Early robot mops were glorified wet wipes—they just dragged a damp cloth around. In 2026, robot mops actually scrub. If you think a robot can’t replace your mop bucket, it’s time to look again.
Sonic Mopping vs. Rotary Dual-Spin
There are two main technologies winning the market:
- Sonic Vibration: Vibrates the pad 3,000 times a minute to loosen dried stains (seen in Roborock).
- Rotary Dual-Spin: Two circular pads spin and press down with 10N of force (seen in Ecovacs/Dreame).
Both are highly effective, but rotary systems tend to tackle sticky kitchen spills slightly better.
Carpet Detection
The fear of a wet carpet is gone. Modern sensors detect carpet instantly and physically lift the mop pads by 10-15mm, or route around the rug entirely. This allows for a “vacuum then mop” single run without supervision.
For homes with hardwood or tile, a high-end robot mop keeps floors polished and dust-free better than a once-a-week manual mop ever could.