5 Tips to Clean Your Dryer

9/11/2019 (Permalink)

Almost 3,000 dryer fires are reported each year in the United States. These fires are the cause of approximately five deaths, 100 injuries and $35 million in property loss damages. The leading cause of dryer fires is the failure to clean the dryer. Setting aside just a few minutes can reduce your risk of your dryer setting fire tremendously. 

Here are some tips on how to clean your dryer properly:

1.) Clean your lint screen before every load of laundry.

Get in the habit of cleaning your lint screen before every load of laundry. Even if there's minimal lint on the screen, you should still clean it all off before starting each load of laundry.

2.) Make sure that your vent hose is in good condition. 

Check your vent hose to make sure that it's in good condition and not crushed or bent. Ideally, you want to make the vent hose as short as possible to avoid this. If you have a white plastic vent hose, you should dispose of it and get an aluminum vent hose as soon as possible. These vent hoses are no longer allowed to be sold because they are a safety hazard. 

3.) Clean your vent line on a regular basis. 

You should regularly be checking your vent line to make sure there isn't any lint creating blockage (clogged lint is a big fire hazard). If you can't get the lint out yourself, you can call a professional to come in and clean it for you.

4.) Make sure that there's no lint inside your dryer.

You should also be checking the inside of your dryer for lint on a regular basis. Using a hand vacuum is a great way to clean lint out of the inside of your dryer. 

5.) Keep the area surrounding your dryer free of any flammable materials. 

If you do experience a dryer fire, you'll want to make sure that there isn't any fuel for the fire around your dryer. This includes clothing, cleaning products and boxes. 

Contact Information: 

If you have any questions about fire or smoke damage, please do not hesitate to call the SERVPRO of Bend office at 541-385-7044.

Sources:
U.S. Fire Administration
wikiHow