Best Cleaning Products and Appliances for Dog Owners

What are some of your favorite cleaning products/appliances? The reason I ask is because although my pup is short haired, he sheds a LOT and that does not make for easy cleaning! Does anyone has a particular vacuum (handheld or normal) that you really recommend for pet hair?

I thought it might be useful for everyone to have a thread of good (and safe!) cleaning products for us pet owners. What do you use for pet accidents on the carpet? What do you use for getting the doggy smell out of couch cushions and pillows?

For the smell, I have found that baking soda (and vinegar, depending on the material) can work wonders. Baking soda can be used on carpets and most upholstery!

One of my dogs also sheds very badly. I tried several different vacuums, from Shark to Eureka, and nothing seemed to get the job done. Finally, I broke down and bought a Dyson, and boy does it work wonders! They are a little costly, but definitely worth the money! When it comes to pet stains, I've always used Gonzo. They have one specifically for pets, or you can just buy the regular stuff. It works amazing on getting the stains up, and the smells out (you can also use on any type of stain, not just pet, which is a big plus). As far as smell, I usually use Febreeze. I'm also a candle lover, so I usually have candles lit. I will definitely have to try your baking soda trick as well though!

I used to have an Amway Cleartrack vacuum, and it would pick up everything, and got any dog or cat hair right out of the carpet. Eventually, as I got older, it was harder and harder for me to use, since it is a heavy vacuum. Now, I have a Dyson, and it does just as good of a job, and is a much lighter vacuum than the Cleartrack was.
I also have a Hoover carpet shampooer, and I use that to get up any stains or pet-accidents off of the floor. I do not use any carpet cleaner shampoo in the Hoover, just hot water and either white vinegar or bleach added to the water canister. This cleans the floor and does not leave residual soap in the carpet like most of the carpet shampoos do. We would not think of washing our clothes and not rinsing them; and leaving soap in the carpet makes no sense either. It makes the carpet sticky, and it will then attract even more dirt than before.