Thank goodness for my "purple powerhouses"

That's what I call my vacuum and my steam cleaner. With a house full of shedding pets (and one of which that has yet to be housebroken) my carpet would look horrible without this duo. I don't think it's natural for someone to love their vacuum and steam cleaner as much as I do, but when your 14-year-old berber looks brand new thanks to the regular use of these wonderful machines, it's something to get excited about.

This is my vacuum:

It's a Hoover Windtunnel Pet Rewind. If anyone is in the market for a new vacuum cleaner I *highly* recommend this one. The handle folds down for convenient storage, it's bagless with a rinsable hepa filter, comes with some great tools to help lift pet hair off of surfaces like couches and curtains, has a retractable cord that winds into the unit with the push of a button, and features an off switch for the beater brush which is important since between me and the dogs I used to end up cutting hair from around the bar after each room so as not to burn up the motor. I probably sound like an infomercial right now, but this machine is just that great!

And so as not to choose favorites, this is my steamer:

It's a Bissell Proheat pet edition. After cleaning up an 'accident' earlier today, I can tell you I'm not sure how I ever functioned without one of these in my home. Of course it's handy for spot cleaning, but it's always amazing to see how much dirt is lifted in areas that don't even look dirty. I'll run it over my high traffic areas that aren't showing signs of a mess and be astonished at how much brown water I'm seeing in this machine. The best part is that I have access to it for regular cleanings and no longer have to rent an overpriced RugDoctor from the grocery store. Seriously you pay 1/4 of what I got my steamer for and you only get to keep it 24 hours. If you have a lot of carpet and have the means I suggest getting one of these bad boys. Once you see the grime coming out of your carpet you'll thank me!