Back to the full guide

Did You Clean That? · No. 02

Dryer Vent: the one-page checklist

Things everybody uses. Almost nobody cleans.

Check these parts

  • Lint screen
  • Screen housing
  • Accessible ducting
  • Exterior vent hood

What you need

  • A dryer vent brush kit
  • A vacuum with a crevice or hose attachment
  • A screwdriver or nut driver for the duct clamp
  • A flashlight or headlamp

Do it in this order

  1. 01. Check the manufacturer's recommendations. Your manual tells you the duct type, the maximum run length and the cleaning interval for your model. Start there, not with a video.
  2. 02. Clean the lint screen every single load. Not most loads. Every one. If water beads on the screen instead of running through, wash it with soap and a brush, then dry it fully.
  3. 03. Vacuum the screen housing. The slot the screen slides into collects a surprising amount. A crevice tool reaches it.
  4. 04. Unplug the dryer and pull it out. Gas dryer? Do not disturb the gas line. If you can't move it without stressing the connection, this is the point where you call somebody.
  5. 05. Inspect the accessible ducting. Loosen the clamp, pull the duct off, and look. Crushed, kinked or packed solid all mean the same thing: airflow is gone.
  6. 06. Brush and vacuum what you can reach. Work the brush in and back out, then vacuum the loose lint. Do the same from the outside vent hood if you can reach it safely.
  7. 07. Check the outside flap. With the dryer running, the exterior flap should open with steady air behind it. Weak or no airflow means the blockage is still in there.
  8. 08. Watch your drying times. One load of towels should not need three cycles. Unusually long drying is the earliest warning you get, and it means the duct needs another look or a professional cleaning.

Don't do this

  • · Don't use flexible foil or plastic accordion duct. Rigid or semi-rigid metal is the standard.
  • · Don't shove the dryer back so hard it crushes the duct into an S behind the machine.
  • · Don't run the dryer with the vent disconnected.
  • · Don't ignore a burning smell. Shut it off.

Know when to stop

If your vent run is long, goes through a roof, or you can't reach the blockage, hire a professional vent cleaner. That is money well spent, and it is cheaper than the alternative.

LaLa says

“If one load of towels takes until Thursday, your dryer may be trying to tell you something.”