Commercial cleaning has seen a handful of upgrades when it comes to cleaning technology and solutions. We’ve heard of electrostatic sprayers, who are new to the game, but have gained wide popularity in 2020 and are still winning due to their capability to disinfect large areas such as office buildings and classrooms.

There is antimicrobial surface coating technology that promises to interrupt the life cycle of bacteria, viruses, and mold on common surfaces such as phones, computer keyboards, countertops, toilet seats, and other places where bacteria could grow.

And most recently, topping the 2023 commercial cleaning trends, there’s the UV-C disinfection, which has seen its place in the spotlight during the advent of COVID-19. The use of UV-C light wands to kill pathogens has proven to be worth investing in, but with proper use and circumstances.

But, before all these cleaning technologies emerged, robotic cleaning has its early years way back in 2000. The first robot vacuum cleaning models found success in picking up dust and small debris but had had trouble detecting sharp corners and left behind strips and patches of dirty floor.

Fast forward to today, robotic cleaners have become more effective than they were back then. Major improvements have delivered better results. But, is it safe to say that robotic cleaning can take over the human element of commercial cleaning? We’re willing to bet they can’t but let’s take it the diplomatic way.

Below we list the pros and cons of robotic cleaning.

The pros

They are huge time-savers.

Busy people can find a great use for robotic cleaning in their households. They don’t have to squeeze in time and energy just to sweep their floors, which is, for busy people, a lot of tasks still.

Using a robot vacuum cleaning tool already takes a big load off their shoulders.

 They are programmable.

One of the modern upgrades of these cleaning devices is the ability to set a cleaning schedule in advance or whenever. Because of their artificial intelligence, you can arrange for them to clean on certain days or at specific times. You can set it on for the household if you’re going away on vacation or a business trip. In the office, you can keep it running to keep dirt and dust at bay, maintaining the office’s cleanliness and pleasant vibe.

Moreover, you can control or navigate the robot vacuum cleaning device through your mobile app or voice control as long as it is connected to the same network.

They can work on hard-to-reach areas with ease.

Cleaning under pieces of furniture like a sofa or a chaise lounge or a cabinet can be challenging even with the use of a long-handled broom or mop. And having to crouch or get down on the knees can put a strain on your muscles. Not getting done is even worse as the accumulation of dust can cause allergic reactions and other health risks.

This is where these cleaning devices become handy. Since they come in flat disc shapes, robotic vacuum cleaners can easily slide under every piece of furniture sweeping in every ounce of dust.

They are easy to store.

If you put the robotic cleaners side by side with traditional vacuum cleaners, you will find that the robotic cleaning devices are up by a notch when it comes to storage. Traditional vacuum cleaners are bulky—hard to take out of storage and even harder to store.

The cons

They are expensive.

Robotic vacuum cleaners usually cost five times more than traditional vacuum cleaners. That’s the price of modernization. You can get cheaper ones, but you just have to make sure that it’s worth it. Otherwise, you’re just throwing away hard-earned bucks with something that may not put up to the challenge or lacks the capability to do the job.

They aren’t smart enough.

You’d think that with all this new and improved technology, these gadgets can do almost anything, but of course, they are still just that. They aren’t smart enough to avoid every single hurdle or barrier that comes their way when you set them off to clean. This means you will need to do some tidying up and set up some sort of order in your home or office setting before you can get your vacuum to work independently.

They can get stuck.

Because they aren’t smart enough and do not really understand or realize the environment they are in, they can get stuck. An incorrect estimate between pieces of furniture can leave your device jammed.

They can also run out of power in the middle of their cleaning session, hence again, getting stuck. This causes a major inconvenience or setback, as the charging up can take some time, hindering the device from getting on with the cleaning task.

They are small.

Robotic vacuum cleaners are designed to be small, hence the ease of storage. But they are such because they are powered by a battery, and smaller appliances are easier to power with a battery. But, this feature is not very much helpful when working in a large space like an office, or if there is more than one source of dirt. If this is the case, you’ll find yourself getting caught up in the task of emptying and replacing its bin.

 They can’t clean as commercial cleaning does.

We’re just saying it for the sake of it, but the truth is, the work between robotic cleaners and humans is incomparable. And it’s obvious why.

Machines like robotic cleaners don’t have the ability to distinguish nuances; they can barely understand the surroundings they are in without getting stuck. Humans adhere to stricter standards of cleanliness, so you’re guaranteed to receive the best cleaning results.

And it’s this fact that makes commercial cleaning at a far higher level than robotic cleaning. And you won’t be disappointed with the commercial cleaning companies here in New London County, Connecticut.

They can’t get rid of fruit flies.

Last but not the least, only traditional vacuum cleaners can do the hack on getting rick of fruit flies by sucking them. This isn’t even remotely possible with a robotic vacuum cleaner.