Why is my Roomba leaving clumps of hair everywhere?

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Pet hair and human hair are part of the mess found around the house. If you own a Roomba, it can help pick up the mess automatically. However, some people notice their Roomba leaving clumps of hair.

So why does a Roomba leave clumps of hair?

Your Roomba is leaving clumps of hair because the brushes are wrapped around with too much hair and lint. A Roomba is supposed to pick up hair, even long hair, but it can only pick up so much of it until hair wraps around the brush, reducing its suction and leaving clumps of hair.

Clean the brushes and their end caps to prevent your Roomba from leaving clumps of hair.

In this post, we will show you how to fix a Roomba that is constantly leaving clumps of hair. By the end of this post, your Roomba should clean like a pro without leaving a mess.

Can Roomba pick up human hair?

A Roomba can pick up hair, even longer human hair, but it can only pick up so much of it. Eventually, the brushes will get tangled by the hair. If this happens, your Roomba will have less suction.

The AeroForce technology, which is introduced by the Roomba 880, is designed to suck up 50 percent more dirt, dust, hair and debris, including long human hair.

Unlike the older brushes with bristles, where long strands of hair would get stuck on the bristles, newer Roomba models are equipped with two tread-covered rubber cylinders positioned beside one another on the underbelly of the vacuum. 

Side-by-side comparison of the Roomba's older brushes and the new brushes.

And while longer hair would still get tangled in the Roomba’s rubber brushes, it will not slow down the Roomba’s productivity, as long as you remove the hair afterwards.

Fortunately, the extractors’ rubber design made it a walk in the park to snip the hair and pull it off in one step, compared to the long, and arduous routine of cleaning out bristle brushes.

iRobot even includes a small cleaning tool to help you cut and clean hair and lint wrapped around these removable rubber brushes on the bottom of the Roomba.

Why does Roomba leave clumps of hair?

A Roomba may leave clumps of hair if there are hair tangled in the brushes, or the dustbin is too full to pick anything up. It can also have trouble picking up hair if the filter is clogged.

You should also inspect the amount of hair lying around your house. A Roomba can only pick up so much hair, and if there is too much hair, your Roomba may not pick them all up.

Here’s the reasons explained in greater detail: 

1. The brushes are tangled with too much hair

A Roomba can only pick up so much hair. If the brushes are tangled with hair, it can leave clumps of hair behind.

If you notice your Roomba leaving clumps of hair, it could be the brushes are tangled with hair. One of the most obvious signs that the brushes need cleaning is when your Roomba is louder than usual.

A Roomba is designed to pick up pet hair, even longer human hair. However, in order for the Roomba to work continuously, you need to remove the wrapped hair around the brushes.

In addition to cleaning the brushes itself, you need to periodically clean the brush roller bearings, located on both ends of the brushes. Once you pop off the housing, there is a high chance that you will see little spirals of hair/fur wrapped around each end of each roller.

The good news is, it is very easy to pull those hair spirals off. Once you remove all of the hairs and you place the rollers back in, your Roomba should be back to cleaning like a pro.

Heads up: Did you know that not all robot vacuums have brush rollers? If you are tired of having to clean the brush rollers all the time, why not consider a tangle-free robot vacuum? Check out the top 3 right here.

2. There is simply too much hair around your house

If you have pets, you can always reduce the burden of your Roomba by sweeping.

A Roomba is designed to pick up pet hair, even longer human hair, but if there is too much hair around your house, your Roomba may not be able to pick them all up in one go.

If your house has plenty of furry pets, or you have human hair constantly lying around, it’s a good idea to do a regular sweep with the traditional broom before activating your Roomba.

Remember, you can always help lessen the load of your Roomba. By reducing the amount of hair lying around, you can prevent your Roomba from leaving clumps of hair in its wake.

3. The dustbin is full and the filter is clogged

Another reason why your Roomba is leaving clumps of hair is a full dustbin and a clogged filter, thus the Roomba is not producing enough suction power to clean the hair lying around your house.

A full bin reduces the Roomba's ability to pick up hair.

Are you emptying the bin and cleaning the filter regularly?

Remember, the bin should be emptied after each use, while the filter should be replaced every two months. If you are a dog owner, you need to empty the bin about 5 times per use.

If you fail to do these simple tasks, not only will your Roomba have a bigger tendency to leave clumps of hair, but it may also produce an error code 8, which means low suction.

Don’t overestimate a Roomba

Now you know why your Roomba is leaving clumps of hair.

You need to understand what a Roomba can or cannot do. Don’t overestimate a Roomba. Yes, it can intelligently clean your house without much supervision, but you also need to take care and maintain it.

By removing hair from its brushes and cleaning the bin regularly, you reduce the chance of your Roomba leaving clumps of hair. If you have furry pets, you can always help your Roomba by sweeping the floor with a broom every once in a while, now could you?

Also, be sure to clear out any pet poop lying, otherwise your Roomba can pick it up and distribute the disgusting thing around your house. The cleaning process is very complicated.

Why does my Roomba leave clumps of hair?

Does the Roomba get clogged with hair?