Cleaning Your Dryer Duct

Sometimes the lint tube of your dryer can get stuck with your clothes and when this happens, the flow of air from your dryer is blocked and can cause long drying times, incomplete cycles, automatic sensor failures and even fires. Because of this, it is important to keep your dryer duct clean to avoid problems. You can hire a professional to clean it for you, but this can be expensive. If you want to save money, you can clean the ducts yourself using little time and energy.

Instructions

1. Unhook your dryer duct from the wall and dryer. Sometimes, they are joined by a connector that can be squeezed to release.
2. Remove the detachable part of the duct that is easier to clean. Using the wand of your vacuum, Insert the wand into the inside of your duct. You can also use a brush to fluff, if you prefer.
3. Suck through the tube, which connects to the wall vent and the dryer
4. Turn the hoses of the dryer, forcing the lint out of the duct and out through the vent.
5. Reattach the tube to the dryer and the wall.
6. Repeat this cleaning every one to three months

Tips & Warnings

• Use your vacuum’s wand to vacuum any lint that has accumulated in the dryer or in other areas that you can easily access. This will also help prevent problems with the dryer.
• For particularly dirty or clogged ducts, consider replacing the tube with a new one. These can be purchased at your local home improvement store and are quite cheap. Depending on the material you choose, the cost will vary.
• Once every one to three years, hire a professional to clean your dryer and air ducts completely to make sure you’re safe.