Modern robot vacuum cleaners Xiaomi and their sub-brands like Roborock or Viomi have evolved from simple “round boxes” into full-fledged cleaning stations. Many owners who bought the device often do not realize that their gadget is able not only to suck up dust, but also to wipe the floor, removing old stains. The process of activating this feature seems simple, but in practice users face many nuances, from improper installation of the tank to blocking the task with software.
In this article, we will discuss how to properly prepare the device for floor washing, what settings you need to change in the Mi Home app, and how to avoid typical errors that can damage the carpet or the machine itself. You will learn about the differences between models with passive and active water supply, and understand why a robot can refuse to start the sink in certain areas.
The effectiveness of wet cleaning depends on the proper preparation of the room and the device itself. The wrong sequence of actions can lead to the robot simply driving on the floor with a dry cloth or, worse, flooding with water electronic control unit. Let's look at the stages of preparation that guarantee the perfect result.
Preparation of the device and installation of the water module
The first step is to physically prepare the robot. Unlike dry cleaning, where there is enough empty garbage collector, floor cleaning requires installing a specialized tank. Most Xiaomi Robot Vacuum-Mop models use a 2-in-1 combined tank or a separate module that is inserted instead of a dust container. It is important to make sure that the rubber caps on the tank are tightly closed before filling with water.
To fill, use only pure tap or distilled water. It is strictly forbidden to add liquid detergents, bleach or linen conditioners to the tank unless the manufacturer explicitly indicated this possibility in the instructions for your particular model. Aggressive chemistry can destroy seals and cause corrosion of the pump.
Once the tank is filled, you need to put a special platform on it to attach the microfiber wipe, and this platform has Velcros or magnets that hold the fabric, make sure that the rag fits tightly to the plastic throughout the area, otherwise the robot will leave dry stripes, and when the module is assembled, remove the main garbage container and insert the water tank before the characteristic click.
⚠️ WARNING: Before installing a water tank, be sure to remove the main brush (roller) if you plan to wash high-pile carpets.A spinning brush can scatter moisture and dirt throughout the house, and also get tangled in the lint.
Some advanced models, such as the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X10+ or the flagship Roborock S8, have electronic valves that only supply water when moving. In simpler versions, such as the Xiaomi Mi Robot 1S, water can ooze away, so it is better not to leave such devices on for long periods unattended.
☑️ Ready for wet cleaning
Setting up modes in the Mi Home app
Physical installation of the tank is only half the battle, and the software must be configured through the Mi Home (or Xiaomi Home) mobile app to work properly. Once you insert the water module, the robot usually automatically detects its presence, but sometimes manual mode switching is required.
Go to the control interface of your device. At the bottom of the screen or in the settings menu (three dots in the corner), find the item "Disposal Mode" or "Disposal Type" and you will be offered options: "Vacciner only", "Washing only" or "Vacciner + Washing" for full cleaning, you better choose a combined mode if the flooring allows.
Pay special attention to the water intensity setting. In the app, this is often displayed as Low, Medium, High, or the number of pumps per minute. The intensity of the supply directly affects the quality of the wash and battery life. At high settings, the robot can use up water in 15 minutes, whereas at low settings it will last for an hour.
You can also set up cleaning procedures on the menu, and Xiaomi's algorithms typically use vacuuming first, washing later, to prevent the dirt from being smeared with a wet cloth, and if you choose the "Wash Only" mode, the robot will ignore the garbage collector (if it's left inside) and immediately start washing.
Types of water pumps and their effect on the result
Understanding which water supply system is installed in your device is critical to operating properly. Xiaomi models are divided into three main categories by type of humidification, and each requires a different approach to tuning.
The first is gravity. Water drips onto a cloth under its own weight through micro-holes. These systems are often found in budget models. The disadvantage is the unevenness: at the beginning of cleaning, the cloth can be too wet, and at the end it is dry. The second type is an electric pump that snags water along the timer. The third, most modern type is an electronic pump with precise dosing, which responds to the speed of the robot.
The secret to uniform moisture
For owners of homes with more rooms, tank capacity is important: the standard volume is about 140-180 ml, which is about 40-60 square meters at average intensity, and if the area is larger, the robot can suspend cleaning and ask for more water, returning to the base or stopping at the site.
Working with virtual walls and forbidden areas
One of the biggest challenges with wet cleaning is the risk of wetting carpets, palaces or water-sensitive furniture. Xiaomi software allows you to create virtual restrictions right on a map of a room, a feature that you need to configure before you first run to avoid property damage.
In the app, go to the map or map settings section, and you'll find the tools for drawing No-go zones and Virtual Walls. The no-go zone is a square or rectangle where a robot shouldn't go at all. The virtual wall is a line that you can't cross. The wet cleaning is the most convenient way to use Carpet Mode if it's available in your model.
Carpet Avoidance makes the robot lift a platform with a rag (if there is a lifting mechanism) or simply bypass carpeting. If there is no lifting mechanism, the robot simply won't drive onto the carpet, leaving it dry, especially for the Roborock S7 series and later, which implements sonic mopping with lifting the vibration platform.
| Type of restriction | Function | When to use | Impact on cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-go zone (Square) | Total ban on entry | Carpets, places with wires, animal trays | Robot bypasses perimeter zone |
| Virtual Wall (Line) | Prohibition of crossing the line | Rooms separation, entrance to the children's room | The robot only cleans one side. |
| The "wipe only" mode | Ignoring garbage | Maintaining cleanliness after dry cleaning | The turbo-suction mode is not included. |
| Y-track | Double aisle | Severe pollution in the kitchen | Increases cleaning time by 1.5 times |
These zones take a couple of minutes to set up, but you can save yourself from hours of hand-washing of carpets, and remember that virtual walls are stored in the robot's memory and are activated every time you run them until you remove them.
Starting cleaning and monitoring the process
After all the settings, you can start the process. Press the Home button to return to base if the robot is far away, or Start to start cleaning from the current place. When you start wet cleaning, the robot usually emits a characteristic sound or voice message "Starting mopping".
While you're working, you can monitor the process in real time through the app, and the map will show progress, as well as current status: "Return to base," "Local cleaning," or "Recharging." If the robot finds that there is no water left in the tank, it will send a notification to the smartphone and will likely return to base or stop.
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Always check the charge level before starting a wet cleaning. Washing floors requires more energy than dry cleaning, and if the charge drops below 20%, the robot can interrupt the task before it reaches the end.
There's also the option of spot cleaning, and you have to select a specific area on the map in the app and start the wash command, and the robot will come to that point and do a spiral or zigzag, carefully scrubbing the stain, which is perfect for a kitchen where you spill a lot.
⚠️ Warning: Do not lift the robot during wet cleaning without placing it first on a dry surface or a special pallet. water droplets can leak out of the tank and get to the contacts of the charging station or spoil the floor covering.
Post-use maintenance and care
The proper maintenance of the wet cleaning system prolongs the life of the device and ensures the hygienic process. After the cycle is completed, a number of actions must be performed. First, remove the platform with a cloth and thoroughly rinse the microfiber, which leaves particles of dirt and bacteria that can be spread over the clean floor when you use it next.
Second, if you're not planning to launch the robot in the coming days, be sure to drain the remaining water from the tank. Stagnant water is the perfect environment for mold to multiply and produce an unpleasant musty smell that will then spread throughout the apartment.
Third, (check regularly) the condition of the platform and sensors, which can stick dirt from the floor, leading to false readings of the drop sensors or getting stuck, wipe the sensors with a soft dry wipe after each wet cleaning.
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Use household soap to remove persistent contaminants from microfibers. Don't dry the rag on the battery, because the heat destroys the structure of the fibers, and it absorbs water less.