How to Clean a Laundry Dryer Filter Screen
How to Clean a Laundry Dryer Filter Screen
The filter screen on a clothes dryer collects lint from clothing and helps your dryer to operate more efficiently. As lint becomes trapped in the screen, the dryer is forced to work harder to dry a load of laundry. Dryer sheets also contribute to a dirty lint screen by creating a film that is nearly invisible, clogging the holes of the screen. Cleaning a dryer filter screen is an important part of maintaining your dryer. Keeping the lint screen clean will not only help your dryer to operate properly but will increase its lifespan.
Instructions
1 Remove lint from the filter screen after each load of laundry has dried. Use the dryer sheet from that load of laundry to wipe out the lint from the screen.
2 Vacuum the dryer filter screen. Use a hose attachment to suck up fine dust and lint from the lint screen.
3 Fill a sink with warm water. Add a few drops of dish soap to the water.
4 Place the lint screen in the sink of soapy water. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the screen.
5 Rinse the screen under the tap with warm water. If the water freely flows through the screen, you have removed all of the fine dust and dryer-sheet film. If the water puddles on the screen, the film is still present.
6 Continue scrubbing the lint screen until water freely flows through. Dry the lint screen with a towel before putting it back in the dryer.
7 Use distilled white vinegar as an alternative cleaning method for a dryer filter screen. Dip an old toothbrush in undiluted white vinegar and scrub the screen over the sink. Rinse the filter screen under the tap with plain water. Scrub the screen until the water flows freely through. Dry with a towel.
