
Early robot vacuums had to be manually set on a schedule, but the newest ones have stepped up.
You can now control them with Roomba Alexa commands. In this article, we’ll enumerate the different types of voice commands you can use.
Integrating Alexa with your Roomba vacuums is going to make your life a lot easier. You can drastically cut down the time it takes for you to clean your home by 80% just by knowing these commands.
Let’s get to know them!
Before we discuss some of the voice commands for your Roomba, here are a few things you need to know.
What You Need to Know About Alexa Roomba Commands
You can use simple commands to start, stop, and pause the cleaning job of your Roomba.
But did you know that you can tell your robot vacuum to do so much more?
Before using Alexa commands to control your device, ensure you are connected to the Internet.
✅ Set up the Integration First
You should first download the official iRobot Home app on your device. Then, connect your Roomba with Alexa by selecting Voice Control, Smart Home, or Smart Integrations.
✅ Use the Roomba Alexa Skill
Next, create and save a set of commands for your Roomba. Make sure to enable the skill in the iRobot app.
✅ Check if Your Model Supports Alexa
All connected Roomba robot vacuums are compatible with Alexa, giving you hands-free control over the cleaning job. You simply tell them to clean – and you can consider it done.
✅ Need WiFi Connection
Make sure your Internet connection is solid and stable. If anything is wrong with your WiFi signal or connection, you won’t be able to connect your Roomba to Amazon’s Alexa.
Now that your Roomba robot vacuum is connected to Alexa, let’s proceed to the different types of Roomba Alexa commands you can use to operate your device with your voice.
The Different Types of Roomba Alexa Commands You Can Use
Before moving on to the list of iRobot Alexa commands, be sure to download the official iRobot Home app on your mobile device. If you already have the app, check if it’s up to date.
The iRobot Home app is compatible with the following operating systems:
- iOS – Compatible with OS 13 and higher
- Android – Compatible with OS 7.0 and higher
Now, you can command your Roomba through Alexa. You can use the following commands to tell the voice assistant to start an action.
1. Commands to Start Cleaning
After setting up your Roomba and integrating it with Alexa, it’s understandable that you want to get it to start cleaning as soon as possible.
The good news is that you absolutely can by using different Alexa voice commands.
Of course, there’s the common one where you ask your Roomba to start vacuuming.
However, there are also other commands that you might be interested in, especially if you have multiple vacuums in your home.
Here are the commands to get your Roomba to start cleaning:
- Alexa, tell Roomba to start vacuuming.
- Start cleaning with all the Roomba vacuums.
- Turn on Roomba and start cleaning in 10 minutes.
- Ask Roomba to clean for 20 minutes, then go back to base.
Note: You can also ask to clean using multiple robots, just specify their names and Alexa will activate them.
2. Commands to Clean Specific Rooms or Zones
Getting your robot vacuum to start cleaning is one thing. Setting it up so it can do some spot cleaning in specific areas is another.
Some Roomba models allow you to name zones in your house so you can ask your vacuums to clean just that area.
It does come in handy for areas that are likely to get dirt on the floor regularly, such as the kitchen.
Here’s how to command your Roomba to clean specific rooms or zones:
- Alexa, get Roomba to clean the master bedroom.
- Tell the Roomba there’s a mess in the kitchen.
- Get the Roomba to sweep the living room in front of the couch.
- Set the location of the vacuum to the dining area.
Note: Make sure that you have saved the zones on your Roomba app so Alexa can recognize it.
3. Commands While Your Roomba is Cleaning
It can be an annoying experience if someone interrupts you while you’re busy cleaning up your home.
This is not really much of a problem with your Roomba since it will happily follow all of your instructions.
It can queue these tasks efficiently so it does not get distracted but go through all of the things you asked of it.
There are times when you want to prioritize a certain zone or area. You can even get it to stop cleaning and move to a different room when people start using a room.
Whatever it is, your Roomba is capable of performing mid-mission commands.
Here are the commands you can use while it continues to clean:
- Alexa, get the Roomba to stop vacuuming and return to base.
- Ask Roomba to pause cleaning for 5 minutes.
- Get Roomba to resume cleaning.
- Tell Roomba to skip this room and proceed to the kitchen.
4. Commands to Know Your Roomba’s Location and Status
If you have a large house, you can lose sight of your Roomba vacuums while they are cleaning along.
There are times when you want to know their location so you can avoid that area or room so you don’t step on them.
Mopping robots like the Braava can also make your room damp and slippery. Knowing where it’s mopping can help you avoid that place, avoiding accidents.
Here are the commands that let you know where your Roombas are:
- Alexa, ask Roomba where it is.
- Alexa, locate Roomba for me, please.
- Ask Roomba to make a sound so I can find it.
- Ask Roomba what it’s doing.
- Alexa, is the Roomba done cleaning in the living room.
Note: The important keyword for Alexa to activate the skill is Roomba or iRobot.
5. Commands for Scheduling Your Roomba
Your robot vacuums are not devices that you command if you want to clean something up.
They’re also smart devices where you can set a schedule for them so you can forget that you have them in your home.
Setting up your Roomba’s cleaning schedule can get a bit complicated if you do it over the app.
However, if you talk to Alexa and allow it to set it up for you, all you need are a few voice commands.
Here are the voice commands to help you schedule your cleaning:
- Alexa, ask Roomba to schedule a cleaning.
- Get the Roomba to schedule cleaning on Sunday at 8 PM.
- Alexa, get Roomba to list down my cleaning schedule for the week.
- Tell Roomba to cancel the schedule on Tuesday.
Note: You can set the schedule for your cleaning sessions as long as you specify dates and times, Alexa will take care of all of that for you.
6. Commands for Your Braava Mop
The iRobot Braava is also a different device that allows you to use Alexa to command it.
It’s basically a Roomba mop that can help you keep your floors dust and dirt free.
Since the Braava is a mop, it does come with a different set of functions and commands.
Similar to the Roomba, you can also command it through Alexa. Some of the terms it uses are a bit different.
Once you get the hang of it, you can start mopping your floors in no time without lifting a finger.
Here are the commands for your Braava mop that you should remember:
- Alexa, tell Braava to start mopping.
- Get Braava to start mopping the kitchen.
- Ask Braava to schedule mopping on Monday morning.
Note: If you both have a Roomba and Braava, make sure to tell Alexa the device you want to control to avoid confusion.
These are some of the best Alexa commands for your Roomba that will make your life a lot easier.
Cleaning your home is going to be a voice command away so you don’t have to use your phone and the app every time.
Bottom Line
These Roomba Alexa commands will help you get your home clean in no time.
These will come in handy especially if you have multiple vacuums that help you clean your home.
You can contact Roomba customer support if you come across any issues while doing voice commands.
Read Next: Why Is Alexa Having Trouble Understanding?

Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.