Dryer Maintenance Tips
Dryers are amazing. Can you even imagine what life was like before then? Hanging clothes on a line can work sometimes, but the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Plus, clotheslines never get you that ultra-fresh dryer smell that everyone loves.
It’s OK to appreciate your dryer. It does a lot of work for you, but if you really want to take care of it, you need to learn more about dryer care. Just a few maintenance tips can help it last a lot longer and do a better job. These tips lead to improved cleanliness and all of the benefits that stem from a healthier environment.
Service the Vents
Things can get in the dryer vents. Lint commonly accumulates across the vent, and if you clean it every year or so, you can prevent a dangerous buildup that creates a serious fire hazard.
The outdoor vent can get outdoor gunk in it. This includes dirt, grass, snow, and anything else the wind can blow in there. Obviously, you want to remove all of this so that the vent functions properly. Usually, annual vent cleaning is sufficient, but major storms and awkward vent locations can require you to take care of this a little more often.
While you’re working on vents, you should clean the lint trap and the screen. You already know to clear lint out of these parts, but you can fully clean them every once in a while to stay on top of lint. It is the primary enemy of your dryer, and it is legitimately dangerous. Doing this every three months or so is enough to really stay ahead of lint and other things that can get caught in the screen and the trap.
Manage the Loads
When you overload the dryer, it creates stress on the appliance. Larger loads take more time and energy to fully dry. That makes the dryer work harder, which can shorten its life.
Large loads also lead to more moisture surviving the cycle. This increases the risk of molds and other microbes growing inside of your dryer or plaguing your clothes.
Clean It
Cleaning the lint trap and screen is important, but you also need to clean the drum. You can wipe it down with a microfiber cloth. Rubbing alcohol is good for removing residue from your dryer sheets.
If you use alcohol, let it dry thoroughly before you use the dryer again. It should evaporate easily, but if you run a cycle with alcohol, it represents a fire risk. Alcohol can also damage clothes.
Keep the Floors Clean
Some aspects of dryer maintenance are more about the environment than the appliance itself. No matter how hard you try to manage lint, you’re going to get a buildup of stuff on the floors eventually. Mostly, this stems from lint that escapes the trap (and exhaust that leaks through the tube). Hair and regular dust can also add to this buildup.
There are two topics to cover in regards to dirty floors. First is continued harping on the fire danger of lint. Seriously, that stuff goes up fast.
The second is cleanliness. Lint and dust cling together, and it’s easy to get some grossness around the dryer. When you walk into the laundry room (or wherever you keep your dryer), some of that gets kicked up into the air. It can get into the dryer and your clothes.
If you keep the floors clean, it’s never a problem.
Let the Moisture Out
Some laundry rooms close up nice and tight. When you run the dryer, they turn into virtual saunas. This intense humidity is not good for anything. The moisture can help molds and other unpleasantness grow. It also makes it a lot harder for the dryer to do its job.
Essentially, a dryer works by venting moisture out of the dryer and through the exhaust to the great outdoors. But a ton of that moisture can leak from the exhaust and fill the laundry room. If the laundry room is sealed, then you get that humidity buildup, and the dryer can’t remove water very well. It makes everything take longer and work harder.
You can open a window or crack the door to alleviate this problem.
When you take care of your dryer, it lasts longer and works better. That makes life a lot easier, and who doesn’t want that? On that topic, if you want an easy way to clean your building at a professional level, contact Zeppelin Cleaning Services. Our cleaning services are perfect for keeping your home or business immaculate. We offer everything you need for premium cleanliness and sanitation.