How to clean a dryer vent and how often you should do it

How to clean a dryer vent and how often yous should practise it

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Over time, you might notice your dryer taking longer than usual to completely dry out a load of laundry — maybe two or three cycles are needed rather than one. Y'all might also notice the outside of the car gets quite hot equally information technology runs or possibly you can odor something burning. If y'all notice any of the in a higher place — particularly the latter — y'all need to clean the dryer vent.

Every time you run your dryer, lint, dust and dirt is extracted and collected; most of it ends up in the lint trap filter, but some gets through into the dryer vent. It builds up here, which will inevitably lead to a blockage. This slows the current of the extracted air from your dryer, which affects its performance.

Not only does this mean you will be wasting energy and coin, only information technology tin damage your dryer also, leading to expensive repairs. Fifty-fifty worse: the combination of lint and oestrus can cause fires, so it's essential that you go along on meridian of this chore.

The expert news is that it'south easy to do yourself. We'll bear witness you how to make clean your dryer vent, and how often y'all should do it.

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How often should y'all clean the dryer vent?

What y'all will need

Dedicated cleaning kit

Vacuum cleaner

Dustpan and castor (optional)

Dish soap

Mask and gloves (optional)

If you notice any of the symptoms above, so information technology needs cleaning immediately. If your dryer is functioning effectively, and so twice a year should be plenty with regular utilize.

It shouldn't take also long to clean it — mayhap one-half an hour, tops — merely you might demand someone's assistance with moving the dryer. You may likewise desire to choose a day when information technology'south not raining, every bit cleaning from the exterior vent might be best.

Tin I make clean the dryer vent without professional assistance?

You can, simply comport in mind that yous will demand to pull your dryer away from the wall and move it back into identify at the stop. Plus, if you have a gas dryer, you lot will need to be much more cautious when information technology comes to disconnecting it and moving information technology around, due to the gas line. If yous're not comfortable doing this, phone call in a professional person and don't attempt it yourself.

How to clean a dryer vent

1. Prepare yourself — Chances are, you volition be dealing with a lot of lint, and then wear a mask if y'all have allergies. Gloves are a expert idea too for protection. Cleaning the vent volition likely make a mess, then have your vacuum cleaner or a dustpan and brush on hand.

2. Get familiar with your machine — Pull the dryer away from the wall and locate the vent. Take neat care if you have a gas dryer, as moving it could damage the gas line. On the dorsum of your dryer, the vent volition wait similar a brusk four-inch diameter exhaust piping which is connected from the dryer to your wall. From there, the vent will likely continue to the outside of your belongings.

three. Disconnect your dryer — Unplug your dryer from the wall outlet. Next, remove whatsoever clamps or metal tape which connects the frazzle pipe to the vent on the back of the dryer. You need to exist gentle as you pull the pipe away, otherwise y'all could impairment it. If it's easier, y'all can alternatively remove the exhaust pipe from the duct in the wall instead. If you lot have a gas dryer, you lot volition need to switch off the gas supply and follow the aforementioned steps higher up. However, if you're non sure on what you're doing, call a professional when it comes to gas.

Brush in lint trap — (Paradigm credit: Future)

four. Use the lint trap brush — if your cleaning kit includes a lint trap brush, insert it into the lint trap. Yous may have to movement it upward and down and side to side a few times to loosen or remove any lint.

v. Vacuum up the excess — Using the crack tool on your vacuum cleaner or a flexible hose attachment if it's provided, pick up any immediate dust and lint yous see in the dryer vent or the exhaust pipe — this is simply for the lint you can see, don't offset reaching into the duct as you will get there in a moment. If you've got a cordless or handheld vacuum, it's also worth going outside to remove the vent encompass and picking upwards whatsoever immediate lint on that side besides.

vi. Brush away the lint — Using your dryer vent cleaning kit, insert the castor into the vent and rotate it as you sweep dorsum and forth — be prepared for a mess! You tin can practise this from the outside vent too if the brush isn't deep plenty to pass through. We recommend cleaning from whichever admission point is college, and so gravity is on your side. You may likewise need to castor the inside of the exhaust piping and the back of the vent on your dryer too.

If the vent cleaning brush isn't long enough to get through the entire vent tube, attach the brush securely to a stiff piece of wire; a wire coat hanger should work in a pinch. But make sure in that location are no precipitous edges or ends, as that could damage the pipe from the inside.

Dryer vent being cleaned by brush — (Image credit: Future)

Adept Tip

Some people use leaf blowers so accident out the lint from the inside of the vent, but this tends non to be equally constructive equally our recommended method and can crusade a big mess.

6. Wash the vent cover — As y'all've removed the external vent cover, give it a wash in warm, soapy water and go out information technology out to dry earlier replacing.

7. Clean up and reassemble — Using your vacuum or dustpan and castor, pick up all of the excess lint from your floors. If your exhaust pipe is a soft foil design, make sure you replace it with a 90 degree aluminum elbow pipe instead, such as the Deflecto Aluminum Dryer Vent Elbow. These are fire-resistant and more durable. Reconnect your frazzle pipe.

8. Requite your dryer a examination run — Try it out before pushing it dorsum into place to brand sure everything is fitted correctly. This is especially of import for gas dryers, every bit a leaky ventilation organization tin lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide.

Your dryer should be performance properly over again! If yous couldn't dislodge the excess lint using the above method, you will need to call in a professional instead.

How to forbid futurity lint build-up

You can't terminate lint from building up, merely you can irksome it down:

Keep removing and elimination the lint trap filter between cycles
Remove the lint filter and vacuum around its housing
Dust and vacuum around your dryer
Make sure no big shrubs are blocking the exit of the vent
Limit the number of dryer sheets you lot use. These tin block up the lint filter

Katie looks later everything homes-related, from kitchen appliances to gardening tools. She also covers smart domicile products too, so is the best point of contact for any household communication! She has tested and reviewed kitchen appliances for over 6 years, so she knows what to look for when finding the best. Her favorite affair to exam has to be stand mixers equally she loves to bake in her spare fourth dimension.