The Simple Trick That Will Make Cleaning Dryer Vents A Breeze

It's pretty common knowledge that you should clean out your lint filter every time you throw a load of laundry into the dryer, but just as important to the longevity, functionality, and safety of your dryer is making sure that you have a clean vent. That said, the vent is not quite as easily accessible or visible as the lint trap, so it can often go neglected for some time. If you don't keep it clear and clean, however, there are a number of issues that it could cause, with the main ones being extended drying time due to trapped humid air, which also leads to an increase in energy used. 

The good news is that you don't have to be a pro at cleaning or construction in order to tackle this project in your own home. When it comes to how to clean your dryer vent, all you really need is a vacuum cleaner — ideally one that is particularly powerful and can handle larger debris, like a shop vac — plus a brush, and a screwdriver or whatever is necessary to open and close the vent. 

If you don't already own a shop vac, you may want to invest in one, as it is one of the best tools for deep cleaning your house. The cleaning process here is really quite simple, but you will have to start by removing the dryer vent from the wall. This is generally pretty easy to do, but you will want to make sure that you unplug your dryer before disconnecting the vent to ensure maximum safety. Once disconnected, check the immediate openings to make sure that any large debris — including a possible animal nest— to make sure it is removed. 

To loosen up other debris, you will then want to grab some sort of brush — a toilet brush works excellently for most vents and hoses, though you can use any brush that is the appropriate size, or even invest in a specific vent-cleaning kit. You will then want to vacuum out the hole to clear any dust or loosened debris. Although you may assume that the tube is the biggest collector of debris and detritus, it is actually the vent hole that often becomes the most clogged, so you will want to be sure to brush and vacuum the opening well before reconnecting the tube. 

Though you should clear your dryer vent periodically, there are a few ways to tell whether you may want to tackle this project sooner rather than later. Although taking a longer time to dry is one of the possible ways that this could present, it's not the only one. You may notice that your clothes are hotter when you take them out of the dryer or that the dryer itself is hot to the touch. You may also notice that it begins to let off a burning smell or that the laundry room itself is hotter and more humid than usual. 

Unclogging your dryer vent is something that you should ideally do once a year, but there are also some things that you can do to prevent an excessive amount of buildup in the first place. Dryer sheets are some of the biggest contributors to a clogged vent, so keeping their use to a minimum — or forgoing them altogether may be something to consider. If you want an alternative to dryer sheets, wool dryer balls can reduce laundry time by helping your clothes dry faster and are more sustainable overall. Actually washing out your lint trap periodically can also help to keep the vent clearer for longer by clearing out the smaller dust and debris.