Clean the Lint Filter and Everywhere else Lint Lurks
When you do your spring cleaning, there's no doubt one of the rooms you clean is your laundry room. If you're really ambitious you may pull the washer and dryer out and sweep around them, get any gunk from dripped soap off the surface of them and even dig out all those single socks that have fallen behind the dryer. You may, however, totally overlook the dryer lint filter, thinking you clean it out every time you do a load. But, you may be surprised at how much you are not cleaning.
Just pulling the lint filter out and peeling that layer of lint build-up off is not enough to call your lint filter really clean. Think about it. When you have a stuffed filter, do you really think it is grabbing every piece of lint? You have likely seen a little lint stuck to the side after you've pulled the filter out, or even some that has fallen off the filter and back inside. Where do you think that's going? I'll give you a clue. It's not going to magically jump on the lint filter for the next cleaning.
There is often a build up of lint in and around the lint filter. While it may just seem like a little here and there, it all adds up and can mean a lot of lint clogging up the system inside your machine. That means money you are spending on energy needed to extend drying time of clothes that are taking 2 or 3 cycles to dry.
Filter Cleaning
Once you have peeled the obvious lint off the filter, take a good look at it. Are there any holes or rips? If so, you need a new one. There may be residue build-up on it from dryer sheets. This is easily removed by washing gently with warm, soapy water.
Behind the Filter
While you have the filter out of the dryer, it's time to clean the areas around it. That whole space where your lint filter fits is probably lined with a bit of lint itself. You can purchase a lint brush that has a long, hose-like handle to clean some of this out, or even use a shop vac or the nozzle attachment on a regular vacuum to remove some of the lint and dust that has piled up inside.
If you notice there is a lot of lint coming out from behind the filter, you may need to take a little more action to really clean things up. Consider having your dryer vents professionally cleaned and inspected. The more any of these areas clog up, the less efficient your dryer will be and the more expensive your utility bills will be. Of course, lint is flammable and it's a dangerous fire hazard.
This article was written by Chris Wiley, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard in Maricopa County, Arizona. http://www.dryerventwizard.com serves consumers in Dryer Vent Wizard services Maricopa County, Arizona including Anthem, Avondale, Buckeye, Desert Hills, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Goodyear, Gilbert, Glendale, Litchfield Park, Circle City, Mesa, New river, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Surprise, Temple, Tolleson, Wittman and Youngtown.
