A Mess Free Life may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
A laundry dryer is an excellent piece of equipment that can help you dry your clothes faster. Gone are the days when sunlight or wind was the only way of drying clothes.
While it’s great equipment, it can get clogged with dirt. This will slow down the drying process. However, cleaning your dryer makes it function better.
Why is it crucial to clean your dryer?
You need to clean your dryer to reduce the risks of a dryer fire. Remember, when lint builds up, it may cause dryer fires. Besides that, washing the dryer lowers your electric bill drastically.
It won’t use a lot of energy any more while drying clothes. Your clothes will also dry faster because the dryer doesn’t have clogged vents. There will be a free flow of air, which quickens the drying process.
Clogged vents can also overheat, which may cause serious issues.
Here is how you can clean your dryer.
- Trace your duct
You should first find out the location of your duct before cleaning it. Analyze where it starts and where it ends.
There is a short 4-inch diameter exhaust at the back of the dryer. It links to dedicated ductwork that is in the wall, passing through the other pipe. It is in these metal pipes that hot air passes through.
- Disconnect the dryer safely
You have now found out the starting and ending points of your duct. It’s now time to disconnect your dryer. Start by unplugging the power cord of your machine from the wall outlet.
You can then remove any clamps or metal tape that causes the dryer vent to be fixed on the exhaust. Pull the vent pipe from the wall pipe gently.
Should you have a dryer that runs natural gas, be extra careful. Avoid disturbing the gas line of the dryer to avoid gas leaks.
- Clean the exterior part
The outer part of your dryer tends to have dust build-up and lint. Use a microfiber cloth to clean the exterior part. You should also thoroughly clean the buttons and knobs as they tend to have grime build up.
- Clean, accessible interior parts
Pull away the lint trap from the dryer and wash it using warm soapy water. Clean the inside part of the drum dryer.
If there are any messes on the drum walls, make sure you clean them. If the messes are sticky, use olive oil to rub them then scrap them up using a spatula.
After removing all messes, spray the interior of the drum using an all-purpose cleaner and dry it.
- Do a deep cleaning inside the dryer
Deep cleaning the interior of your dryer might take some time. However, it is crucial to help your dryer last longer. It prevents lint fires as there will be no more lint.
- Tidy up and reconnect back the parts
There is a high possibility that you might have removed a lot of lint from your dryer. Now it’s time to wind up the cleaning process and reconnect the parts back.
Once you clean up everything, return each piece to its original place.
- Conduct a trial test
Now you might want to check whether the dryer is working after connecting back its parts. This is to test if it has regained its power back. It should work well after reassembling everything.
Tips for maintaining your dryer
As you can see, cleaning your dryer after prolonged use can be quite daunting. Besides that, failing to maintain it regularly can result in damage before you realize it.
Aside from cleaning it when necessary, you need to handle it well to extend its life. Here are tips to help you increase your lifetime and make your laundry day more comfortable.
- Never overload your dryer
Did you know that overloading your dryer with many clothes makes the clothes take longer to dry? Besides that, it makes your dryer use more energy.
- Clean the exhaust vent after every two years
The best way to prevent fires from your dryer and maintain it is by washing it twice a year. Lint is the worst enemy. You should always look out for it to get rid of it. After removing the vent, clear out the lint that has built up.
- Deep clean your lint screen
Did you know that your lint screen should be cleaned every three months? You should wash it with some laundry detergent then thoroughly rinse it.
You can clear up residue left by dryer sheets by popping the screen inside the dishwasher.
- Clean the lint trap
Take away the screen to clean the lint trap. Make use of the lint brush of your dryer to clean inside your trap. You should also remember to wash the lint filter once a month using warm and soapy water.
To eliminate greasy residue, allow it to dry completely. Otherwise, the oily residue can cause it to clog. Use an all-purpose spray to wipe the drum and the outside area to get rid of all dirt.
- Always check the vent cap outside
The vent can sometimes be surrounded by snow, dirt, and lawn debris. You need to clean it frequently, or else the dirt might block the free flow of air.
When there is no open air flow in the vent, it hampers the performance of the dryer.
- Replace plastic or vinyl exhaust vents with metal
Metal exhaust vents tend to be safer than plastic or vinyl vents. Plastic vents can easily catch fire.
- Clean the drum
Use a microfiber cloth to wipe inside the drum. You can use some alcohol to rub and remove any residue from the dryer sheet. Allow the drum to dry completely.
Cleaning a dryer is not a tough task. You should, therefore, keep it clean. This is not only important in lowering your bills but also keeping you safe from fire.
It quickens the drying process, making the dryer effective. To clean your dryer, the most important thing is to learn how to disconnect various parts, clean them, and reconnect them.
