Hidden Danger: Dryer Lint
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It seems hard to believe but dryer lint is anything but a harmless waste product. In small amounts it really can’t do anything more than create a mess. However, in larger amounts, excess lint can be the source of a malfunctioning dryer or even a house fire.
Most people probably scrape out the lint catcher before they start a new load in the dryer. While this step is important, it’s only the first in a series of steps to maintain your laundry’s exhaust system. See the nine simple steps below for clearing out lint before it becomes a problem.
1. Pull the plug. Turn off the dryer’s power source, whether it’s gas, electric, or both.
2. Give yourself room to move around by pulling out the appliance a few feet from the wall.
3. Detach the tubing that connects your dryer and the exhaust system in the wall. Dispose of the lint inside the tubing in a trash bag.
4. With the help of your vacuum attachments, clean out the remaining lint in the tubing.
5. A special brush (found at any major hardware store) may be needed to push the rest of the lint out. Alternatively, you can use the end of a broom or a bent clothes hanger to shake things up inside the tubing as well.
6. Next, use your vacuum attachment to remove lint from the lint catcher and the exhaust vent in the wall.
7. Take a walk outside and find your exterior exhaust vent. Look for clogs and accumulations of lint , and make sure the hot air is pouring out away from the house.
8. Reattach the dryer’s tubing, plug back into your power source, and then run the dryer for a few minutes on low to let the flow of air clean out any remaining particles.
9. Finally, select a date in the next six to 12 months to do this process of cleaning the lint all over again. Some households may need to re-clean their system more often if they use their laundry system more frequently.
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