Consumer Reports suggests portable room units that utilize HEPA filtration without producing ozone. (Most ionic air filters produce a small amount of ozone.) In their latest publications on air filters in December 2007, they highly recommend Whirlpool Whispure, Kenmore Progressive, and the slightly noisier Hunter Permalife. Whole-house filters can also be installed, or vent filters can be used if you have central air/heat.

If there was no such thing as a Swiffer Vac, life would be hairy. Swiffer Vac is the best thing for homes with pet hair and tile, vinyl, laminate or hardwood floors. It's so easy to slip a Swiffer cloth on the vac and quickly glide the light tool over the floor. What the vac does not pick up, the cloth captures. Daily Swiffer Vac use makes living with pets more pleasant.

• Keep some Swiffer cloths in the car - a quick wipe over the dash and console will help eliminate the hair you have tracked in the car from your clothes.

Another appliance at the top of the Consumer Reports ratings, the WindTunnel is equipped with HEPA filtration and loads of on-board tools. It picks up everything in sight and comes with a hard floor attachment. Hoover continues to make more powerful and effective models of the WindTunnel.

• Some of the WindTunnel models are self-propelled. It's a wonderful ergonomic feature, especially since some of these models tend to be heavy.

After wiping down kitchen and bathroom counters and surfaces, wipe them one more time with a microfiber cloth to truly capture every last particle. You can dust, mop, wipe, sweep and scrub with microfiber.

Lint brushes are more economical, but the lint roller is so effective. Not only can it roll over your clothes, but over upholstery, pillows and bedspreads. They are so portable, it's easy to keep one in the car or your bag for last minute swipes. Larger lint rollers are available for easier furniture cleaning.

The shedding blade is remarkable. If you haven't tried one yet, go get one. You will be awe-stricken by the amount of dead hair it will remove from your pets in a matter of seconds. Regular grooming can reduce the amount of hair your pets have to shed into the house.