SERVPRO Wants to Help You Reduce the Risk of Dryer Fires

8/24/2021 (Permalink)

Thousands of dryer fires are caused by lint every year, yet they can be easily prevented with a few minutes of cleaning.

Regular maintenance of your dryer will help to improve the drying speed of your clothing, reduce energy usage, and most importantly, reduce the risk of dryer fires! Here are a few ways to get cleaning…

• One of the best precautions is to empty the lint trap after every load. Use of laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets can lead to an unseen waxy build-up or film over your lint trap. Remove any large clumps of lint build-up that are visible. Fill up a bucket or sink with warm water and a little dish soap and gently scrub with a toothbrush until clean. If you run water over the filter, it should be able to pass through easily without any pooling. Ensure that there are no tears on the screen.  
• Pull out the dryer from the wall and unplug the machine. Ideally, you will pull the dryer all the way out so that you can vacuum underneath it all. You’ll want to suck up any loose debris and then wash and dry the floor.
• Remove the vent off the back of the dryer. Using a screwdriver, remove the vent clamp and slide the vent (dryer duct) off the dryer. Reach into the hole on the back of the dryer, remove any large clumps of lint and then follow with your vacuum attachment reaching as far in as you can. Metal ducts are much less of a fire risk than foil or plastic vents and, if a fire does start, are more likely to contain it.
• Clean the inside drum. Using a rag, wipe down the inside of the dryer with a 50/50 water and vinegar mixture. Dry thoroughly. If you have an automatic drying setting, give the moisture sensor electrodes a cleaning with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Buildup from lint or dryer sheets can affect these sensors, leading to either damp or overly dried clothing. These are usually located just inside the dryer below the door opening. Don’t forget to clean the inside of the door too!

Do a deep cleaning at least annually with regular maintenance to remove any visible lint for best fire prevention. 

In case of fire, SERVPRO of Statesboro is available 24/7 to come in and make it "Like it never even happened."