How to Clean Laundry Dryer Ducts
Having dirty dryer ducts is not only something that is going to drastically reduce the effectiveness of your dryer, but it can also be very dangerous. It is possible for the lint and other junk trapped in the dryer ducts to ignite from the heat and wiring in the dryer. Cleaning out your dryer ducts should be done at least every six months. Doing this can take a little bit of time, but it will save you a lot of problems in the long run. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Pull the dryer away from the wall slightly so you can easily get behind it with the vacuum.
-
2
Detach the duct from the back of the dryer. This should pull off, but some dryers might have a clamp around it that you have to unscrew. If this is the case, loosen the clamp by unscrewing the screw slightly, then pull off the ductwork.
-
-
3
Insert the duct wand attached on to the vacuum. Reach the wand as far into the ductwork as you can with the vacuum on.
-
4
Remove the wand and do the same process on the other end of the ductwork. Reattach the other end of the duct when you are finished vacuuming it out.
-
5
Vacuum the port of the duct on the back of the dryer. To do this, stick the wand into the port slightly and move it around gently. You will also want to take off the wand and vacuum any lint and dust at the entry way of the port.
-
6
Reattach the ductwork to the back of the dryer. Remember to tighten the clamp if you have one on your ductwork.
-
7
Insert the vacuum wand into the outside vent after removing the cover to the vent.
-
8
Take out the lint trap on your dryer. Depending on your dryer, this trap is located just inside the door of the dryer or it is on the top of the dryer.
-
9
Vacuum the screen by sticking the wand attachment down the hole where the lint trap was. Clean out this area thoroughly and replace the lint trap.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Cleaning out the traps and ducts of your dryer will get the wand very dirty and covered in lint. You might want to remove the attachment after each step and use the vacuum to clean it off before continuing. This will keep it working the best.
