Need To Clean Your Dryer Vent In A Pinch? Here's An Easy Method

Cleaning your dryer vent might not be on your weekly chore list, but every now and again, there comes a time when you wish it was. Without regular cleaning, lint and debris from your laundry can accumulate in the vent, eventually leading to a clog. This is where it gets dicey: The buildup can restrict the airflow inside, trapping the moisture, heat, and lint in the vent. As a result, your dryer has to work harder trying to complete each cycle, and this affects its performance. Cue energy bills that are through the roof, prolonged drying, and still-damp clothes. And, as is often the case with any inconvenience, buildup tends to happen when you least need it — like when you're staring at a wet load of laundry and a dryer that's just not doing its job. The good news is that if you've got a shop vac and a long, flexible brush (even something like a toilet brush will do in a pinch), you can safely clean out your dryer vent and get back to business in no time.

In addition to quickly getting dry laundry, there's a more important reason you should try this effective cleaning method for your dryer vent — safety. The accumulated lint-no airflow combo can quickly lead to overheating and even lint catching on fire. You don't want a fire hazard in your home, which is why you should aim to clean your dryer vent every one to three years. That said, while this quick fix can help in the meantime, it's not a long-term solution. For regular dryer vent maintenance, you'll want to stick to professional vent cleaning.

First things first — unplug your dryer for safety. If you have a gas dryer, turn off the gas valve before you start cleaning. Next, disconnect the dryer hose from the wall and the back of your dryer for easy access. Take your brush and insert it into the hose, twisting it to loosen lint and debris stuck inside (and repeat this with the dryer opening as well as the hole in the wall to remove any larger blockages). Now, grab your shop vac and suck out the loosened lint and debris from all of the vent's components. Once you're done cleaning out the hose, reattach it to the dryer and the wall. To check if your cleaning effort was a success, plug the dryer back in or enable the gas valve, run a test cycle, and enjoy your crisp, freshly dried clothes.

If you want to prevent dryer vent clogs in the future, clean your dryer's lint trap thoroughly after each cycle. While lint traps aren't 100% effective and some lint will still make its way into the dryer vent, cleaning this area might make significant buildup in the vent much less likely (or at least postpone it for much longer).