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How to Clean a Dryer

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Learning how to clean a dryer is essential for everyone. Clean clothes dryers are more efficient, kinder on clothes, and most importantly safer!

clean dryer

How to Clean a Dryer

Keeping your clothes dryer clean is so very important. Dirty clothes dryers use more electricity, can damage clothing, and be a danger in your home.

Failure to clean the dryer (34 percent) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires. 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.

US Fire Administration

My How to Clean a Top Load Washer is one of my most commented on and emailed about posts. And you know what a ton of those comments and emails say? “How do I clean my dryer?”

So today my friends, I’m telling you all about cleaning that dryer and luckily it’s just as easy (and even more important!) So let’s get started!

How to Clean a Clothes Dryer

Clean the exterior of the dryer

Fill a sink with hot water and add one cup of white vinegar.  Use a clean cloth dipped in the mixture to wipe down the exterior of the dryer.

How to Clean a Clothes Dryer Lint Trap

Remove lint trap and remove lint (this should be done after every cycle you run the dryer!)

cleaning dryer lint

Wash the lint trap in the sink filled with hot water and vinegar, scrub it well with a washcloth, rinse and set aside to dry.

Remove any visible lint remaining in the lint trap and use a vacuum with attachment to vacuum out the rest. Wipe any areas you can reach with the water and vinegar mixture.

vacuum dryer lint trap

How to Clean the Inside of a Clothes Dryer

Wipe down the inside of the dryer with hot water and vinegar, then repeat with just water.  Dry with a clean cloth.

How to Clean a Dryer Vent

Pull the dryer away from the wall and unplug.  Vacuum any lint and dust from the area behind the dryer and remove the dryer hose from the wall and the dryer by pinching the metal rings and pulling away. 

Vacuum any lint you can see and the interior of the dryer hose.  If you are able attach a small hand broom to a broomstick or other long item and gently brush the interior of the hose to remove any remaining dust and debris.

Clean the floor under the dryer and reattach the dryer hose at both ends, testing to make sure it’s secure.  Carefully replace dryer.

Ta-da! You’re all done! Make sure to do this every 6-12 months, we do it at Spring and Fall Cleaning time.  Clogged dryer vents can easily start a fire so this is one of those cleaning tasks that’s just as much about safety as cleanliness!

Tips for Keeping Your Clothes Dryer

  • Remove lint from lint filter after EVERY load
  • Clean the lint filter once a month with warm, soapy water to prevent residue build-up

Don’t forget to clean your washer (click here for how to clean a front load washer) too if you haven’t yet! Happy Spring Cleaning!

For more cleaning tips check out my posts on How to Clean Your Dishwasher Naturally, How to Clean a Keurig, or DIY Orange Basil Vinegar Cleaning Spray!

How to Clean a Dryer

A white, front load dryer used as an example of how to clean a dryer

Learning how to clean a dryer is essential for everyone. Clean clothes dryers are more efficient, kinder on clothes, and most importantly safer!

Active Time 30 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

  • vinegar
  • wash cloth
  • clean cloth

Tools

  • hand broom
  • vacuum

Instructions

    1. Clean the exterior of the dryer -Fill a sink with hot water and add one cup of white vinegar.  Use a clean cloth dipped in the mixture to wipe down the exterior of the dryer.
    2. Clean the lint filter- Remove lint trap and remove lint (this should be done after every cycle you run the dryer!) Wash the lint trap in the sink filled with hot water and vinegar, scrub it well with a washcloth, rinse and set aside to dry. Remove any visible lint remaining in the lint trap and use a vacuum with attachment to vacuum out the rest. Wipe any areas you can reach with the water and vinegar mixture.
    3. Clean inside of the clothes dryer-Wipe down the inside of the dryer with hot water and vinegar, then repeat with just water.  Dry with a clean cloth.
    4. Clean the dryer vent-Pull the dryer away from the wall and unplug.  Vacuum any lint and dust from the area behind the dryer and remove the dryer hose from the wall and the dryer by pinching the metal rings and pulling away. Vacuum any lint you can see and the interior of the dryer hose.  If you are able attach a small hand broom to a broomstick or other long item and gently brush the interior of the hose to remove any remaining dust and debris. Clean the floor under the dryer and reattach the dryer hose at both ends, testing to make sure it’s secure.  Carefully replace dryer.

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6 Comments

  1. This is a great post but what if you live in an apartment complex? I am not about to clean the dryers here, but they are in the lowest level, so if a fire starts in one of them we will all be affected. I seriously doubt maintenance would do anything more than absolutely necessary. 😉

  2. We just recently had to take my dryer apart for the heating element. My husband decided to also take off the complete vent by the blower and can I say I highly recommend cleaning that also. I have had my dryer for 7 years. Always did the above post stated but we never thought to do this step. It was clogged bad. Made me sick to realize that we could have had a fire. Now my dryer is running new again

  3. as a prior adjuster I would also recommend removing the back of the dryer and vacuuming out the inside of that as well. dryer fires often start on the inside of the dryer, not the lint trap

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