Your Robot Vacuum — A Plain-English Guide

1 Robot vacuum won't connect to Wi-Fi

1. Check that your phone is on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network — most robots can't use 5 GHz. (On most modern routers it's the same network name; on some it's separated.)
2. Get the phone, robot, and router within 10 feet of each other during setup.
3. Force-close the app, reopen, and start the pairing flow over from the beginning.
4. Still stuck? Hold the dock button for 10 seconds to factory reset. Then re-pair.

2 Brushes are tangled with hair

1. Flip the robot upside down. Pop the brush guards off (usually a small lever or twist-release).
2. Use scissors or a seam ripper to slice the hair lengthwise along the brush — don't pull, that bends the brush axle.
3. Pop the brush out completely if it's badly wound. Slide hair off the ends.
4. Reinstall. Run for 30 seconds in the living room — should sound smooth, not grinding.

3 Robot got lost and won't return to dock

1. Pick it up, carry it within sight of the dock (3 feet away), set it down facing the dock.
2. In the app, tap "Send to Dock" or "Return Home." It should drive in.
3. If it always gets lost, the dock placement may be wrong — see the PDF for ideal dock setup (open space, not in a corner, against a long wall).
4. Rugs with long fringe or shiny floors with no contrast can confuse the cliff sensors. Move the dock to a different room.

4 Setting up no-go zones in the app

1. Run the robot once to build a map. Open the app — map should appear within 24 hours of the first complete run.
2. Tap the map. Look for "No-Go Zones" or "Forbidden Zones" (different brands name it differently).
3. Draw a rectangle around the cat's food bowl, the kid's lego corner, or the rug with the long tassels.
4. Save. Next run, the robot will avoid those zones.

5 Battery dies way faster than it used to

1. After 2-3 years, batteries lose 30-50% capacity. That's normal lithium-ion behavior.
2. Look up your model + "replacement battery" — most are user-replaceable, $30-60 part, 10-minute swap with a screwdriver.
3. If the robot is older than 5 years and the battery is the third thing to go, it's time to retire (see the PDF).

⚠️ If you get a robocall about your microwave's warranty being expired, hang up.

Microwaves don't have warranties that expire by phone. The manufacturer's warranty came with your purchase, and any extended warranty was bought at the store — not over the phone. No legitimate company calls you out of the blue about a microwave.

If you're ever unsure: call me first at (330) 200-8042 before you press 1 or give a credit card number. Always free, no judgment. 30 seconds on the phone saves a lot of grief.