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Tired of pulling out damp clothes from the dryer? You may need to learn how to clean a dryer vent. Much like washing machine upkeep, this laundry room maintenance chore should be part of your regular cleaning checklist. lab filter dryer
“Over time, lint and small debris builds up in exhaust pipes and needs to be removed,” says David Steckel, home expert for Thumbtack, a home care directory app. “This buildup can reduce the efficiency of the unit and eventually become a fire hazard.”
In fact, dirty dryer vents are the leading cause of domestic dryer fires, according to the US Fire Administration. So you’ll want to clean your machine’s dryer vent at least once a year. After all, the last thing you want is a burning smell wafting from your laundry room.
The good news for homeowners is that dryer vent cleaning can be a DIY job that doesn’t entail an elaborate process—you can even use a clean toilet brush to pull out the debris. Once the vent duct is in tip-top shape, you’ll notice that your dryer is working better, you have completely dry clothes at the end of each cycle, cleaner lint screens, and most importantly, the peace of mind that your laundry room is not going to cause a house fire.
Often, yes. But there are some considerations to think over before committing to doing it yourself. Some experts dissuade DIY dryer vent cleanings if you have a gas dryer.
The location of the dryer and laundry room design constraints can dictate its accessibility as well. “Vertical ductwork, common in basements, creates extra challenges and makes rigid ductwork essential for the entire run from dryer to wall,” says Jamie Addie, owner of WiseChoice Home Services in Littleton, Colorado, and Thumbtack pro advisor. “In my experience, basement dryers often have longer, more complex vent paths compared to standard setups. It’s worth considering a pro since some counties have specific regulations for these setups.”
However, if you consider yourself handy and the dryer duct setup is straightforward, you may be able to do this laundry maintenance service yourself. If you do decide to do the dryer vent cleaning yourself, consider buying a drill-powered duct cleaning brush, which can extend anywhere from 20 to 40 feet.
There are signs that you may have a clogged dryer vent and duct cleaning is in order. Look out for the following indicators.
“If you feel like it is taking longer for your clothes to get dry, you probably need to clean out the vents,” Steckel notes. Your clothes drying cycle shouldn’t take longer than the designated time allotted. Clothes that smell of mold could also signal a blocked vent.
The dryer unit is hot to the touch or there’s a burning smell when you run the dryer. Your clothes should not feel extremely hot (more so than usual) when the dry cycle ends. Remember: A clog in the vent can lead to dryer fires.
Don’t forget to clean out your lint trap regularly.
The laundry room gets humid or has restricted air flow when you run the dryer. (The hot air may be seeping into the room instead of escaping through the outside vent if there is an obstruction in the vent hose.)
The lint filter is filled with more lint than usual, even if you toss in wool dryer balls. Keep in mind that things like towels, sweatshirts, and fuzzy blankets will garner more lint than other items, so cleaning your dryer duct post-winter is not a bad idea.
Some types of dryer ducts (foil, plastic, or vinyl) are more prone to clogging and consequently can lead to a house fire. Ideally, these dryer vents could be replaced with a rigid metal duct. If that’s not possible, take extra care to ensure these dryer vents are always clean and debris-free.
A DIY dryer vent cleaning process shouldn’t take you more than an hour as long as you have the right info and tools. Here are seven simple steps that will get all that lint and gunk out of the duct.
Getting dust and lint out of your dryer duct goes beyond basic cleaning products and microfiber cloths. That’s because you’re not just wiping the debris away—you physically need to remove clogs from the ducts. Oftentimes the dirt gets stuck to the interior sides of the vent, so you need something that will catch it and pull it out.
“For cleaning, I’ve found a Shop-Vac works much better than a regular vacuum, especially if you can access the outdoor vent,” Addie says. “Shop-Vacs work as both suction and blowers, adding power and momentum.”
Here are the recommended supplies you’ll need to get the job done:
Unplug your dryer. If it’s a gas dryer, turn off the gas valve as well. Then, pull it away from the wall so you have plenty of space to work. Carefully disconnect the dryer duct, which is located in the back of the dryer, from the machine. The duct may be held in place by a zip tie; if that’s the case, snap it off.
Dryer vent cleaning is a messy job. To minimize debris flying all around your laundry room, place a plastic tarp or craft paper to help catch the lint balls. Wearing a face mask will keep you from inhaling lint.
Using a hose attachment, turn on your vacuum cleaner and suction all around the entrance of the vent. Poke it inside the dryer exhaust duct and vacuum out what you can. It is good to have a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter for this.
You can use a clean toilet brush for dryer duct cleaning, but only if you’ve routinely kept up with dryer vent maintenance and the lint isn’t packed in too far. To dislodge lint trapped deep in the hose attachment, opt for a dryer duct cleaning kit, which is available both online and at big box home improvement retailers. Standard kits come with flexible rods that allow you to get up to 12 feet inside the duct.
The rods are made to connect, but for added insurance, you can tape over each connection with electrical tape so there’s no chance they come apart. The kit comes with a rotating brush that should go in first. On the back end, you’ll attach a power drill to the rod at hand.
A power drill and duct cleaning kit will help you get deep within the duct.
Once attached, turn the drill on medium power and let it rotate clockwise. It’s important to keep the drill running clockwise; if you start spinning it counterclockwise, you run the risk of the attachments disassembling and getting stuck inside the dryer duct. Slowly move the rods and brush back and forth, eventually pulling the brush all the way out.
Before heading to the exterior vent, clean up the mess your cleaning left behind. A handheld vacuum should do the trick. Sweep up the debris and toss it. If the lint leaves residue behind, you may need to use soapy water with a squirt of dish soap to clean up. When finished, plug the dryer back in and reconnect the duct back into the dryer vent. Head to the gas line and turn the gas valve back on, if applicable.
Depending on where your exterior vent is located, cleaning may not be an option
Dryers also have exterior vents, where hot and moist air from the machine is removed outside the home. This vent might be located low to the ground or high near the roof on the exterior wall. Safety should be your number one priority, so if the vent is near the roof of multistory home or in an otherwise inaccessible place, consider hiring a professional. Also, be sure to check that birds aren’t using the vent opening as a nest (yes, this can happen!)
Once you’re clear to start cleaning an exterior vent, the process is nearly identical to that of interior dryer vent cleaning. Snake the flexible rods through the duct and drill brush.
You can also use a leaf blower to forcefully remove the lint from the inside out, as seen in a how-to video by Brandon Pleshek, a janitor and video creator for @cleanthatup in Wisconsin. Wrap a leaf blower in a microfiber cloth and place it against the wall opening near your dryer. To keep the lint from flying all over your yard, secure pantyhose over the exterior opening. When you turn the power on and the lint and dust fly out, it will be trapped in the stretchy fabric.
While the standard advice is to whip out your vent brush about once every 12 months to make sure your dryer vent duct is free of lint and other debris, you may need to put your dryer vent cleaning kit to use more often if your household has pets, a large family, or lots of laundry (think kids who play a ton of sports). Those who tend to have a ton of laundry or wash lots of flannel sheets, towels, and blankets may want to increase the dryer vent cleaning to twice a year.
The distance between the vent exhaust and the actual dryer can play a role too. “Longer distances reduce airflow, making lint buildup more likely,” Addie explains. “The farther the vent is from the dryer, the more frequently it should be cleaned.” Add it to your spring cleaning checklist, and then again in late fall before all the holiday prep and hosting is underway.
The secret to keeping your dryer exhaust vent consistently clean lies in the lint trap. Make sure to remove any dryer lint from it every time you run the dryer while doing a load of laundry, especially if you use dryer sheets. This is critical. Not only will this help you maintain a clean dryer vent, it will keep the entire dryer running smoothly, improve your machine’s drying time, and decrease the risk of house fires.
You may also want to install a lint trap on a washing machine hose. By capturing lint before it goes into the clothes dryer, you are minimizing lint in the first place.
In addition to simply keeping it clean, it’s also recommended that you never run a dryer unattended. Never turn on a load and leave the house. If you’re not home and a dryer fire starts, it can wreak havoc before someone notices and calls the fire department.
Last but not least, always give your dryer room to breathe. Putting clutter and storage items on or around a dryer is definitely a fire hazard you want to avoid.
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