A cleaning pad for an autonomous cleaning robot evenly wets and collects debris for cleaning operations. The pad includes a core of absorbent layers for absorbing liquid through capillary action and for distributing the liquid within the cleaning pad. The pad includes a wrap layer around the core, the wrap layer comprising a fibrous layer that is flexible and absorbent, the fibrous layer configured to absorb liquid through capillary action and transfer the liquid to the core. The pad includes one or more transition regions spanning a cleaning width of the cleaning pad, the one or more transition regions dividing the cleaning pad into at least two segments. The forward positioned segment of the pad, of the at least two segments of the pad, has a lesser thickness compared to a thickness of an aft positioned segment of the at least two segments.