How to Clean Roomba Wheels

One of the most neglected parts of a robot vacuum is the wheel. For Roomba robots, there are three – a caster and two side wheels.

Cleaning these components is an essential part of Roomba maintenance, and in this how-to guide, I’ll show you the exact steps to clean Roomba wheels.

I’ve already discussed cleaning the Roomba 690 in another article, but this is more in-depth and will show you how to replace the wheel assembly, just in case you need to.

Why Should You Clean the Wheels?

Whenever a robot vacuum runs, dust particles, hair, and other contaminants stick on the wheel and parts around it.

Over time, these substances accumulate and will cause unnecessary wear. The worst case is the wheel motor burning out prematurely.

You don’t want this happening as it’s an added expense. An original wheel module isn’t cheap, so tidying this part is essential.

Tools You Need

First, let’s look at the tools you’ll need.

1. Philips screwdriver: You’ll need a standard Philips screwdriver and a small one to remove the outer and inner bolts.
2. Microfiber towels: I like using them because they are soft and lint-free.
3. Rubber Gloves: Wear a pair to prevent leaving fingerprint marks all over the robot.
4. Ziplock bags (Optional): You’ll only need these if you replace the wheels.
5. Handheld vacuum (Optional): I use a vacuum to pick up debris around the wheels and speed up the process.

How do I clean the Side Wheels of My Roomba?

The side wheels are the two main wheels (with rubber tracks) flanking the primary brush roll.

Note that the Roomba S9’s main wheels are behind the green extractors.

If you do this regularly, removing the entire wheel assembly is unnecessary, requiring more steps and time.

Steps to clean the side wheels

1. Flip the robot over and place it over a clean white towel. The towel prevents the hard surface from scratching the robot’s exterior.
2. Grab a clean microfiber towel and gently rub the wheels. Slowly rotate each wheel and wipe the sides and tracks until the dust is no longer visible. You can use a handheld with a brush attachment if there’s dust buildup on the wheel assembly.
3. Do a visual check to see if there is debris underneath. Gently push each wheel to check. If you can see heavy accumulation, move to the next section.

How to Remove Roomba Side Wheels?

These steps apply to all Roomba models, from the 600-series to the I-Series. Please note there may be variances with the bolt pattern, but the steps are similar.

The Roomba I’m working on in this article is the Roomba 675. It has a bolt pattern similar to that of the 690 and 614.

Steps to remove the Roomba side wheels

1. Remove the side brush. Only one bolt holds the side brush. Use a standard Philips screwdriver to loosen it. Store in a zip-lock bag if possible to prevent misplacing it.

2. Take out the base plate by loosening these four bolts. You can remove the base plate with the side brush out of the way.

3. Three bolts hold each side wheel in place. Grab a smaller Philips screwdriver that will fit. For this task, it’s better to have a screwdriver set so you can use something that fits snugly and not strip the head.

4. Don’t loosen all the way. Just enough to extract the wheel assembly. One technique I use is gently pulling the wheel assembly after I undo all three bolts.

5. Wheels are out. Inspect each part and clean it. Only use a dry towel. There are electrical and metal components around it. You don’t want these to corrode.

After cleaning or replacing each assembly, do the steps in reverse.

How to clean the Roomba Caster Wheel?

The caster wheel is the part that steers the robot. Dirt will build up and hamper its movement.

Fortunately, cleaning it is simple. Read this guide to get a more detailed view of the step-by-step process.

Steps to clean

1. Pull out the caster wheel assembly. Grab the wheel at the edges, then tug. It will come out quickly.
2. Remove the wheel from the caster assembly.
3. Wipe the wheel with a clean microfiber towel. You can use a damp towel to remove the grime sticking on the surface.
4. You can also slide the metal pin out to remove any hair or debris on it.
5. Don’t forget to wipe the base where the wheel is attached.