aimed at collision avoidance with small objects like socks, cables and piles of the aforesaid matter. 

Many iRobot models use innovative precision vision navigation to recognize and avoid your pet’s waste for catastrophe-free cleaning. 

The company even offers a Pet Owner Official Promise (POOP!) for machines with these dedicated smarts. If your Roomba j7+ robot encounters pet waste that it doesn’t avoid, the company will replace your robot at no cost; J7 models from €799, irobot.

Obviously, if you are at home, clear the floor of any waste or debris before any machine does its run. Accidents happen, and if your robot does run over something revolting, follow the maker’s instructions to the letter in a thorough deep clean.

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