While the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo handles most of its own maintenance, there are still a few tasks you’ll have to perform manually. Thankfully, these tasks only take up a few minutes of your time, and they don’t need to be carried out frequently. From checking that the robot’s sensors aren’t blocked to cleaning roller brushes and the dirty water tank, here’s a look at how to clean the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo.

The robot vacuum that comes with your X2 Combo works best when its external sensors are clean. After scurrying around a dirty house, there’s a good chance dust has accumulated on the clear cover that houses all its sensors. Check this after each cleaning cycle and wipe it down with a dry cloth. If it’s really dirty, a slightly damp rag can be used before drying it with a towel.

Emptying the dirty water tank is arguably the worst part of owning a robot vacuum. But if you’re staying on top of things, it should never get too funky. Consider emptying the dirty water tank before it’s full and giving its interior walls a good scrubbing to remove buildup. If you don’t do this, your dirty water tank will get remarkably smelly and slowly accumulate more gunk.

While you’re cleaning the tanks, consider checking out the cleaning sink. This is the portion of the dock that handles the automated mop-cleaning tasks. While it’s normally in pretty good condition, it never hurts to wipe it down with a cloth or pull out any debris that got trapped inside.

Both the cordless vacuum and robot vacuum are designed to prevent tangles from hair and other string-like objects, but they’re not entirely foolproof. Consider checking these weekly to ensure nothing is caught inside. Most of the time, you can just pull debris loose with your fingers, though sometimes you may need to use scissors to detangle something really lodged inside.

Once you’re done checking the roller brushes, be sure to also look at the side brush on the robot vacuum. You can also peer inside the rest of your cordless vacuum attachments to make sure nothing is blocking the airflow.

The X2 Combo can go weeks without needing a dustbin replacement, so it can be easy to forget that it even exists. Be sure to check these every few weeks – simply poking the bag is often enough to tell if they’re at capacity. You should also check the dustbin on the robot vacuum to make sure nothing is stuck inside. While checking the robot’s dustbin, be sure to take a look at its filter. If it looks dirty, rinse it with water, then let it completely dry before reinstalling.

Aside from the filter on the robot vacuum, you’ll find two other filters on your cordless vacuum. The first is found inside the dustbin and can be rinsed with cold water (ensure it’s dry before reinstalling). The second is the HEPA filter, located in the silver chamber at the top of the cordless vacuum. This can also be washed with cold water and must be dry before reinstalling.

There’s no hard and fast rule for replacing the mopping pads on your X2 Combo. You’ll typically want to install new ones every few months, but this can vary depending on how much of your home is composed of hard floors. At the very least, you should be flipping over your robot and checking its condition every month.

Unsure of when you need to tackle your cleaning tasks? Here’s a look at the maintenance frequencies for every component of your X2 Combo.