Learn how to quickly and easily clean your dryer vent from the inside and outside — allowing your machine to run more efficiently and reducing the risk of a lint fire!
For many years, I erroneously assumed that the only maintenance my dryer required was to remove any visible lint from the lint screen.
Boy, was I wrong!
Several years ago, I learned that it doesn’t take long for lint to really start to build up inside the lint trap cavity and inside the vent pipe.
Also, after reading my appliance manual (most manuals can be found online — you don’t need to keep the paper copy!) I realized it is recommended to thoroughly clean the lint trap at least once a year.
For my machines, this requires taking the front grate off the lint trap, cleaning this grate and the surrounding area, and then using a shop vac crevice tool to suck out the massive amounts of lint, hair, dirt, and sand that somehow find their way inside our lint trap.
And I thought my dryer was decently clean! Gross!
Thankfully, a thorough cleaning of most dryer’s lint traps is a fairly simple process that only takes about 15-20 minutes.
I just need to remember to actually do it!
You know how this goes! 😁
Related Reading: Our Laundry Room Renovation
Signs that you might need to clean your dryer vent:
If you’re not sure you need to clean your dryer vent, here are a few things to look for…
- your clothing is still damp, even after a full dryer cycle
- your dryer is taking longer and longer to fully dry
- there is extra lint build-up on the removable dryer screen
- your clothing smells a bit musty after coming out of the dryer
- your dryer feels very hot on the outside (like it’s working extra hard)
- you get an “error” message (more for newer models)
- there is visible lint blowing out of your exterior dryer vent hood
- the exterior vent hood flaps don’t open properly (because of decreased air flow)
Recently, I noticed our upstairs dryer wasn’t drying well.
It was taking much longer to dry than normal… so I decided to do a little investigating.
I realized I couldn’t remember the last time I thoroughly cleaned out the lint trap, so instead of calling a repairman, I grabbed my screwdriver, headlamp, and mini shop vac, and got to work!
It was bad!
I was appalled by how much lint I sucked out of the lint trap cavity… and I just kept sucking more and more junk out!
Then, I went outside, took the vent cover off the side of the house, and pulled more lint and hair out from that end.
After wiping everything with a damp microfiber cloth and scrubbing the lint catcher with dish soap, I put everything back together and started it up again…
Wouldn’t you know, our dryer ran as good as new again… and I finished our laundry in record time!
I figure I saved myself at least $150 on a service call.
All with just 15 minutes of effort on my part!
If your dryer has been running a bit slow lately, if it’s taking longer to dry your clothing, or if it’s just been a while since you thoroughly cleaned out your dryer vent, make a note to do it sometime THIS week.
Use the step-by-step instructions below to guide you through this simple process!
How to Thoroughly Clean your Dryer Vent
Follow these simple instructions to quickly clean excess lint, hair, dirt, and debris from your dryer vent. Not only will your machine run better and be more efficient, you'll also reduce your risk of fire due to clogged dryer vents!
Instructions
- Remove lint screen from the dryer and wash in warm soapy water (see notes below)
- If possible, use a screwdriver to remove the "cover" from the lint filter compartment and thoroughly clean with shop vac and microfiber cloth
- Use a lint vent cleaning brush to loosen lint and debris further inside the dryer vent.
- Use a shop vac to suck up loosened lint and debris.
- Replace the clean cover over the lint filter compartment.
- Replace the lint screen.
- If possible, head outside and remove the vent cover from the exterior dryer vent location and go through the same process of loosening the debris and sucking it out.
- Replace the vent cover and enjoy a more functional dryer!
Notes
When then lint screen becomes clogged with grease or residue from dryer sheets it doesn't allow air to pass through as freely -- which drastically slows down the drying process. I let the lint screen soak in hot water with a good degreaser (I use the Blue Dawn) and then scrub it until it's totally clean.
Consider switching to wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener sheets (which cause build-up on lint screen).
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Related Reading
Click on an image below for more laundry simplifying tips!
With a little extra effort, you can enjoy a faster and more efficient laundry routine, prolong the life of your dryer, and reduce the risk of a lint fire!
What are your best laundry simplifying tips?
Read ALL my laundry-related posts here.
Pascale Forest says
Hello Andrea,
We had our dryer and dryer vent professionally cleaned. The technician took it apart and it was surprising to see everything that came out even though I don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets and I air dry a lot of our clothing.
While he was here, he cleaned our refrigerator coil.
He was here for about an hour. It was money well spent considering that dryer fires are one of the leading causes of fire in America.
On another note, I was one of those kids who never liked desserts. I was told that I would spit out any sweets that were given to me. I loved Roquefort cheese.
If one of your children suddenly disliked desserts and birthday cakes, would you ever consider giving him or her something else such as Roquefort cheese?
Andrea says
Hi Pascale, glad you got your dryer vents cleaned well – that’s important!
And… I’ve honestly never heard of Roquefort cheese, so I’ll need to look into that 🙂
Chris says
I recently bought a cheap exterior dryer vent cover online since my old one was looking bad and was 20+ years old. My husband put the new on and it has been on there a few weeks. However, for some reason this week, I opened up the flaps from outside and there was a small screen inside with lint trapped in it. I wondered why it had a screen and googled it and found out that they should not have screens on them as the lint blocking them can cause a fire hazard. There are different types to buy. I think just taking the screen off is not enough because critters can get inside. Just saying all this in case someone else has the same problem. (Now, I need to research which type to buy).
Andrea says
Thanks for sharing, Chris. Yes, our dryer vents do not have any type of screen or mesh covering — just plastic flaps that open up with the air flow. Good to keep a lookout for these “wrong ones” though!
Chris says
Well, then, maybe I can just remove the screen. I’ll have to look into that. 🙂
Thea says
Hi Andrea, I Purchased an Electrolux ventless clothes dryer about a year ago -4.0 24″ for my small apartment. There is supposed to be another filter to be cleaned every year and a half it says in the instructions and I should call a qualified person to do it. I was wondering if I could do that myself so this way I don’t have to spend the additional money. Can you please advise me how to clean the necessary parts for the dryers maintenance to function well by myself ? I will appreciate your answer Thank you
Andrea says
HI Thea, I’ve never used or owned and Electrolux… so I’m not sure how to answer this. I’d say you could always call and see if they are willing to come out for free (sometimes this service is covered) or maybe if they would talk you through the process over the phone.
Sonya Batt says
I noticed that my dryer was gradually taking a longer time to actually dry. Today, although it was running, the heat completely stopped, of course while I had a load of wet towels in there. I was going to schedule a service call but then I remembered this recent post and referred back to it. Although I regularly clean out the lint screen, I cannot remember the last time I actually cleaned out the lint trap! I figured it was worth a try and good thing I did – there was A LOT in there. I never leave my dryer running when we’re gone but still, definitely a fire hazard. After about 15 minutes of my time, the dryer is working again. A simple fix, and it was free!
Andrea says
yay — this is such great news! You definitely saved yourself a bunch of wasted time and money on a service call! I’m thrilled you were able to fix the dryer yourself and keep going with your laundry! 🙂
JJ says
Oh my word, this was perfect timing! I do the 15 min a day laundry routine, but it threw me off when it wasn’t done and I thought it was. I added some stuff from your list of products you use. Thank you so much!!!
Andrea says
yup, that’s the first sign when the dryer isn’t done drying at the “right” time!
Kathy Maguire says
Last year I read about using a leaf blower to blow the lint out of the line. It worked like a charm and I was amazed at the lint that was trapped inside the long vent that travels through the house to the outside vent.
Margaret says
Did you blow from the house out or the vent in?
I have a commercial dog dryer (the kind that can blow a small dog right off the grooming table if you’re not careful) that might work.
Mary says
We also have a longer run of vent pipe from the dryer to the outside. Every fall we pull the dryer out from the wall and run the long brush on a snake as far as possible. Then use the leaf blower inside the house to blow as much as possible to the outside. First time we did it was absolutely amazing what came out.
Andrea says
um…. this is the BEST idea ever! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kathy Maguire says
Of course you want to use the leaf blower to blow from the house to the outside, otherwise you would have a huge mess inside your laundry room. Blow the lint outside then take a picture on your cell phone and send it to family members so they will get on the ball and do the same thing.
Margaret says
True and scary story: I worked in a long-term healthcare facility, and part of my job was doing all the personal laundry and clothing protectors for 16 people (linens were done in the facility laundry). The dryer was getting slower and slower, maintenance had done diddly despite numerous requests, and one night the nurse and I hit terminal frustration, and started ripping everything apart.
The 4-inch vent pipe was solidly clogged with lint all the way up–there was barely a soda-straw’s width of airflow. How we escaped a fire I will never know.
We took pictures and sent them to admin. Once the dryers were put on a routine maintenance schedule there were no more problems.
And to anyone who’s thinking she’s not doing laundry for 16–you’ll get there. It will just take longer.
Andrea says
wow — that’s crazy!
Our lint wasn’t quite that bad, but cleaning it out made a HUGE difference in the efficiency of my machine!
Kristia says
Just this weekend, I had my husband check our outside vent because my laundry wasn’t drying thoroughly. In the past, birds have nested there and I thought that was the case, but it was all clear. I will add “clean the dryer vent” to this week’s to-do list and I really need to get one of those vacuum attachments.
As a blogging side note, is that “how to clean your dryer trap” a plug-in? If so, what plug-in? It looks like a recipe plug in and if you used that for this post, it’s genius!
Thanks for the reminder and tips!
Andrea says
Hey Krista,
Yes, the How to Clean Your Dryer Trap is basically just a recipe card 🙂 This allows people to print it off if they’d like!
It’s through a plugin called “Create Cards” You can make lists, recipes, and “how tos” — which are the exact same as recipes but just for simple how to projects like this one.
Michele says
We must have the same dryer. It looks identical. I have a Lint Lizard and I was also disappointed because it’s too big to fit down the crevasse. So I got a piece of clear flexible tubing from Lowes and duct taped it to an crevasse tool from an old vacuum that fits my new vacuum. It works much better. Be aware, though, that even cleaning like this doesn’t catch all the lint. Last year our dryer needed a new part and basically had to be completely taken apart to fix it. I was appalled at all the lint that had accumulated around and behind the drum. Also, don’t forget to vacuum the vent from the outside of the house; lint builds up there, too!
Krista says
I also faithfully clean the lint filter every time but just removing the lint from the filter sometimes isn’t enough. If you run the filter under water see if the water pools on the filter. If it does this is caused by buildup from dryer sheets clogging the little holes in the filter. I take a soft toothbrush and gently clean the filter and the water runs right through again. This let’s the air flow through the filter giving you a better drying cycle.
Andrea says
Thanks for the tips Krista!!
liz says
who would clean the vent lines?
Andrea says
we always just clean our our vent on our own with a long skinny dryer vent cleaning brush. Our dryer vent is only about 4 feet long though so not difficult to clean out on our own 🙂
I’m guessing that maybe a carpet cleaner or heating/cooling company could clean them out for you and I would think the price would be reasonable
Heather Ratliff says
Our chimney seeep cleans dryer vents
Lisa says
Uh oh! I think I need to add this to my to-do list this afternoon!
Diana says
Thanks for the tip on cleaning the dryer. Just finish doing mine…..really needed it. Now what about mold on the seal of a front load washer….yes I leave the door open but I still have to keep an eye on the seal. Really enjoying the yard remodel.
Andrea says
Diana, I’m not sure what to tell you about the mold issue — I haven’t personally experience this problem with our washer. However, I just posted it as a reader question on my Facebook page. You can follow along with the answers here.
Jules says
We have a two story house and our vent goes up to the roof and out. One day our new dryer (4 months old) just stopped drying the clothes. Dryer was still under warranty thank goodness. The repair man came told us what was wrong in less then 1 minute, and had it going in less then 20 minutes. We were very lucky that we didn’t have a fire after we saw the amount of lint that he pulled out. He told us to make sure to have it cleaned out at least once a year.
Tamara says
Thank you so much! I had just noticed my clothes weren’t getting dry and I will try this today!
Anna Marie says
Flylady.com has a special gadget designed for the dryer – apparently better than the lint lizard. Not very expensive – people are laways amazed by how much is down there. My friend was moving and pulled her whole double stack unit out. The hose to the back of the dryer had come UNDONE and was spewing lint all over the wall for quite some time. Scary. Always good to check
Michele says
I think we have the same model of dryer! Like another poster, I had no luck with the Lint Lizard, so what I did was to get a 2 ft long length of rubber tubing, and I duct taped it to my vac hose. It gets down into the little opening in the dryer much easier.
Lori says
Thank you so much for this post. I always clean out our lint trap, but I knew that it needed a better cleaning. Thinking it would be more complicated, I kept putting it off. You were right, 2 screws! What was down there was UNBELIEVABLE! And I also didn’t realize how far down it actually went! It is now spick and span clean and I’m relieved that I took the time to loosen 2 screws!
Desiree S Montecino says
What kind of dryer do you have to only have 2 screws to take off? . I have a front load general electric dryer and the lent trap is always clean but I have moisture build up in my dryer. I can’t get down far enough to get all lent out.
Linda B says
This is a good reminder. I clean my lint trap faithfully, and I vacuum the vent outdoors weekly also, but I’m thinking that the LONG (in my case) venting thing should be cleaned out.
Deneane says
I just cleaned out our dryer and duct this weekend. We were worried our heating element was going out, but after cleaning it out, my dryer was working again even though I didn’t pull out that much. I love the idea of using a microfiber cloth, too.
Cn says
Our laundry is in a weird place, so the vent hose goes under the house for about 10 ft before making an upward turn to vent out. We have to have a professional blow that out every few years because of the lint. We tried on our own a few times with the shop vac and were only making it worse. My clothes dry so much faster now. It was well worth the $100.
Becky says
I was just noticing last night how much lint was in the slot for my lint trap. I clean the lint trap after every use, but hadn’t paid too much attention to the slot. I am definitely going to start vacuuming out the slot every month!
Bianca says
As soon as I get the clothes out the dryer I clean the lent trap. It’s a habit but I admit I don’t reguarly clean out the dryer vent. Going to do today and also my washing machine. My washing machine has this little trap where lose change and gunk ends up. Shouldn’t take long. Mihgt as well knock them both out.Thanks!
Jennifer P says
I have a 10 ft long dryer vent brush that I use to clean the vent hose. I turn on the dryer to air only and run the brush into the hose from out side. As I brush, the air blows out the lint that is loosened. I also use the brush on the hose from the dryer out. Disconnect the vent hose, brush well then reconnect and turn on the dryer to air only again. I also us my vacuum on the lint trap. I do this every other month or so, since I air dry most of my clothes, year around.
As the daughter of a firefighter I’ve always known about the dangers of dryer lint fires.
Jen says
Last winter, we were having trouble with our drying getting clothes completely dry and so my husband took apart the hose all the way to the outside vent. The lint build up in there was INCREDIBLE! I suggest you check this maybe once a year or so too-as I do know this has been known to cause fires also. Not to mention, it affects the efficiency of your dryer! It made a HUGE difference!
stephanie says
I had been wanting a Lint Lizard for a long time and finally received it as a gift. DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY on it. The hose is not very flexible, and too wide to put down my dryer vent. Good old hand and microfiber cloth will do the trick.
Susan says
We’re a military family and move all the time, so I’m a bit crazed when it comes to things like this. Your own lint is one thing, but somebody else’s lint is yucky. I use shish kabob skewers to dig the lint out of the little crevices that the vacuum and a rag won’t reach. Call me crazy, but I do it when we first move in, after that I use the vacuum and rag method, too.
Deni says
This post is great timing for me as our dryer belt broke last weekend and I had to go without my dryer for 3 days :O Our local home improvement store did not carry the size belt we needed, so we had to wait for a local parts store to open. Long story short, my husband replaced the belt and cleaned out ALL of the lint from inside the dryer shell. I ALWAYS clean the lint out after each load, but there are other hiding places inside. Another important place to clean out is the big hose behind the dryer that leads out of the house. We were amazed at how much lint gets trapped in that area!!! You have to remove the hose to clean everything out. This should be done once a year. I also just read that 50% of house fires are from dryer lint!!! So I consider the belt breaking a “Blessing in Disguise”.