Last week, we talked about how to clean your washer and dryer. However, our focus was on your washer, and your dryer is equally important. While it may be more time consuming to clean the dryer, it can also be life-saving, as not cleaning your dryer can lead to house fires. So let’s talk about the critical steps to cleaning your dryer. Also, now would be a good time to find a screwdriver, because you are going to need one.
Step One
Let’s start simply by cleaning out the dryer lint trap. We all know how to do that, right? Just pull out the screen, wipe off the lint, then put the screen back. Then you’ll need to put your dryer out a bit and unplug it. Here’s where it gets interesting. Take your trusty screwdriver and remove the back panel. We recommend consulting your owner’s manual for how to do this. Once the back panel is removed, you will likely need to sweep up any lint that has fallen out the back. Your vacuum will be your best friend for this next part.
Step Two
Now that the back panel is off and you are likely wondering what you have gotten yourself into, get the vacuum and vacuum out the back and the lint trap. Make sure to use the crevice tool of your vacuum to get into all the tight spaces and corners. Find any little crevice, corner, nook, or cranny that might be hiding any lint and put the vacuum to good use there. The more dust and lint you can remove the better. Remember that the dryer is the leading cause of house fires, so let yourself really get passionate about vacuuming here. It also would not hurt to disconnect the exhaust hose from the wall and shake out any dust, lint, or debris that you can see there as well. Better safe than sorry, right? If you still have your screwdriver handy, you can use it to expose more of the lint trap and clean out any additional lint that might be, well, trapped there.
Step Three
You are almost done, we promise. Now is the time to use your trusty all-purpose cleaner to give everything a good wipe down. This will help remove any final, lingering dust or debris that your vacuum just could not pick up. Then put that back panel back on, reconnect any hoses you may have pulled out, and move your dryer back into place. While you are here, also use your all-purpose cleaner to wipe down the inside of the drum and the door. This can be where any smells might linger, so it is best to be as thorough as possible here. You may find that using some white distilled vinegar will help to break down any internal odors that you may be struggling to remove. From there, you can use your dryer as normal. You may find that it runs more efficiently, and that the cycles even take less time than before!