Robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi: how to clean the brush and extend the life of

Xiaomi’s robotic assistants and their sub-brands like Roborock and Viomi are known for their high autonomy and advanced navigation algorithms. However, even the smartest gadget requires regular maintenance to maintain maximum suction efficiency. The most critical node to be mechanically loaded is the main brush node, which collects most of the trash from the floor.

Many users ignore the need for regular care of rotating elements, relying on automatic self-cleaning systems if they are, or just waiting for errors to appear in the application. This is a mistaken approach, since wound hair, animal hair and fine dust can block the turbobrush engine long before the smartphone notifies the problem. In this guide, we will detail how to properly maintain the main shaft and side blizzards to make your robot vacuum cleaner work like the first day.

It is important to understand that the cleaning procedure may vary slightly depending on the specific model of your device.The design of the shaft mounting mechanism in the Roborock S5/S6 series is different from the more budget-friendly Mijia 1C or Roborock E4 lines. However, the basic principles of dismantling and cleaning remain the same for the entire Smart Home ecosystem from the Chinese manufacturer.

Tools and workplace preparation

Before you turn the device over and start disassembling, you need to prepare the appropriate workspace. You will need a flat surface with good lighting, as small parts, such as fasteners or plugs, can easily get lost on the carpet or dark floor, and it is also worth covering the table with paper or preparing a garbage container to be removed from the mechanism.

For good cleaning, you'll need specific tools that often come with the device but can get lost. The main tool is a special shaft cleaner, which has a curved shape and a protective casing to safely cut the wound hair. If the original tool is lost, it can be replaced with a stationery knife or nail scissors, but they should be used with increased caution.

• 🛠️ Screwdriver with a cross-shaped slime (usually required for side brushes).
• ✂️ Special knife for cleaning the shaft or stationery knife.
• 🧹 Additional brush for brushing dust from filters.
• 🧤 Dry wipes or rags to wipe contacts.

Be sure to turn off the device completely before you start work. Although most Xiaomi models have protection against accidental switching on when lifting, it is better to be safe and turn off power through a button on the case or in the Mi Home app. This will prevent accidental start of the engine at the moment when your fingers are in close proximity to moving parts.

Dismantling and cleaning the main turbobrush

The main turbobrush is the heart of the garbage collection system, and it is the main load of collecting dust from carpets. Depending on the model, the shaft is accessed in different ways: in some cases, you need to snap the protective grille, in others, unscrew the pad mount screws. Be careful not to lose the locking elements.

Once you remove the shaft, you'll see that there's hair and thread wound on the edges and in the center, and you'll pay special attention to the end parts where the sliding bearings are located. This is where most of the time a tight cocoon forms that blocks rotation. Use the knife blade to gently cut the fibers along the shaft axis, and then they can be removed with a single movement.

It's important not to damage the bristles of the shaft itself. If you have a silica shaft, it's easier to clean, but the viscous shafts require more careful combing. To remove fine dust clogged between the bristles, you can use a comb with frequent teeth or blow the shaft with compressed air. Do not try to wash the shaft with aggressive detergents unless the instructions for your Xiaomi model specifically provide this.

⚠️ Warning: Never use water to wash electrical contacts on the ends of the shaft. moisture inside the mechanism will lead to oxidation of the contacts and possible failure of the turbobrush engine.

After mechanical cleaning, check the shaft for wear, if the bristles have worn down to the base or the silicone slats have lost their elasticity, the efficiency of cleaning will drop dramatically, in which case replacing the consumables is the only right solution. Original or compatible accessories for Roborock and Mijia are widely available on the market.

Side brush maintenance

Side brushes are responsible for sweeping debris from corners and along the boards into the suction zone of the main hole. These elements are simple, but they also require attention. Most often, the problem is winding long hair on the rotation axis or breaking plastic spokes when hitting solid objects.

To remove the side brush, it is usually enough to pull it up a little. In some models, it is fixed with a screw that must be pre-screwed. After removing, inspect the pile: if it is heavily stained or contaminated with sticky substances, it is better to wash it with warm water and dry it thoroughly before installation.

• 🔄 Check the freedom of rotation of the mechanism after removing the brush.
• 🧶 Remove all wound hair from the axis of fastening.
• 👁️ Inspect plastic “mustache” for cracks.
• 🔩 Make sure that the locking screw is not lost.

If you notice that the side brush is difficult to rotate even after cleaning, it may be the gearbox itself that is the problem, and you might need a drop of silicone lubricant, but that's more complicated to repair. You just need to keep the axle clean for normal use.

Care for wheels and sensors

Although the topic of this article is brushes, you can't ignore the wheels, because they directly affect the permeability of the device. The axis of the wheels also often winds hair, which can lead to skewed robot and sensor errors. Wheel cleaning is done in the same way as cleaning the shaft: using a blade or tweezers removes all the plaque.

Pay special attention to the sensors on the bottom panel, and the dust that settles on the cliff sensors and optical navigation can confuse the robot. Wipe them with dry soft cloth, and the cleanliness of these elements is critical to building a proper map of the room.

The table below provides recommendations for the periodicity of maintenance of various nodes of the robot vacuum cleaner:

Typical errors in service

Users often make mistakes that can shorten the life of the device, one of the most common being trying to pull the wound hair out with their hands without first cutting it, which creates excessive tension and can damage the bearings or the bristles of the shaft itself.

Another mistake is using oil or WD-40 to lubricate rubbing parts unnecessarily. In Xiaomi vacuum cleaners, most knots are designed to work "dry." Getting oil on rubber wheels or plastic gears will cause them to slip through and collect all the dust on themselves, turning into abrasive porridge.

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Use only dry cleaning methods or slightly moist cloth, and avoid any liquid entering the robot body, even in small amounts.

Also, don't ignore the app's signals. If the Mi Home reports a turbobrush error, don't just try to reboot the robot. First, physically check the shaft. Ignoring the lock can cause the engine to burn out, which costs significantly more than a new brush to replace.

Assembly and testing

Once all the elements have been cleaned and checked, you can start assembly. Place the main shaft in the seats, making sure it rotates freely by hand. Click the lid or twist the locking screws. Set the side brushes, observing the marking (usually marked with colors or letters L/R, if different structurally).

Turn the robot over, turn it on, start the cleaning mode. Listen to the turbobrush engine, it should be flat, without grinding or buzzing, and if you hear extraneous noises, maybe the shaft is installed incorrectly or a mottle has been hit.

Check the side brushes visually, they should rotate at normal speed, if everything is working properly, you can start a full cleaning, and if you do these simple routines regularly, your smart assistant will serve you for years without costly repairs.

When do I need to replace components?

Even with perfect care, consumables tend to wear out, and you can see that the component is exhausted, you can use the appearance and quality of the cleaning, and if after a thorough cleaning, the robot still leaves stripes or does not collect wool well, then it is time to buy new parts.

Original components from Xiaomi and Roborock are characterized by high quality plastic and bristles. Cheap counterparts can lose their properties faster or have imperfect geometry, which leads to increased noise. When buying, pay attention to compatibility with your model, as the size of the shafts can vary by several millimeters.

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Timely replacement of worn brushes restores up to 95% of the original cleaning efficiency and reduces the load on the engine.

Keep in mind that maintenance is not just about hygiene, it's about the right algorithms for navigation and suction, and a clean robot is quieter, uses less energy, and is more spatially oriented.