Scooba Blog

We added the Scooba and the Roomba to our wedding registry, and received the Scooba as an early Christmas gift. I could just say the Scooba works great, but that wouldn’t be really helpful.

Initially straight out the box, the Scooba would not lay down any water. I went through some simple troubleshooting steps (without calling iRobot). The design of the Scooba is relatively simple, the tank is split, clean water one side, dirty water on the other. On the clean water (solution) side, there is a small rubber valve. On the base of the unit is a small needle valve. The valves “mate” when the lid is closed, and the water flows from the clean tank into the base unit. These valves will “stick”. To check if the valves are working, push the top in and out a bit, and you should feel water on your finger. However it is the bottom valve which sticks more ofter. The bottom needle valve has an internal spring. To free this valve, use a drinking straw. Suck up some water from a cup, place the end of the straw over the needle valve, and blow…forcing the valve to un-stick. If you do this a few times, you will see water on the floor under the Scooba, this is when you know it is working. At this point, close the lid, and press Clean. With both valves working, the solution will flow. If you hav verified that both valves are working, and still no water is released or cleaning, then the unit is really truly broken, and you’ll have to call iRobot.

Anyway, love the Scooba. The desing is simple yet effective, I also love the fact that replacement part numbers are printed on the unit, and that the solution is not expensive…even if you have to buy from iRobot.

Good Luck,
Mark