The Laundry Room Gadget That Easily Cleans Out Unreachable Dryer Lint

It's very important to clean your dryer's lint trap. The trap collects and traps lint, debris, and fibers from your clothing. If the lint trap isn't cleaned on a regular basis, it can take your clothes a lot longer to dry. It also decreases your dryer's efficiency. Even more concerning is the fact that a dirty dryer lint trap can cause a home fire. In fact, lint traps are the cause of more than 3,000 house fires a year in the U.S.

It's pretty easy to clean the lint trap screen as this piece slides out of the dryer. But, cleaning the slot that holds the screen is another matter. Because the slot is narrow and deep, it's almost impossible to get down inside it. A good amount of lint can build up in there as a result. TikTok user @jadefouse has come up with a genius idea. She uses a microfiber duster to clean within the slot. It's a very effective solution too.

First, locate the lint trap on your dryer. It's usually located inside the door on the front of the dryer — if you have a front-load dryer model. The lint screen may be located on top of the dryer if you have a top-load dryer. You should remove lint from the trap screen after every load, using your fingers to remove lint and debris from the screen. 

You can clean deep the slot every six months. First, remove the lint screen. To get the dryer lint located within the slot, insert a thin microfiber duster into the slot as @jadefouse shows in her video. The Libman Flexible Microfiber Dusting Wand, which is available on Amazon, is ideal for this. You might have to re-insert the wand into the slot several times to get all of the lint. When you are done cleaning the slot, use the microfiber wand to clean up any lint that has accumulated underneath the dryer.

If you can't get all of the lint from the slot with a microfiber duster, you can remove the slot from the dryer, in most cases. Unplug the dryer, then look for either a latch or some screws that allow access to the lint filter slot. You can read the dryer's owner's manual if you don't see these. Before you take out the slot, it's a good idea to take a picture of the assembly, so you know how to reassemble it when you are done.

You may need to wash your dirty lint trap screen from time to time. Fabric softeners and other residue build up on the screen. So, when you deep clean the slot, inspect the screen. If the screen looks like it has residue on it, then wash it. To wash the screen, scrub both sides of the lint screen with a gentle detergent and nylon brush. You can also soak the lint screen in soapy water for 30 minutes to remove the residue. After you are done washing the screen, rinse it well. Make sure you allow the screen to fully dry before re-inserting it into the slot. If you put the screen back in when it's wet, it will cause damp lint to clog up the screen.