7 Unique & Helpful Cleaning Gadgets Every Pet Owner Will Want

When it comes to being a pet owner, there are a lot of things to love, like having a companion with you during some of life's big and small moments. But an annoying and time-consuming thing about having pets is the constant need to clean both your furry friend and the endless mess they leave behind. Keeping your home clean with pets can feel like a full-time job, whether you're emptying litter boxes, trying to get fluff off clothes, or mud from their paws. Still, keeping things hygienic helps you, your pets, and your other human family members safe from a whole range of problems, such as preventable illnesses, the buildup of bad bacteria, or even food contamination.

Despite the hassle of cleaning after our pets, it's a privilege to be able to care for another living thing. And one day, when they're old and near the rainbow bridge, we're going to wish for more days of having to clean up a messy home. So if you want to spend less time scrubbing and more time creating memories with your pet, we've rounded up some unique, useful cleaning gadgets that can solve problems you didn't know you had. In particular, we've looked at highly rated cleaning tools designed with pet owners in mind that you can invest in to keep your pets healthy, your home clean, and your life in order.

For some pet owners, bath time can be a great bonding experience after a fun day outside with your furry friend. But for others, it can feel like going into battle — and you'll be lucky to get out of it without any scars. As a mother to two feisty cats, I'm sadly part of the latter group. But while you can't force pets to love the water, there are some things you can do to make the experience more comfortable and quick as possible.

One way to do this is getting a pet showerhead that can spray, scrub, and brush at the same time, like the Aquapaw Dog Bath Brush Pro. Although it's marketed for dogs, you can use it for cats and other animals as well. It includes an 8-foot hose you can attach to either indoor or outdoor bathing areas. And you can adjust the water-strength settings, so it's perfect if you have pets with different preferences, from calming baths to being hosed down.

After you're done with the shower, the next bath-time struggle for pet owners is the drying process. If you're not particular, you can let them air dry. But if you have an energetic pup, you might risk dust, dirt, and other particles getting all up in there before they dry up. Alternatively, you can get a proper pet dryer instead.

You can use your personal hair dryer to dry your pets, but if they get stressed with loud noises, this isn't ideal. When you factor in how sensitive their ears are, it's unsurprising that noise that's a minor source of discomfort for us can be deafening to them. If money isn't an issue, an automatic pet dryer box can do the job much more quietly. If your pet is under 22 pounds, HomeRunPet's Drybo Plus ($498.99) could be right for you. Operating at only 40 decibels, it's basically as loud as the hum of your refrigerator, and it has an average drying time of 35 minutes. Be warned, though: a smart drying box, especially one that can fit large animals, can take up an absurd amount of space.

Owners of larger pets might want to opt for handheld grooming pet dryers instead, like the Furme Professional Plus Pet Grooming Vacuum Kit. It comes with tons of accessories for both drying and grooming (and the inevitable cleaning afterward), including a grooming brush, de-shedding tool, electric clippers, and cleaning nozzles. And Furme says it can do the job for 57 db on average, similar to when you're having a normal conversation. Plus, it has a reasonably sized 2-liter collection container, so you won't have to keep stopping to empty it when grooming multiple pets at once. Currently, it has an average of 4.6 stars from 588 satisfied reviewers.

Sometimes, with their cute faces, you can almost forget how much of your pet's bodily fluids you have to regularly wipe off your couches, carpets, or rugs. In some cases, an enzymatic cleaning spray, a scrub, and a lot of patience might do the job. But for some stains, you may need the help of a proper multi-purpose portable cleaner that can cleanse surfaces thoroughly and pass through tight crevices.

With an average rating of 4.5 stars across over 88,000 reviews, Bissell offers several variants of its Little Green portable deep cleaners that work for all kinds of surfaces. However, the Little Green Pet Deluxe is the one pet owners want. It includes three tools (a tough-stain tool, a stain-trapper tool, and a HydroRinse self-cleaning hose tool), plus trial sizes of its stain remover and Pet Oxy Boost. You calso can buy the Bissell Professional Pet Urine Eliminator separately. As an added bonus, you can turn the box it arrived in into a cat cubby after unboxing.

You might want to supplement all this with a black-light flashlight. It can be difficult to tell whether you've fully cleaned an area properly, especially if the fluids have dried up or have seeped into the fabric. Vanksky offers a highly-rated ultraviolet black-light flashlight.

Vacuums save us a ton of time and effort, but not all vacuums are made equal, and some are just not equipped to handle pet hair. Unless they're specifically tested for pets, some vacuums can choke on thick animal fur, especially if you have a breed known to shed a lot, like huskies or Samoyeds. Thankfully, our team at SlashGear has tested several vacuum cleaners made for pets to help you choose.

Our highly rated pet vacuums include the Tineco Pure One Station Furfree smart cordless stick vacuum cleaner, which we found isn't just designed to handle fur like a pro but is also easy to carry and has a dock that cleans it in between use. We've also praised several pet-rated Ryobi products, including the Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP Advanced Stick Vacuum Kit that uses the WrapDefense roller bar, which is perfect for owners of long-haired pups.

You may want to augment your setup with a robot cleaner, too. In between deep cleans with your handheld vacuum cleaner, a robot cleaner can help control the buildup of pet hair. Our team has reviewed several robot vacuums designed to clean pet hair well: the bObsweep PetHair Plus, the SwitchBot K10+, and the Narwal Freo X Ultra.

Designed for professional groomers, the Neakasa P1 Pro Grooming Kit ($129.99) has five attachments designed to brush, trim, and collect pet hair. These are the grooming brush, deshedding brush, trimmer, cleaning brush, and nozzle head. It also includes five guidance combs (3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 millimeters), which you can use to trim your pet's hair to your preferred length. And it has a low-noise design — 52 decibels, like a quiet suburb — so it's meant to do the job without additional stress to your pet. With over 15,000 reviews from satisfied pet parents who gave it an average of 4.6 stars, it's proven to work for different kinds of breeds.

If you want something a little cheaper, the oneisall Dog Hair Vacuum ($99.99) is another option. While it has half the reviews at 7,000, it also has an average rating of 4.6 stars. With a low 60-decibel noise rating, it's only as loud as the average conversation. Plus, it includes seven attachments, including a few unique ones that are perfect for all-around grooming, like the paw trimmer and nail grinder.

In some cases, if you already own a vacuum, you can simply purchase an additional attachment designed for pets. For example, Dyson offers a special Groom Tool  attachment with angled slicker bristles for medium-to-long-haired adult dogs. However, it won't have a lot of the other attachments for more in-depth grooming needs that specialized brands do.

For pet owners who bring their furry friends everywhere, the cleaning doesn't end at home — you'll need to clean your car, too. Depending on your car's interior, this can range from wiping down seats with a pet-friendly, non-toxic formula and microfiber cloth to having to manually remove hair with a pet-hair detailer. Should you be part of the latter group, you can snag the Analan Mini Pet Hair Remover ($15.98) to help you out. It has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 6,000 drivers, with one recent reviewer even claiming that it was able to remove pet hair more effectively than their vacuum cleaners. If you want something a little bit cheaper, the Lilly Brush Mini Pet Hair Detailer ($14.99) is also a good option, with over 53,000 reviewers giving it 4.5 stars on average.

These days, there are tons of car accessories for dog owners that can make your life easier. If you have an adventurous pup you love taking with you everywhere, you might also want to check out our tips for keeping your pet comfortable during long drives. From getting the right car seats and attaching pet trackers to making sure you take enough bathroom breaks, there are tons of things you can do to make sure they enjoy the open road as much as you. We've also reviewed a ton of pet seat belts, so you can keep your furbaby secure while they're wagging their tongue out the window.

Unfortunately, pet hair isn't the only thing that your pets can leave behind in your car. For pet owners who bring their beloved animals to parks, hikes, walks in the park, or anywhere outdoors, they can also bring in dust, dirt, mud — or worse, poop. Before you even think about ways to clean your car, your first line of defense should be to make sure that these particles don't get into your car to begin with.

To do this, you can run your pet's paws through a portable cleaner, such as the Dexas MudBuster. While sold primarily to dog owners, this paw cleaner can also work for other similar-sized pets. Depending on your pet, you can choose among three sizes (small, medium, and large) and eight colors. It's made of silicone bristles, so all you have to do is add water and twist it around your pet's paws.

When you're in a hurry or you just have multiple dogs to manage, you may skip wiping down your dog's paws before you load them into your car. As an added layer of protection, there are machine-washable seat protectors like the Urpower Dog Car Seat Cover. Tried by over 40,000 reviewers who gave it an average of 4.6 stars on Amazon, this non-slip seat cover is waterproof, scratchproof, and comes in multiple colors in two sizes.

As a pet parent for decades who has taken care of a couple of cats and dozens of dogs of different breeds and sizes, I've spent a lot of time cleaning. Unfortunately, I have also been burned with products that weren't tested specifically for pets — so while they could perform their intended use for a while, they would eventually either break or not work as well. 

The suggestions on this list are from brands that have taken the time to adequately test their products to cater to the specific needs of pet owners. In addition, they have been vetted based on the feedback of thousands of satisfied pet parents across different platforms. To be included, we've considered the functionality and special features that make them ideal versus similar products not designed for pets in mind.

It's important to note that because every pet is different, many factors affect the ideal product for them. Before buying anything, it's important to consider things like your pet's age, health issues, and other specific needs. For example, the best set of grooming tools for you depends on the type of hair your pets have. In addition, some recommendations such as the pet dryer box may not be ideal for sickly pets or pets that are too young. Depending on where you are based, the warranty coverage and return policies may also vary, so it's important to check before making a high-cost purchase.