How to Clean and Store Sphero Robots and littleBits Between Classes

Quick answer

Wipe Sphero robots with a slightly damp, lint-free cloth, then dry them fully before charging. Snap littleBits apart, inspect each Bit for debris, and store them in a closed bin away from loose metal. Unplug chargers and remove batteries from Bits that will sit unused for more than a few weeks.

A class set of robots and Bits takes a beating: sticky fingers, carpet fuzz, and hurried packing at the bell. Ten minutes of cleanup after each session prevents most of the problems that sideline a kit mid-unit.

This routine works for any Sphero robot and for littleBits circuits. It assumes shared classroom use, so every step is written for a student helper or teacher to repeat the same way each time.

Set up a cleaning station before students leave

Pick one table near a power outlet and a trash bin. Put out a lint-free microfiber cloth, a second dry cloth, a small soft brush, and a shallow tray for loose Bits. Keep liquids off the table; dampen the cloth at the sink instead of bringing a spray bottle to the electronics.

Assign roles before the bell: one student wipes robots, one sorts Bits, one coils cables. Rotating roles keeps the routine fair and means you are not the only person who knows where everything goes.

• Keep a printed photo of the correctly packed bin taped inside the lid so any helper can match it.

Step 1: Power down and unplug everything

Turn off each Sphero robot and disconnect it from its charging cable. Snap littleBits circuits apart at the magnetic connectors and remove any 9-volt battery from a power Bit. Unplug the charging brick from the wall, not just from the robot.

The common mistake here is leaving a robot on its charger overnight in a closed cabinet. Heat has nowhere to go in a sealed bin, and a warm battery ages faster than one stored cool.

• Checkpoint: no LEDs are lit, no cables are plugged in, and every battery is out of its Bit.

Step 2: Clean each Sphero robot

Wipe the shell with the damp cloth using light pressure, working around the buttons and charging port rather than scrubbing across them. Use the dry cloth immediately afterward so no moisture sits in seams or around the port.

For grit in wheel treads or around the shell, use the soft brush dry. Never rinse a robot under a tap or dunk it, even if it looks sealed; water can reach the charging contacts and cause corrosion that shows up weeks later.

• Checkpoint: the shell is dry to the touch and the charging contacts are free of lint before the robot goes back in the bin.

Step 3: Clean littleBits without damaging them

Inspect each Bit's magnetic connectors for dust, tape residue, or stray metal. A dry soft brush or a wooden toothpick clears most debris from the connector edges. Wipe plastic housings with the barely damp cloth, then dry them.

Never spray cleaner directly onto a Bit and never submerge one. Moisture inside a Bit can bridge contacts and cause the intermittent behavior that makes a whole circuit look broken when only one Bit is at fault.

• Checkpoint: connectors look clean and bare, with no visible grit or sticky residue.

Step 4: Store littleBits so they stay paired and findable

Return each Bit to its labeled slot or compartment. If your kit has no labels, sort by function: power, input, wire, output. Keeping power Bits together makes it obvious at a glance when one is missing.

Store the bin closed and off the floor. Loose paper clips, staples, and magnetic whiteboard hardware are the main hazards because they jump onto magnetic connectors and are easy to miss during setup.

• Checkpoint: count power Bits and wire Bits against the kit list before the lid closes.

Step 5: Handle batteries and charging gear

Remove batteries from Bits that will sit unused for more than a few weeks; a drained battery left in place can leak and damage the Bit. Store spare 9-volt batteries upright in their original packaging, not loose in a drawer with metal objects.

Charge Sphero robots to roughly half capacity if they will be stored over a long break, then unplug. Leaving a robot at zero for months or at 100 percent on a charger both shorten its useful life.

• Checkpoint: chargers are unplugged and coiled, and no battery is left seated in a stored Bit.

Step 6: Do a two-minute end-of-week audit

Once a week, open each bin and confirm the contents match the label. Check for cracked housings, frayed wires, and Bits that no longer snap firmly. Catching a worn wire bit early is cheaper than discovering it during a lesson.

This is also the moment to note consumables you are low on, so replacements arrive before the next unit starts rather than mid-project.

• Checkpoint: one person signs off on the audit and logs anything missing or damaged.

The between-class routine at a glance

1. Power down and unplug: Turn off robots, disconnect chargers, snap circuits apart, and remove 9-volt batteries from power Bits. Checkpoint: no LEDs lit, no cables connected, no battery seated.
2. Wipe robots dry: Use a slightly damp lint-free cloth, then a dry cloth, keeping moisture away from ports and seams. Checkpoint: shell dry and charging contacts clear.
3. Brush Bits clean: Clear magnetic connectors with a dry soft brush or toothpick; wipe housings lightly and dry them. Checkpoint: connectors bare and free of grit.
4. Store by function: Return Bits to labeled slots, grouped as power, input, wire, and output, and close the bin off the floor. Checkpoint: power and wire Bit counts match the kit list.
5. Manage batteries and chargers: Remove batteries from Bits stored long term and unplug chargers; store robots at roughly half charge over breaks. Checkpoint: chargers coiled and unplugged, no battery left in a Bit.
6. Run a weekly audit: Open each bin, compare contents to the label, and note damage or low consumables. Checkpoint: one person signs off and logs issues.

Replacement parts that keep the routine working

• Blueprint Engineering Wire Bit Packs: Sphero Blueprint Engineering Wire Bit Packs are replacement accessories for Blueprint Engineering builds, with two wire bits per pack in a selected size and compatibility with Sphero Blueprint Engineering sets. Frayed or lost wire bits are the most common reason a build stops working, so keeping a spare pack on hand avoids a stalled lesson while you reorder.
• Blueprint Engineering Power Bit Multi-Charger: The Blueprint Engineering Power Bit Multi-Charger charges multiple Power Bits at once and is included in Blueprint Engineering Class Packs, available separately for expansion or replacement. Charging several Power Bits together shortens the end-of-day routine and reduces the chance that a Bit goes back in the bin with no charge.
• Blueprint Engineering Button Bit: The Blueprint Engineering Button Bit triggers actions with a press and is included in the Blueprint Engineering Kit, available separately for expansion or replacement. A single failed Button Bit can make an entire build look broken, so a spare keeps troubleshooting quick and lets you swap rather than stop.

A consistent ten-minute routine keeps Sphero robots and littleBits ready for the next class and saves you from troubleshooting avoidable failures mid-lesson. Start with the power-down and dry-wipe steps, then add the weekly audit once the habit sticks.