ANIMAL CLEANING DEVICE

1 . A method of grooming or cleaning hair or fur, said method comprising:

providing a device for grooming or cleaning the hair or fur, wherein the device comprises a main unit, a steam delivery system operatively engaged with the main unit, and a liquid delivery system operatively engaged with the main unit; wherein the steam delivery system and the liquid delivery system are selectively independently activated to perform a grooming or cleaning task with the device; and wherein each of the steam delivery system and the liquid delivery system includes a tank that is detachably engageable from the main unit;

selecting one of washing the hair or fur and steaming the hair or fur with the device;

individually activating the liquid delivery system on the device if the selection involves washing the hair or fur with a volume of liquid to be delivered to the hair or fur from the liquid delivery system; and

individually activating the steam delivery system on the device if the selection involves steaming the hair or fur with a quantity of steam delivered to the hair or fur with the steam delivery system.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

engaging an attachment hose to the main unit of the device if the selection involves washing the hair or fur of an animal;

placing the attachment hose in fluid communication with the liquid delivery system;

selecting to engage a first attachment to the attachment hose if the hair or fur on the body of the animal is to be washed; and

selecting to engage a second attachment to the attachment hose if the animal's paws are to be washed.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

providing a head on the first attachment;

placing a first surface of the head in close proximity to the animal's body;

moving the head of the first attachment in a direction of movement away from the animal's tail and towards the animal's head or away from the animal's paws and towards a top of the animal's back; and

extending a plurality of tines outwardly from a second surface of the head of the first attachment in the direction of movement of the head of the first attachment along the animal's body, wherein the second surface of the head of the first attachment is oriented at an angle to the first surface thereon, and wherein the plurality of tines form a leading end of the head of the first attachment when moving the same along the animal's body.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

capturing hairs of the fur of the animal between adjacent tines of the plurality of tines;

lifting the captured hairs away from the animal's skin as the head of the first attachment is moved therealong;

delivering a cleaning liquid onto to the captured and lifted hairs from at least one nozzle provided on the head of the first attachment.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , further comprising;

working the cleaning liquid into the fur of the animal and skin with a brush extending outwardly from the first surface of the head of the first attachment as the head moves along the animal's body.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , further comprising:

vacuuming waste cleaning liquid, loose hairs, and particulate materials from the fur of the animal through an aperture defined in the first surface of the head of the first attachment;

transporting the waste cleaning liquid, the loose hairs, and the particulate materials entrained in an airflow through the attachment hose in a first direction moving towards the main unit; and

depositing the waste cleaning liquid, the loose hairs, and the particulate materials into a reservoir provided on the device.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

engaging a steamer hose to a steamer tank provided on the main unit of the device if the selection involves steaming the hair or fur of animal;

placing a steamer attachment on an end of the steamer hose remote from the steamer tank;

heating a quantity of water in the steamer tank with a heating system;

generating steam in the steamer tank; and

delivering the steam to the hair or fur through the steamer hose and steamer attachment.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , further comprising:

providing a head on the steamer attachment;

placing a first surface of the head of the steamer attachment in close proximity to the animal's body;

moving the head of the steamer attachment in a direction away from the animal's tail and towards the animal's head or away from the animal's paws and towards a top of the animal's back; and

extending a plurality of tines outwardly from a second surface of the head of the steamer attachment and in a direction of movement of the head of the steamer attachment along the animal's body, wherein the second surface on the head of the steamer attachment is oriented at an angle to the first surface thereof, and wherein the plurality of tines form a leading end of the head of the steamer attachment as the head is moved along the animal's body.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

capturing hairs of the fur of the animal between adjacent tines of the plurality of tines;

lifting the captured hairs away from the animal's skin as the head of the steamer attachment is moved along the animal's body; and

delivering the quantity of steam to the captured and lifted hairs from at least one nozzle extending upwardly away from a third surface of the head of the steamer attachment and outwardly away from the animal's body.

10 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are oriented at right angles to one another.

11 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein bristles of a brush are oriented at right angles to the plurality of tines.

12 . The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

engaging a shaft of the first attachment with the device via the attachment hose, wherein the shaft extends outwardly from the head in a direction moving away from the second surface.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:

defining at least one chamber in the head that extends through the shaft of the first attachment, wherein the at least one chamber is adapted to be placed in fluid communication with a bore of the attachment hose when the first attachment is engaged with the attachment hose.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

defining a first chamber and a second chamber of the at least one chamber;

providing a nozzle on the head and being in fluid communication with the first chamber; and

extending a shampoo hose through the first chamber and being in fluid communication with the nozzle.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

defining an aperture in the first surface of the head that is in fluid communication with the second chamber; wherein bristles of a brush extend through the aperture and project for a distance outwardly beyond the first surface; and wherein air flows through the aperture and past the bristles between the second chamber and air surrounding the head of the first attachment.

16 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:

selectively placing a pump of the liquid delivery system with the attachment hose to be in fluid communication with one another;

wherein the pump is in fluid communication with the tank.

17 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

engaging an extraction system with the main unit and adapted to move waste liquid and solid materials away from a body of an animal during the grooming or cleaning task.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

providing a reservoir of the extraction system on the main unit;

engaging an attachment hose with the main unit, wherein the attachment hose is selectively placed in fluid communication with the reservoir; and

delivering the waste liquid and solid materials to the reservoir by the attachment hose.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:

housing a blower/vacuum motor of the extraction system within the main unit; and

engaging an attachment hose with the main unit, wherein the attachment hose is selectively placed in fluid communication with the blower/vacuum motor.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:

providing a vacuum port of the main unit and a blower port of the main unit which are each in fluid communication with the blower/vacuum motor; and

selectively engaging the attachment hose with the vacuum port to cause air flow in a first direction through the attachment hose or with the blower port to cause air flow in a second direction through the attachment hose.