User 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.

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), 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. While cleaning the vents, you may also want to remove the bottom front panel of the dryer and clean there also. Pay attention to the area around the lint filter, too. 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. do home air purifiers help allergiesIn many instances a termination is used that exhibits a grate or screen with small openings. can air purifier cause sore throatIt can take only a few months before this opening is clogged. pure whole house uv air purifierLouver 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. There are many sharp screws and edges inside the vent. Wear gloves and use tools wherever possible. Clean the vent every year or two. Buildup can cause a fire. In some older homes, small homes, converted apartments, etc, it may be impossible and or impractical to duct the dryer to the exterior. This is a serious health issue and you should consider the ill consequences of using an Indoor Lint Trap Kit (tub of water) or venting directly into the attic or crawlspace. Moisture and lint are byproducts of a tumble dryer. Expecting the tub of water to eliminate the moisture and lint is unlikely. Health related articles regarding this issue are numerous and can be found easily online. Mold, allergies, illness, paint peeling off the wall, heavy dust accumulation… Please avoid or minimize the use of these lint traps. An alternative may be a condensation type of dryer or a HVAC contractor that can install ductwork to the exterior.A clean home is a refreshing place to be.

But clean isn’t just about looks. A clean home is also a healthier place to live, because it reduces you and your family’s exposure to allergens and germs. Let Sears Home Services help you keep your home cleaner and healthier with our cleaning services. We can brighten your dingy carpet and upholstery, clean gross grout and tiles, get the dust out of your air ducts, remove lint from your dryer’s exhaust and help you choose the right air purifier to improve your home’s air. LintEater 4.25-in Dryer Vent Cleaning System Item # 37653 Model # RLE202-L Helps prevent dryer fires by effectively removing dangerous lint buildup in clothes dryers which is a leading cause of home fires Reduces drying times and saves money on utility bills while reducing wear and tear on your dryer and clothing Professional design utilizes advanced cleaning technology used by commercial service technicians for over 20 years - easy to use with your cordless drill Versatile - the rotating action of the self-feeding auger brush and flexible rods scours the entire vent wall surface, while smoothly navigating the multiple twists and turns that are common in most exhaust vents

Includes lint brush with 42" length to reach the bottom of your lint trap, clean baseboard heating vents, under appliances and any hard-to-reach area around your home The included adapters enable you to use the air from your clothes dryer, shop vacuum or electric blower to completely remove lint from the vent while rotary cleaning at the same time Included blockage removal tool can be used to dislodge and clear animal nests in the exhaust vent prior to rotary brushing and also clears debris from clogged gutter downspouts without stepping foot on a ladder The operator's manual has detailed, step-by-step instructions and illustrations covering many different cleaning situations, based on decades of professional experience and techniques Designed for homeowners by a leading manufacturer of commercial duct cleaning equipment, the LintEater system comes with everything needed to clean and regularly maintain the entire dryer exhaust venting system with professional results