Tired of pulling out damp clothes from the dryer? You may need to learn how to clean a dryer vent. Much like washing machine upkeep, this laundry room maintenance chore should be part of your regular cleaning checklist.
“Over time, lint and small debris builds up in exhaust pipes and needs to be removed,” says David Steckel, home expert for Thumbtack, a home care directory app. “This buildup can reduce the efficiency of the unit and eventually become a fire hazard.”
In fact, dirty dryer vents are the leading cause of domestic dryer fires, according to the US Fire Administration. So you’ll want to clean your machine’s dryer vent at least once a year. After all, the last thing you want is a burning smell wafting from your laundry room.
The good news for homeowners is that dryer vent cleaning can be a DIY job that doesn’t entail an elaborate process—you can even use a clean toilet brush to pull out the debris. Once the vent duct is in tip-top shape, you’ll notice that your dryer is working better, you have completely dry clothes at the end of each cycle, cleaner lint screens, and most importantly, the peace of mind that your laundry room is not going to cause a house fire.
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Can you clean a dryer vent yourself?
Often, yes. But there are some considerations to think over before committing to doing it yourself. Some experts dissuade DIY dryer vent cleanings if you have a gas dryer.
The location of the dryer and laundry room design constraints can dictate its accessibility as well. “Vertical ductwork, common in basements, creates extra challenges and makes rigid ductwork essential for the entire run from dryer to wall,” says Jamie Addie, owner of WiseChoice Home Services in Littleton, Colorado, and Thumbtack pro advisor. “In my experience, basement dryers often have longer, more complex vent paths compared to standard setups. It’s worth considering a pro since some counties have specific regulations for these setups.”
However, if you consider yourself handy and the dryer duct setup is straightforward, you may be able to do this laundry maintenance service yourself. If you do decide to do the dryer vent cleaning yourself, consider buying a drill-powered duct cleaning brush, which can extend anywhere from 20 to 40 feet.
How do you know it’s time to clean your dryer vent?
There are signs that you may have a clogged dryer vent and duct cleaning is in order. Look out for the following indicators.
Damp clothes and moldy odor
“If you feel like it is taking longer for your clothes to get dry, you probably need to clean out the vents,” Steckel notes. Your clothes drying cycle shouldn’t take longer than the designated time allotted. Clothes that smell of mold could also signal a blocked vent.
Hot dryer or burning smell
The dryer unit is hot to the touch or there’s a burning smell when you run the dryer. Your clothes should not feel extremely hot (more so than usual) when the dry cycle ends. Remember: A clog in the vent can lead to dryer fires.
The laundry room gets humid or has restricted air flow when you run the dryer. (The hot air may be seeping into the room instead of escaping through the outside vent if there is an obstruction in the vent hose.)
The lint filter is filled with more lint than usual, even if you toss in wool dryer balls. Keep in mind that things like towels, sweatshirts, and fuzzy blankets will garner more lint than other items, so cleaning your dryer duct post-winter is not a bad idea.
Some types of dryer ducts (foil, plastic, or vinyl) are more prone to clogging and consequently can lead to a house fire. Ideally, these dryer vents could be replaced with a rigid metal duct. If that’s not possible, take extra care to ensure these dryer vents are always clean and debris-free.
How do you clean a dryer vent duct?
A DIY dryer vent cleaning process shouldn’t take you more than an hour as long as you have the right info and tools. Here are seven simple steps that will get all that lint and gunk out of the duct.
Step 1: Gather your supplies
Getting dust and lint out of your dryer duct goes beyond basic cleaning products and microfiber cloths. That’s because you’re not just wiping the debris away—you physically need to remove clogs from the ducts. Oftentimes the dirt gets stuck to the interior sides of the vent, so you need something that will catch it and pull it out.
