Although most of us know to clean our lint traps when doing laundry, just doing that doesn't mean you've ever really cleaned out your dryer. If you want to keep things hazard free and running smoothly, then check out these tips on how to keep your dryer in tip top shape in just 30 minutes.
Family Handyman is an excellent resource for those looking to take their responsibilities around the home to the next level. They have recently shared how to deep clean your dryer, and although it does involve removing the top panel and some screws, the whole thing can be completed in just 30 minutes. The lint that gathers around the drum can become a fire hazard and decrease drying time — this how-to tutorial will show you how to keep your drum running in the best possible shape.
Read More: Dryer Lint Cleaning Tips from Family Handyman
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I have an irrational fear of drier fires and these posts keep haunting me and reminding me to clean.
oh my goodness...home sick last week I decided I was going to do just this. But my lent filter is inside the dryer, so it cant be accessed by removing the top panel. So there I was with the kitchen tongs, a wire hanger and a tooth brush trying to get every bit of left behind lent that I possibly could. Might have to have my husband figure out a way to get in there because, like ECLECTIC DESIGN SOURCE, I too have a fear of dryer fires.
Wow, thank you so much for this! Not only was I unaware of the need to do this, but getting turned on to the Family Handyman makes me feel very lucky!
BTW, on their website, there was a "Videos from around the web" bar and I clicked on one about closet organization. I'd like to recommend it because I think the woman being interviewed does a more thorough job of taking the individual's preferences into account than most of the boiler plate organizers do.
THAT video's original website is AskTheDecorator.com, and the video, if anyone's interested, is at http://askthedecorator.com/Closets.shtml#sortByTabs
yes this is so important!
I have to remove the back panel on mine.I also saw this ad on TV about this tool you can attach on your vacuum cleaner to reach lint inside.
Does anybody have a comment on that please>
Before our most recent move, I noticed that our dryer was taking 2-3 cycles to dry & our laundry room was getting really humid when it ran. I was perplexed (& more than a little irritated) because it was only about 3 years old. One weekend, I finally got my husband to disconnect it, pull it out from the wall, take the back off & vacuum it out. Hmm...not much lint there...that's odd. Let's take the ducting out of the wall & see what's going on there. Y'all will never believe what we found. A HUGE BIRD'S NEST. The builder (very conveniently) put our laundry room on the 2nd floor, but inconveniently did not put any screen on the vent to prevent critters from getting in. The little birdies found their way in & built a massive condo that went well into the flexible silver ducting. We had to replace the ducting (luckily it's cheap at Lowe's) and then get a stick to poke evict the birds from the wall. I'm not even gonna talk about the bird pee that was all over the floor behind the dryer. Ew. Thank GOD we were renting that house & didn't have to worry about figuring out how to put screen on that vent. Now the dryer works like new, the house we're in has laundry on the first floor & the ducting has screens so no critters can get in!
I think you meant to say, "The lint that gathers around the drum can become a fire hazard and increase drying time..."
I'm my mom's caregiver, and she's semi-incontinent so I do at least one load of laundry a day. Now I'm freaked out about what might be accumulating inside the dryer so I will be going out shortly and taking the dryer apart. I'll also be sharing this post on my Facebook page with a warning for my friends to do the same.
@Annie-O - thanks for that link; I'm currently using the "hang it backward until you wear it" method of clothing elimination. I figured that by the end of the year I'd have had the chance to wear most of my clothing, although I normally wear my grungy stuff around here - it was close to being a candidate for the 'Hoarders' TV show when I got here and I'm still cleaning/clearing out. I hope to have a really pretty closet soon after the new year, and I WILL have a clean dryer today! Thinking I should look for a washer maintenance post, as well...
Oh. My. Goodness. My mother still has this dryer, except the lint catcher is inside instead of on top. SO OLD!!! She refuses to give it up until it breathes its last breath of hot, dry air. Which, knowing my mother, won't ever happen - she'll find a way to keep it alive. She'll appreciate this! hahaha
inneedofmakeover,
I bought the Lint Lizard at Bed Bath and Beyond. It is a lot easier to use than some of the others I have tried in the past and much less expensive.
I've pulled apart our washing machine to repair it before but never thought to get the dust bunnies out of our dryer. We barely use it because it leaves our clothes with an odd smell, and giving it a proper clean might just fix that.
thanks for this. when i was 12 our house caught fire for this exact reason. my mom always cleaned the lint trap, but had no idea she needed to do any more than that. thankfully everyone was okay. this is a very important tip and i'm glad you've shared it here.
SAPPHIRE HOME - Good for your mother! If everyone had her mentality the landfills wouldn't be overflowing and the planet wouldn't be trashed. As long as its working, why should she replace it?