I’ll admit it: every time a new “smart” cleaning gadget hits the market, part of me gets curious. You can’t scroll through your phone these days without seeing a shiny little robot gliding across someone’s spotless floor, quietly claiming to be the future of domestic bliss. The ads always show perfectly lit living rooms, where the robot hums away like a loyal servant while the owner sips a coffee, looking smug and stress-free.
But call me old-fashioned—or perhaps just grounded in reality—because I’ve yet to meet one of these machines that actually lives up to the hype. I’ve been cleaning carpets and floors professionally in London for long enough to know that real dirt, real mess, and real households don’t behave like adverts. People spill things. Kids scatter crumbs. Pets shed fur with enthusiasm. And robots? Well, they’re often out of their depth.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they’re useless. They do a decent job in certain settings. But when it comes to tackling proper cleaning challenges, these high-tech toys fall short. Let’s have a look at the top five reasons I’m not rushing to trade in my trusty tools for one of these robotic wonders.
Excellent for Hard Floors – Not So Much for Carpets
Every time I see a video of a floor cleaning robot gliding over gleaming tiles, I nod and think, “Fair enough.” On smooth, hard surfaces, they do all right. Dust, pet hair, and small crumbs don’t stand much of a chance. But once that little bot crosses onto a carpet, it’s like watching someone try to sprint through treacle.
Most robot cleaners are designed for light suction and surface-level cleaning. That’s fine for laminate, wood, or vinyl. But carpets, especially thick pile or wool ones, are a whole different beast. Dirt gets embedded deep into the fibres, well beyond what these small devices can reach. The motors just aren’t powerful enough, and their compact brushes can’t agitate the fibres properly.
You end up with what I like to call “the illusion of clean.” The carpet looks better because the surface dust has been removed, but underneath, it’s still harbouring grit, allergens, and all sorts of microscopic nasties. Give it a couple of weeks, and those same spots will start looking dull again.
For households that rely on robots for everyday upkeep, I often find the carpets age faster. Without proper deep cleaning, fibres break down and stains settle in. So yes, robots and hard floors get along well—but carpets? Not so much.
Not as Easy as You’d Expect to Deal with the Settings and App Integrations
Another thing that grinds my gears about these devices is how complicated they can be to set up. You’d think a gadget designed to make life easier would actually, well, make life easier. Instead, you often end up spending half an evening downloading apps, syncing devices, naming rooms, and trying to get the robot to understand where the walls are.
I’ve helped a few clients set up their cleaning robots, and honestly, it can feel like programming a satellite. There’s Wi-Fi to connect, maps to draw, routines to schedule, and sometimes even firmware updates. You press one wrong button, and suddenly your “living room” becomes the “restricted zone.”
And don’t get me started on the app notifications. You’d think the robot was a needy pet. It pings you to say it’s starting, it’s finished, it’s stuck, it’s returning to charge. Some even send messages saying the dustbin is full—as if you wouldn’t notice!
I know people who gave up halfway through and went back to using a standard vacuum because it was faster. I completely understand. Cleaning shouldn’t require a manual and a tech degree.
The truth is, these machines often add another layer of fuss rather than taking it away. If you enjoy tinkering with gadgets and don’t mind the setup, fair play. But if your goal is simplicity, a good old vacuum and mop still win the day.
Not Effective at All for Dealing with Any Type of Liquid-Based Stains or Spills
This is one that always makes me chuckle. You see a robot cleaner advertised as an “all-in-one mopping solution,” and you think it might handle the odd spill. Spoiler alert: it won’t.
Most of these robots are designed for dry cleaning, with maybe a token mopping pad attachment that drags a damp cloth across the floor. That’s fine for light dust, but if someone spills tea, soup, or heaven forbid, red wine, your robot will be about as useful as a sponge in a thunderstorm.
Even the so-called “wet cleaning” models have tiny water tanks and limited pressure. They don’t scrub; they glide. They can’t extract liquid from carpet fibres, and they certainly can’t deal with anything sticky or oily. The moment a robot runs into a proper mess, it either smears it around or gets clogged. I once saw a video of one running over a spilt smoothie—it looked like a miniature crime scene.
Real-world cleaning isn’t controlled or predictable. Drinks spill. Pets have accidents. Life happens. That’s where human cleaning still reigns supreme. We can judge the type of stain, choose the right product, and act accordingly. A robot just sees an obstacle, spins in circles, and gives up.
So yes, they’re fine for dust. But liquids? Leave those to someone who actually knows what they’re doing.
Surprisingly Clumsy When Stumbling Upon Foreign Objects
If you’ve got toddlers—or even just a messy partner—floor cleaning robots can turn into unintentional comedians. You set them loose in a room, and within minutes they’re trapped between a toy car and a chair leg, spinning helplessly like a confused beetle.
Manufacturers love to boast about obstacle detection and mapping technology, but in my experience, these sensors have the awareness of a half-asleep cat. Small toys, socks, shoelaces, and even cables confuse them completely. They either try to eat them, choke on them, or drag them halfway across the room before giving up and sending you a notification that reads “Error: foreign object detected.”
I’ve had customers call me to ask why their robot has stopped working, only to find a Lego piece lodged in the brush or a Barbie shoe wedged under the wheel. And if you’ve ever tried cleaning one of these out, you’ll know it’s not pleasant.
This isn’t just about convenience—it’s about safety too. Some models can overheat or damage delicate items they roll over. So if you live in a household with children, pets, or even just a bit of everyday clutter, expect to babysit your robot more than you’d think.
And let’s be honest—if you’ve got time to clear the floor every time before running the robot, you’ve already done half the cleaning work anyway.
Only Good for Surface Cleaning, Not Effective for Ingrained Problems
Here’s the heart of the matter for me. As someone who’s spent years dealing with carpets and rugs of every kind, I can tell you that true cleanliness goes deeper than the surface. Unfortunately, that’s where floor cleaning robots hit their limit.
They’re fine for keeping visible dust at bay, but they simply don’t have the power, pressure, or reach to deal with ingrained dirt. The kind that hides deep in carpet backing, or between tiles, or under the edges of furniture. You can run your robot every day, and it’ll keep things looking tidy—but it won’t stop the slow build-up of grime beneath the surface.
Over time, that build-up dulls the appearance of your carpets and even affects indoor air quality. A proper deep clean with hot water extraction, or a professional scrub on hard floors, removes what’s actually causing the dullness and smells. Robots can’t manage that. They don’t use heat, they don’t rinse, and they don’t extract.
In short, they’re maintenance tools, not cleaning machines. Think of them as the equivalent of dusting your shelves—you’re not disinfecting anything, you’re just keeping appearances. For some people, that’s fine. But if you really care about hygiene and longevity, you’ll still need human hands and professional equipment.
The Honest Verdict
I know I sound like a bit of a sceptic—and I suppose I am—but not without reason. Floor cleaning robots are clever, but they’re not the miracle workers they’re made out to be. They’re perfect for certain homes: tidy, pet-free, and mostly hard-floored. In that scenario, they can save time and keep things ticking over nicely.
But for busy, lived-in homes with carpets, kids, or pets, they’re often more hassle than help. They don’t reach deep enough, don’t handle liquids, and struggle with clutter. They’re also nowhere near replacing a proper professional clean.
So yes, call me biased—I probably am. I make a living getting carpets and floors truly clean, not just robot-clean. But that’s because I’ve seen what these machines can and can’t do up close. They’re fine for a quick once-over, but when you want that proper, deep, satisfying clean—the one that makes the whole room feel fresh—you’ll still need a real cleaner with real tools and a proper understanding of the job.
Until the day robots can tackle red wine stains, navigate Lego jungles, and understand that “deep clean” means deep, I’ll stick to doing things the traditional way. It might not have a fancy app, but it gets results every single time.