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Submission declined on 18 May 2026 by Devonian Wombat (talk). This draft appears to be a duplicate of an existing article. Wikipedia does not permit multiple articles on the same topic. To improve the existing article, please edit it directly at Robotic vacuum cleaner. If the article is protected and you cannot edit it, propose your changes on the article's talk page. If you are writing about a different subject with the same name, ask the reviewer to rename your draft to distinguish it. Declined by Devonian Wombat 20 days ago.

A commercial cleaning robot is an autonomous mobile robot designed to perform cleaning tasks in non-residential environments such as airports, hospitals, shopping centres, offices, warehouses, hotels, and transport facilities. These robots may be used for floor scrubbing, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, wet or dry pick-up, polishing, or surface disinfection.^[1]

Commercial cleaning robots differ from consumer robotic vacuums in size, durability, operating time, and integration with facility-management systems. Many models include autonomous navigation, mapping, obstacle avoidance, task scheduling, and reporting functions for professional cleaning operations.

The category developed from earlier research in autonomous floor-cleaning machines and mobile robotics. Commercial adoption increased in the late 2010s, supported by advances in simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), LiDAR, sensor fusion, and fleet-management software.^[2][3][4]

Autonomous cleaning machines have been discussed in robotics literature since at least the late twentieth century. A 2000 academic survey in Autonomous Robots described a number of cleaning-robot designs developed over the preceding decades, including experimental and early commercial systems.^[2]

Swiss manufacturer Cleanfix Reinigungssysteme introduced the RA660 Navi, an autonomous commercial scrubber-dryer, in 2012.^[5] Other companies later entered the sector with autonomous scrubbers, vacuums, and multi-function floor-cleaning robots.

Large-scale retail deployments helped increase commercial interest in the category. In 2018, Walmart announced the deployment of 360 autonomous floor-scrubbing machines using Brain Corp's BrainOS platform in stores across the United States.^[6][7] Around the same period, Avidbots, SoftBank Robotics, and other robotics companies introduced or expanded commercial cleaning-robot products.^[4][8]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in automated cleaning and disinfection increased in healthcare, transit, hospitality, and public facilities. Some systems were adapted or marketed for disinfection tasks using ultraviolet light or spray-based methods.^[9][10]

Commercial cleaning robots are commonly grouped by cleaning function and by the scale of the environment in which they operate.

• Autonomous floor scrubbers – Wet-cleaning machines that dispense water or detergent, scrub the floor, and recover dirty water using a vacuum and squeegee system.
• Autonomous vacuums – Carpet and hard-floor vacuuming robots used in offices, hotels, retail spaces, and transport facilities.
• Sweepers – Dry-debris collection robots used in warehouses, factories, parking structures, and other large areas.
• Multi-function cleaning robots – Robots that combine several cleaning functions, such as sweeping, scrubbing, vacuuming, and mopping, in one platform.
• Disinfection robots – Robots designed to disinfect rooms or surfaces, often using UV-C light or atomized disinfectant.
• Specialty cleaning robots – Robots for specific tasks such as window cleaning, ship-hull cleaning, or pool cleaning.

Most commercial cleaning robots use a combination of sensors and software to navigate indoor environments. Common components include 2D or 3D LiDAR, cameras, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, wheel odometry, and inertial measurement units. These sensors support localization, mapping, obstacle detection, and route planning.^[3]

Many systems use SLAM-based navigation, either through visual SLAM, LiDAR SLAM, or a hybrid approach. Navigation software allows the robot to build or update a map of a facility, follow planned routes, and avoid obstacles such as people, furniture, carts, or temporary objects.^[3]

Floor-scrubbing robots generally include clean-water and recovery tanks, brushes or pads, a squeegee system, and a vacuum motor. Some systems include detergent dosing, water-saving functions, or automatic adjustment of cleaning intensity. Vacuuming robots use suction motors and dust-collection systems, while sweepers are designed for larger debris and dry-floor maintenance.^[1]

Commercial cleaning robots may be paired with docking stations for battery charging, water refilling, and waste-water draining. In larger deployments, robots are often connected to fleet-management platforms that allow operators to schedule cleaning routes, monitor status, receive completion reports, and manage maintenance alerts.

Because commercial cleaning robots often operate around workers, visitors, and other equipment, safety is a major design and deployment consideration. Robots typically include obstacle detection, emergency-stop systems, speed limits, audible or visual warnings, and software controls for restricted areas. IEC 63327:2021 addresses safety requirements for powered automatic floor-treatment machines intended for indoor commercial use.^[1] The International Sanitary Supply Association has described the standard as applying to powered automatic, commonly robotic, floor-treatment machines for indoor commercial use.^[11]

Commercial cleaning robots are used in facilities where repeated cleaning tasks are needed across large or semi-structured spaces.

• Retail – Supermarkets, department stores, and shopping centres use floor-scrubbing or sweeping robots for routine floor maintenance.
• Healthcare – Hospitals and clinics use cleaning or disinfection robots to support hygiene operations and reduce the burden on cleaning staff.
• Hospitality – Hotels may use autonomous vacuums or compact cleaning robots in corridors, lobbies, and meeting areas.
• Transport – Airports, rail stations, and terminals use autonomous floor-care systems for large public spaces.
• Education – Schools and universities may deploy cleaning robots in corridors, classrooms, libraries, and sports facilities.
• Warehousing and manufacturing – Warehouses, factories, and logistics facilities use larger cleaning robots for industrial floors and high-traffic areas.

The commercial cleaning-robot industry includes both robotics companies and established cleaning-equipment manufacturers. Some companies develop purpose-built autonomous robots, while others integrate autonomous navigation systems into existing scrubber or sweeper platforms.

Examples of companies active in the sector include Tennant Company, Kärcher, Nilfisk, SoftBank Robotics, Avidbots, Brain Corp, and Pudu Robotics.^{[5][4][8][12]}

Brain Corp supplies the BrainOS autonomy platform used by several cleaning-equipment manufacturers. Its technology was used in the Walmart floor-scrubber deployment announced in 2018 and in the SoftBank Robotics Whiz commercial vacuum.^[7][8]

Tennant Company and other established cleaning-equipment manufacturers have introduced autonomous or semi-autonomous versions of professional scrubbers.^[13] SoftBank Robotics has distributed the Whiz commercial robot vacuum, which uses Brain Corp's BrainOS navigation platform.^[8] Avidbots develops autonomous floor-scrubbing robots for airports, transit, retail, and industrial environments.^[14] Pudu Robotics has introduced autonomous cleaning robots for commercial and industrial environments.^[15]

Market estimates for cleaning robots vary because some studies combine commercial and residential products. The International Federation of Robotics reports annual data on professional service robots, a broader category that includes robots used in commercial and public environments. In its 2025 service-robotics report, IFR reported that professional cleaning robots grew by 34% to more than 25,000 units sold, with floor cleaning as the main application.^[16] Research firms have also reported growth in the broader cleaning-robot market, with demand linked to labour shortages, rising cleaning standards, sensor cost reductions, and increased adoption of automation in facilities management.^[17][18]

Robotics-as-a-service models are also used in the sector. Under such arrangements, customers pay a recurring fee that may include hardware, deployment, software, support, and maintenance rather than purchasing the robot outright.

Commercial cleaning robots have several practical limitations. They may have difficulty operating in cluttered or frequently changing environments, and some surfaces, obstacles, cables, or debris types can interfere with cleaning performance. Robots also require mapping, maintenance, consumables, and local service support.

Data privacy can be a concern when robots use cameras, persistent maps, or cloud-based monitoring systems. Labour effects are also debated: manufacturers and facility operators often describe cleaning robots as tools that support staff by taking over repetitive routes, while critics have raised concerns about long-term effects on service-sector employment.

• Autonomous mobile robot
• Robot vacuum cleaner
• Service robot
• Simultaneous localization and mapping
• Robot as a service