Tips for Cleaning Your Dryer Vent

A dryer vent cleaning task should be part of your yearly spring cleaning routine. Unfortunately, not all homeowners know how to clean the vent duct of their dryers. Just because you don’t know how to clean it, doesn’t mean you can just ignore it.  

 

For those who don’t know, excessive accumulation of lint can result in severe problems. This includes home fires. If you want to protect your home, you need to perform dryer vent cleaning every year. If you don’t know how to do it, you can always rely on a professional dryer cleaner. 

However, if you do choose to clean the dryer vent on your own, here are some tips to follow: 

Tools 

When it comes to cleaning your dryer vents, you will require a couple of tools. This includes: 

• Screwdriver 
• Vacuum with hose attachment 

• Dust bin and broom 
• Rags 
• Dust mask 
• Dryer vent cleaning kit (optional) 

Disconnect/Unplug the Dryer from the Outlet 

If you’re using an electric dryer, make sure you unplug it first before you clean it. On the other hand, if you’re using a gas dryer, you will have to turn off the gas valve carefully. It’s crucial that you turn off the gas valve. This will prevent any gas from flowing while you’re cleaning.  

Disconnect the Duct Hose from the Clothes Dryer 

Whenever you’re cleaning your dryer vent, it is a wise move to put on a cloth dust mask. The reason for this is that this process is going to be very dusty. This is particularly true if you haven’t cleaned the dryer for a long period.  

Carefully move away the dryer from the wall. This will provide you access to the dryer vent. Next, disconnect carefully the exhaust vent from the dryer. Check the ductwork. If there are any damaged components, you can fix or replace them. 

Clean the Lint Catcher and Vent 

You can clean out the lint from the dryer trap using the crevice tool on your vacuum. Aside from that, you can also utilize a soft rag.  

When cleaning the interior side of the lint trap, you can use a flexible and long brush. Also, it is recommended that you clean the lint after every use to avoid excessive accumulation. 

Clean the exhaust vent at the end of the dryer using the vacuum. Next, clean the duct. You can utilize a vent dryer kit to make this task a lot simpler.  

Lastly, vacuum any debris and dirt from the room.  

Clean the Dryer Vent Opening Outside 

You need to clean the exterior port for the dryer duct if it’s accessible. Usually, it’s located on an exterior wall of your property and protected with a screen cover.  

Once you check for damages, utilize the vacuum cleaner attachment to clean out any debris and dirt.  

Reattach Everything 

Move back carefully the dryer in place. Next, reattach it to the vent system. Then, you can turn on the gas valve or plug it in.  

Before you do a test run, make sure you clean up any remaining debris in the room.