CANTON, Mich. -October 15, 2007 - While many consumers routinely remove lint from their dryer’s lint filter between loads, lint can still build up inside the ducting that vents the hot air to the outside. Chris Hall, president of RepairClinic.com®, sees this as a potential hazard and recommends a thorough clean-out of clothes dryers at least one a year—ideally during the fall.

“Lint build-up reduces the efficiency of dryers, and lint can catch fire if it accumulates inside the dryer,” says Hall, whose company, RepairClinic.com, provides consumers with free repair advice as well as the parts they need to fix their appliances. “The good news is that dryers are pretty simple appliances and most consumers can easily handle routine maintenance to keep the dryer safe — and keep their utility bills in check.”

Dryers need good airflow to remove moisture from clothes. When lint accumulates in the exhaust duct or the dryer’s internal ducts, the dryer cannot dry clothes efficiently. A dryer that runs twice as long uses twice as much energy, is harder on clothes, and makes the unpleasant task of doing laundry take that much longer.

RepairClinic.com’s handy tips for keeping dryer lint under control
Clean the lint filter after each load. If you use fabric softener sheets, these can lead to a build-up of gummy residue on the filter and sensors inside the drum. Wipe the sensors with a damp cloth and use a soft bristle brush and hot, soapy water to clean the filter. If the filter is torn or won’t clean up, it’s best to replace it.

Clean out lint from the area around the lint filter. If you can, use a crevice tool on a vacuum cleaner to reach into the dryer.

Clean the dryer exhaust duct at least once a year. Do this more often if you dry more than six loads of laundry each week, if your dryer’s duct is longer than eight feet, or if the duct has more than three 90-degree bends.

How to properly clean the dryer exhaust duct
Use a specially designed and inexpensive vent brush to clean the duct. It’s available in 10- and 20- foot lengths, starting at around $20. Click here.

Begin at the dryer and feed the vent brush all the way to the outside. At the other end, it’s best to remove the exterior cap so the lint can be pushed out.

Tip: straight-walled venting allows better air flow than flexible venting, so for longer runs, straight-walled venting is recommended.

Many more tips and expert repair advice available online
Cleaning tips, maintenance instructions, parts and cleaning supplies for these projects and more can all be found at RepairClinic.com. Consumers can ask the RepairGuru, RepairClinic’s online help wizard, for assistance with most every major appliance repair question.