A robot vacuum cleaner must be well maintained. This often goes much further than just emptying the dust container. With a robot vacuum, you also have to deal with sensors that must be kept clean.
I've decided to write a complete guide to maintaining a Shark robot vacuum. In this guide I will tell you, among other things, how best to empty the robot vacuum, how to wash the filters and when to replace parts.
Why clean a Shark robot vacuum?
The maintenance of a vacuum cleaner is very important, especially with a robot vacuum cleaner. You are dealing here with many parts that you have to clean properly. Think of sensors, various (side) brushes and wheels.
By properly maintaining a Shark robot vacuum, you often prevent the following problems:
- Nasty, smelly odors
- Increased dust emissions
- Less good obstacle detection
- Scratch your floor
- Reduction of suction power
So, to avoid the above problems, it is good to delve into the cleaning activities of the Shark robot vacuum cleaner.
How to empty the Shark robot vacuum cleaner?
Let's start emptying the robot vacuum cleaner. In many cases, a robot vacuum cleaner has a much smaller dust container than, for example, a canister vacuum cleaner. The dust container will therefore have to be emptied after each cleaning.
Fortunately, emptying the Shark robot vacuum is an easy job. To do this, follow the steps below.
- Click the dust container out of the robot vacuum cleaner (press the two buttons on the front towards each other)
- Keep the dust container upright to prevent dust and dirt from falling out
- Click open the cover at the top of the dust container
- Empty the dust container above the trash can
- Check whether there is dirt between the filter and the plastic rim; remove this if necessary with a dry cloth or brush
Optional: Empty Shark Base
If you have a self-emptying robot vacuum cleaner, for example the Shark IQ with the charging and emptying station, you will also have to empty it. From experience I can report that you will have to empty the Shark Base approximately every two weeks.
To do this, follow the steps below.
- Click the button on top of the Shark Base to slide out the dust container on the left
- Hold the dust container over the trash can and only then open the lid to empty it
- Gently tap the back of the dust container to remove any remaining dirt and dust
By the way, don't think that you will never have to remove the dust container from your Shark again: you should keep checking it every now and then for dirt. It also doesn't hurt to run a clean (dry) cloth through it sometimes.
Don't think that you will never have to remove the dust container from your Shark again: you should keep checking it every now and then for dirt.
Shark robot vacuum cleaner cleaning and replacing filters
To maintain low dust emissions, it is important to regularly clean the filter in the robot vacuum cleaner. Important: this is a non-washable filter. So you can't clean it with water. However, you can maintain it well with the following steps:
- Remove the dust container from the robot vacuum cleaner
- Remove the filter from the dust container by clicking the side buttons
- Gently shake and knock out the filter to remove dust from the filter
Just shaking out the filter is not enough in the long run. You will also have to replace it regularly.
Cleaning Shark Base Filter
Where we have just emptied the dust container on the left, we now have to clean the filter on the right. You can click the lid on the right up high, after which the filter is immediately visible.
Slide the filter out of the Shark Base and wash it with water. Do this caution and take care not to damage the filter. After cleaning, let it dry for at least 24 hours before using it again; it must be completely dry.
Cleaning brushes, wheels and sensors
As I mentioned in the introduction, cleaning a Shark robot vacuum consists of much more than just emptying the dust container. For example, we also have to deal with sensors that must ensure that the robot vacuum cleaner detects and avoids obstacles.
Shark robot vacuum cleaner cleaning brushes
The brushes of a vacuum cleaner can quickly become entangled with hair. If a brush does not rotate as well, this has a negative impact on the suction performance. For example, removing animal hair will be less easy and a lot of dirt can remain on the floor.
A Shark robot vacuum cleaner has several brushes. For example, there is a large motorized floor brush on the underside of the robot vacuum cleaner and two side brushes on either side of the vacuum cleaner.
You can easily click the floor brush out of the vacuum cleaner, after which you can remove hairs. Cleaning the side brushes is also easy: just wipe the ends with a dry cloth.
Do you find that a side brush is bent or damaged? Then you also need to replace it. With every Shark robot vacuum cleaner you get replacement brushes with your purchase. Check if you still have these or view new side brushes here.
Cleaning and replacing wheels
To be able to navigate properly, a Shark robot vacuum cleaner is equipped with several wheels. It concerns two large rubber wheels and a swivel wheel at the front. It is important to regularly check these wheels to see if they still turn properly.
You can easily remove the swivel wheel at the front from the housing. Remove dust and hair from the wheel and also check the housing for dirt. Then reinstall the caster by snapping it into the housing.
You can easily dust off the rubber wheels. Rotate them by hand while dusting them to clean them.
Cleaning sensors
Finally, it is also important to regularly clean the sensors of the Shark robot vacuum cleaner. This prevents the robot vacuum from avoiding obstacles as well and, for example, as damaging furniture or driving down stairs.
Cleaning the sensors is simple: gently wipe the sensors on the underside of the robot vacuum cleaner with a dry clean cloth. Also take the charging points with you. You can also find this on the underside of the robot vacuum cleaner and on the Shark Base.
Robbert Tigchelaar
Robbert Tigchelaar is the founder of Vacuumtester.com and is a true vacuum cleaner guru. With more than 10 years of experience in the world of electronic devices, he knows better than anyone what is important in a vacuum cleaner. When a new vacuum cleaner appears, he is eager to test it extensively.
