How to Hide Your Robot Vacuum (Make Your House Neat)
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Having a robot vacuum can be a convenient way to keep your floors clean without having to spend time doing it manually. Although robot vacuums might look interesting, chances are they may not fit with the aesthetic of your home. Additionally, you might find that your robot vacuum is in the way while it is not running.
So, how can you hide your robot vacuum?
If you don’t mind the sight of your robot vacuum, placing it in the corner of your house is the easiest thing to do. But if you want to hide it, you can place it under the bed or a cabinet. You can also make a simple “Roomba garage” to hide its electrical cord and make your house neater.
Read on to learn 5 smart hacks to hide your robot vacuum. Whether you are having guests over, continually jam your toes, or simply wish for your robot vacuum to be out of sight, finding a good place to hide it is essential. As you will see with each hack, however, there may be a few things to keep in mind.
A few things to keep in mind before hiding your robot vacuum
Before trying to hide your robot vacuum, there are three things to keep in mind. Your robot vacuum must be docked at all times and must get enough internet signal.
If you are planning to create a special hiding spot, then you must measure the robot’s dimensions, including the charging station. Here are each aspect explained further:
1. Understand that a robot vacuum must be docked at all times
A robot vacuum, also known as a Roomba, works with sensors to clean without your help.
However, at the end of a cleaning cycle, or when the battery is running low, your robot will return to its charging station automatically to charge by using an infrared signal to find its way home.
It is recommended to leave the following distances around the robot’s charging station:
- At least 1.5 feet (0.5 m) on each side of the charging station.
- At least 4 feet (1.2 m) in front of the charging station (with no furniture within this area).
- At least 4 feet (1.2 m) between the charging station and any stairs.
Ideally, you would want to place the charging station on a level surface and flat against a wall. Putting the charging station at an angle will cause your robot to clean diagonally in motion with the wall.
By understanding that your robot vacuum needs to be docked at all times, you can select the best location to hide your robot vacuum inside your own house.
2. Measure the dimensions of your robot vacuum and the charging station
Before you decide on how to hide your robot vacuum, you also need to measure the dimensions of both your robot vacuum and the charging station to be able to plan accordingly.
Most robot vacuums are disc-shaped, measuring between 13.3 to 13.9 inches in diameter and between 3.4 to 3.7 inches high depending on the model. Basically, a robovac is no bigger than 14 inches in diameter.
By knowing the dimensions of your robot vacuum, you can plan accordingly, including providing it with enough clearance on top of the robot and on the sides as well.
Equally important is understanding the dimensions of its charging station. We are going to use the iRobot Roomba’s charging station for this specific example.
- The iRobot Home Base measures 6.25 x 5.9 x 4.5 inches (L x W x H).
- The iRobot Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal measures 15.1 x 12.2 x 19 inches (L x W x H).
Obviously, you may have a different robot vacuum model, but the point is to measure your robot vacuum’s dimensions along with its charging station. If you’re done, let’s move on.
3. Make sure the hiding location gets enough Wi-Fi signal
Last but not least, make sure that the robot’s hiding location gets enough Wi-Fi signal. While not all robot vacuums need Wi-Fi, it’s rare nowadays to find one that does not use the internet.
Consistent Wi-Fi coverage will allow your robot to receive information via its smartphone app, and will ensure that your robot can find its home when returning to the charging station.
Select a hiding location that is close enough to your home’s router, otherwise, the charging station may not receive enough signal strength and have trouble connecting or Roomba may have trouble going home.
How to Hide Your Robot Vacuum
Once you have your robot’s dimensions and you have selected the perfect hiding spot, now it’s time to hide your robovac. Here are the things you can do to hide your robot vacuum, ranked from easiest to hardest:
1. Place your robot vacuum in the corner of the house
If you are not entirely concerned with the way your robot vacuum looks in your home, you may also not be worried about completely hiding it. Still, keeping your robot vacuum in an area where you and other people constantly walk around can be a nuisance.
In most cases, no one keeps their robot vacuum in the middle of the room or in a place where it is very visible. So, the easiest thing you can do to “hide” your robot vacuum is to simply place it's charging station in the absolute corner of your house, far from the living area where people dwell.
Keeping your robot vacuum station in the corner is a simple way to keep it out of sight:
Consider putting your robot vacuum station in a corner of your home that does not get a lot of traffic. As opposed to some of the other ways listed, keeping the charging dock out in the open ensures that it will get enough Wi-Fi connection and help the robot to navigate properly.
2. Hide your robot vacuum under the bed
If your bed has enough clearance for both the robot vacuum and its charging station, then it could be a great hiding place. In most cases, a lot of dust gathers under the bed so it’s a good idea for your robot vacuum to start cleaning there first.
Keeping your robot vacuum under the bed also hides it from your kids and toddlers (if you have them). However, the downside is that you need to open the bedroom door if you want your robot vacuum to clean the entire house. It can also become a problem if your bedroom is on the second (or third) floor.
And so, while keeping your robot vacuum under the bed is very simple, it is not the most practical solution because it is located in one room, making it difficult for your robot vacuum to clean the whole house.
3. Hide your robot vacuum under a cabinet
If you have found a spot in your house to put the charging dock, but you do not want it to be visible, then the best thing you can do is to hide it under a cabinet.
The key here is to use a free-standing cabinet with enough clearance underneath it to provide enough space for your robot vacuum and the charging station.
Obviously, you would want to use a cabinet that matches the overall interior design of your house. If you have that specific type of furniture, great. But if you don’t here are some options:
You can also create a “Roomba cage” to protect your robot vacuum from kids or pets:
As long as there is enough clearance for your robot vacuum to pass through, any cabinet or rack should work just fine. It is a rather simple solution to the problem, and while it isn’t a formal garage it does the same job of keeping it out of sight but still allowing it to be functional.
4. Create a simple “Roomba Garage”
Our absolute favorite way to hide a robot vacuum is to create a simple “Roomba Garage”. Not only will it make your house neater, but it will protect your robot vacuum from kids or pets.
Personally, we like to keep things simple.
To make a simple Roomba garage, you will need:
- 2 pieces of wood measuring 6 x 16 inches (buy on Amazon)
- 1 piece of wood measuring 16 x 16 inches (buy on Amazon)
- Waterproof wood glue (buy on Amazon)
In addition to buying the supplies on Amazon, you can choose to cut the pieces of wood yourself, or go to your local carpenter to do it for you. You also need wood glue.
Here’s how to make a simple “Roomba garage”:
- Place the 2 pieces of 6 x 16-inch wood next to one another, 16 inches apart.
- Take the wood glue and apply it on the length of the 2 pieces of wood.
- Finally, place the 16 x 16-inch wood on top of the 2 pieces of wood.
- Let the wood glue set and dry.
The end result should look something like this:
If you are not a handyman, then it’s a good idea to buy a ready-made Roomba garage. While there are plenty of woodworking companies, we found 1 company in Missouri that specializes in making a Roomba garage.
The company is called Executive Wood Products, and the product is called Hide ‘n Sweep. Here are some pictures of their unique product, make from durable wood:
Hide ‘n Sweep is 100% American made (in Missouri) of solid hardwood, available in your choice of three species (Oak, Cherry or Walnut), beautiful dovetail joinery, and a durable three-coat, hand-sanded, specially-formulated, poly finish. You can visit their website right here (we are not an affiliate for this company).
5. Consult your local interior designer
If you do not want to go the DIY route, but you want to go above and beyond to hide your robot vacuum, then the best thing you can do is to consult an interior designer, particularly one that is experienced building a Roomba garage. There are plenty of robovac owners who have created special "Roomba garages".
Check out these advanced “Roomba Garage” ideas with their own automatic open/close door:
Click to play
For this project, it’s best to consult an interior designer because each home’s layout and furniture placements would be different. We are only providing you ideas of what you can do to hide your robot vacuum.
Takeaway
Your robot vacuum can get in the way of everyday activities when it is not in use. It can also stick out like a sore thumb in an otherwise pleasant-looking room.
As you have learned, there are several smart hacks to hide your robot vacuum. Depending on what works for you, your robot vacuum will be out of sight in no time.