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When we’re hurriedly transferring damp clothes from the washing machine to the dryer, we often close the dryer door, turn the dial and hit start, completely forgetting one crucial step: cleaning the dryer lint trap. It may not seem like such a big deal, but failing to keep that screen clean makes your dryer less efficient and can even create a fire hazard. Over time, that lint builds up, restricting air flow.
Even if you diligently clean the screen between each load, you still might not be doing enough to keep lint from clogging your dryer. That’s because clothing fibers can work their way around this screen, clogging the slot that the screen fits into. We sought out help from Amy Chernoff, appliance expert and vice president of marketing for appliance retailer AjMadison for guidance on cleaning a dryer lint trap.
Why is it important to clean your dryer lint trap?
While the lint trap may seem like a minor part on your dryer, it plays a big role in how well it performs its job. When lint is clogging the trap, it restricts air flow, which forces your dryer to work harder to dry your clothes.
“If air can’t move freely through the dryer, moisture can’t escape as efficiently,” Chernoff says. When that happens, your dryer can struggle to dry clothes. “One of the first things I’d check if someone told me their dryer suddenly needed two cycles to dry a load is the lint screen and venting,” she says.
Failing to clean out a dryer lint trap can also be dangerous. Most people know that a clogged dryer vent creates a fire hazard, but few realize that a clogged lint trap also presents a danger, Chernoff says. “Lint is combustible, and restricting airflow can contribute to overheating,” she says.
A clogged lint trap also puts more wear and tear on your dryer. When your dryer has to work harder to dry your clothes, it puts more strain on the motor, shortening its life. Understanding how to clean lint out of your dryer trap will increase the likelihood of your appliance lasting longer.
Tools & Materials
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How to Clean Your Dryer Lint Trap
1. Remove the lint screen.
When it’s time to clean the lint in a front-load dryer, open the dryer door and locate the lint trap just inside the bottom of the door.
The lint screen for a top-load dryer will either be on the top in front of the control panel or inside the door. The lint trap on a front load dryer might be inside the door.
You should see a handle where you can grip the screen. Pull the lint screen out of the slot and remove the collected lint with your fingers. Discard it or use the dryer lint around your home.
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See It2. Clean the lint screen.
Lint screens will accumulate residue from laundry detergent and dryer sheets. Clean the lint screen with warm water, using a dab of dish soap. Apply the soap to the screen then gently scrub it using a soft nylon brush or an old toothbrush. Rinse the screen thoroughly, and set it aside to dry.
4. Loosen debris with a dryer lint brush.
Cleaning out the lint trap slot in your dryer requires a tool called a dryer lint trap brush. This tool has a slim bottle-shaped brush and rigid wire body that can reach into the slot to grab and remove lint that has eluded the lint trap screen.
Insert the brush into the opening and move it around, so that the stiff bristles grab lint and fibers trapped in the slot. Gently remove the lint brush, pulling the lint out of the slot. Clean the brush then repeat the process a few times until you’ve removed as much lint and debris as you can.
5. Use a vacuum attachment to clean lint from the slot.
Use a shop vac or vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool to remove any fibers that the brush didn’t pick up. “Use a vacuum with a narrow attachment or a dryer lint brush to pick up anything that’s fallen inside,” Chernoff says. You can also purchase a lint trap hose attachment for your vacuum. This device, which allows you to vacuum out the lint trap, consists of a tube with one end that fits over the hose on your shop vac and a narrow end that fits inside the lint trap.
6. Clean the opening.
The best way to keep the lint trap clean is to prevent lint from working its way around the screen by ensuring there’s a tight seal between the removable screen and the trap. Wipe away any dirt or remaining dust from around the lint trap opening using a damp microfiber cloth, so there isn’t any debris to prevent the screen from fitting flush to the trap opening.
How often should you clean your dryer’s lint trap?
For peak performance, Chernoff advises removing and cleaning the screen between each load of laundry you wash.
“I’d get into the habit of cleaning the screen either when you take the clothes out or right before the next load goes in,” she says. “It takes five seconds, and then you never have to remember when you did it last.” Clean the lint trap opening every two to three months depending on how much laundry you do.
