Your dryer is probably one of the most neglected appliances in your home; yet, forgoing cleaning and maintenance, your dryer will have to be replaced frequently and can cause great danger to your household. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, over 15,000 dryer fires occurred in the U.S. in 2010.
We found some great dryer cleaning tips from Today.com, which included four things we think people often forget about when cleaning their dryer.
Test Your Dryer Filter
Yes, we all know that you should clean your dryer filter after each use, but sometimes the filter may still be clogged—especially if you are using fabric softener sheets. Test your filter by cleaning it of lint and then pouring a small amount of water onto the screen. If the water pools up, wash the screen in warm, soapy water and rinse. Repeat this step until water no longer pools on top of the screen.
Wipe Down the Drum
Wiping down the drum of your dryer is not a necessity, but if you have dried a load of “hairy pet items or gritty play clothes”, wipe down the drum with a damp cloth to remove excess hair and grit from getting on other loads. Did lipstick or crayons accidentally get tossed into the dryer? Warm the dryer for a few minutes and scrap off the excess with a hard rubber spatula.
Number of Kids=Increase in Dryer Vent Inspections
The rule of thumb is to inspect and clean your dryer vent every year; however, if you have a large number of family members, you will want to inspect and clean your vent at least two to three times a year. The more family members in a household the more loads of laundry that will be done, thus, creating more lint build-up in your vents.
Look for Places Lint Likes to Hide
We often think of removing lint from our dryer filters and vents, but you also need to clean the lint from the floor behind the dryer, underneath the dryer and even the back of the cabinet. Lint can be pulled into the dryer and cause further build-up in the vent.
Live in an apartment with a shared laundry area? Always clean the dryer filter before using (and also clean it after you are finished) as well as wipe down the drum in order to get rid of any unwanted items getting onto your clothes. Check with your landlord about regular dryer vent inspections and cleanings.
Talk to us: How often do you inspect & clean your dryer?