Shea Simmons
You probably empty your dryer’s lint trap after every cycle or, at least, every other, which is an excellent thing to do. But did you know you should also deep clean the appliance’s lint screen? If you haven’t been doing this, no worries—you only need one thing to get the job done.
If you have some dish detergent, you have everything you need to clean your dryer’s lint screen completely. Technically, your lint screen should be cleared of lint after every single drying cycle, as this minimizes the risk of fire. Even if you do this, though, you should still deep clean it every few months.
If you use dryer sheets, they can create a film over your lint trap that you’ll also need to remove. Even if you don’t use them, cleaning the trap can help prolong the life of your dryer.
To get started, clean the lint out of your screen as you typically would. Then, add a few drops of dish detergent to a bucket or sink full of warm water. Submerge the screen in the soapy water and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
Then, use a toothbrush or small cleaning brush to remove any residue. Rinse it clean with warm water, dry it off with a towel, and then allow it to completely air dry before placing it back in the dryer.
For those who want to be extra thorough, you can use a dryer cleaner brush to remove any excess lint inside the shaft that stores your lint screen. This can prevent your dryer vent from getting clogged. You just slip the bristled brush down inside the machine and move it around so it can collect the lint. Pull it out, remove the lint from the brush, and you’re done.
To prevent your dryer screen from getting covered in film, you might want to consider ditching the dryer sheets. If you’re a devotee, though, this cleaning method will do the trick.
[Via Hunker]
