Show All ItemsPurpose Of This InstructableThis Instructable is designed more from a maintenance aspect, rather than fixing an already plugged up dryer vent. If your dryer vent has no air blowing through it, it is time for more serious measures, which I will talk about later. Understand, too, that a totally plugged up vent is a MAJOR fire hazard. Fix it now, before it's too late. If a single fire is prevented by this Instructable, my time spent here will have been well worth it.This is a simple and inexpensive device that I made to clean out longer runs (one I deal with is about 25 feet) quickly and easily. The vent clean out kits that you find in your home improvement stores are only ten to twelve feet. Or at least here in my neck of the woods. The dryers I service are in use almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I clean the vents monthly. It only takes a few minutes, and the peace of mind is well worth the minimal effort. Besides, sometimes I find some beer money in the vents, or under the dryers, and that makes me happy.

Step 1: Parts ListShow All ItemsYou will need the following:One small lightweight drink cup. I used a 5 fluid ounce paper Dixie style cup. One 4" ducting Tee fitting (found at your local home supplies store)One 4" cap (again, found at home supply store)One 4" plastic / nylon / soft vent brush head (mine came from an inexpensive kit that only had a ten foot wire handle on)A length of paracord a few feet longer than your longest vent run. Strong, braided fishing line would also work great, I think.Duct tapeTin snipsA drill« PreviousNext »View All Steps DownloadUser ReviewedHow to Clean a Clothes Dryer Vent If your dryer vent hasn't been cleaned in the past year or two, it probably needs it. How do you clean it? Unplug the dryer from both gas and electric. Pull the dryer out just to the extension of your vent.112 Using a screwdriver or nut driver, loosen the 4" clamp (vent clamp) on the back of the dryer. Slide the vent off the dryer. Reach into the hole on the back of the dryer, and pull out any lint and buildup.

Reach into the vent tubing you just took off and pull out lint from there, as well. Look at the ends. Slide the clamp back over the vent. Remove the vent on the outside of the house as well. Reach in and clean out the lint or insert your vacuum cleaner tubing into the dryer exhaust tubing. Look into the vent to see if you missed anything. Turn on gas and plug unit back in. Run dryer on air fluff for 10 minutes. Recheck the outside vent for obstructions and reattach the outside vent.best carpet cleaning service dallas tx Show more unanswered questionswhat is the best way to clean a camper awning If your dryer vent is very long with several bends, and you have a leaf blower, you can buy a rubber hose adapter that fits onto both the leaf blower end and the vent piece sticking out of the wall (mine was a 3" to 4" adapter - found in the outdoor PVC pipe area of a home and garden box store)miele vacuum cleaner best prices

, along with some hose clamps. Clamp everything down tightly, and turn leaf blower on. It might surprise you how much lint comes out of the vent even after cleaning it with conventional methods. Some vacuum cleaners also reverse to blow air. If you can't find a fitting, you may be able to improvise one. Clean the lint filter every time you run your dryer. It will help keep lint from building up in the vent (but not prevent it completely). It will also help your dryer run as efficiently as it can.best price for shark vacuum cleaner While cleaning the vents, you may also want to remove the bottom front panel of the dryer and clean there also. list of best upright vacuum cleanersPay attention to the area around the lint filter, too. best mop cleaner for wood floors

By removing the lint filter frame, easier access to lint deposits can be gained & a vac nozzle can be slipped in for a more thorough cleaning. Vent hoods (terminations) styles: Roof, wall and soffit. Vent hood styles and features vary greatly and can make a huge difference in how efficient your dryer runs and how fast the duct pipe fills up with lint. In many instances a termination is used that exhibits a grate or screen with small openings. It can take only a few months before this opening is clogged. Louver types or popular but do not keep small birds from lifting the louver and using the warm pipe as a nest. Some of the old 22 degree vents do not open enough and are inefficient in design. Be suspicious of vents with grills or grates. Vent locations: In most cases, the shortest, least restrictive run determines the termination location, but other factors like windows, doors, AC compressors should be considered. Roof vents are very popular in the south and work well for laundry rooms located in the middle of the house.

Pushing hot air upwards uses about the same effort as pushing air horizontally or down. If you have adequate soffit width, a soffit vent works well. Your dryer outlet may not be on the roof, but sticking out the side of the house. It will always vent directly to the outdoors. If you have a shop vac of some type, they are perfect for cleaning the exhaust tube. The diameter and length of the shop vac hose is long enough, and the hose ridges give a great reaming to break any lint on the sides of the hose. First Vacuum by inserting the shop vac hose in the exhaust hose and slide it briskly back and forth... then blow out the rest. Clean as the day you bought it. There are devices available to clean out the entire tube—from dryer to final termination; basically a brush on a flexible pole. These are most appropriate for long duct runs, usually include 12 feet (3.7 m) of flexible shaft, connect to a cordless drill and come with several brush styles. Reach in and out of the vent slowly.