# Do you ever REALLY clean your dryer lint screen? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152 "2011-09-13T13:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/1 "2011-09-13T13:05:28Z")
I mean scrubbing it with a brush, soap and water, not just removing the lint. Supposedly, dryer softener sheets can cause an unseen buildup on your lint screen that can’t be seen. [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/dryer.asp) agrees. I had never heard of such. Have you? Poll coming. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/2 "2011-09-13T13:24:11Z")
I’ve never seen this build-up you speak of. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/3 "2011-09-13T13:28:21Z")
I don’t use dryer sheets, so I don’t have the problem. But I have heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/4 "2011-09-13T13:28:34Z")
No, but I don’t use fabric softener. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/5 "2011-09-13T13:31:07Z")
I never use fabric softener (and you shouldn’t either, it fucks your towels up.) I just peel the lint-cakes off. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/6 "2011-09-13T13:33:24Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I mean scrubbing it with a brush, soap and water, not just removing the lint. Supposedly, dryer softener sheets can cause an unseen buildup on your lint screen that can’t be seen. [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/dryer.asp) agrees. I had never heard of such. Have you? > > Poll coming. Oops. My bad. Misunderstood the poll question and voted Yes. I don’t user softener, so no, even if it was legit. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/7 "2011-09-13T13:34:58Z")
My dryer works like a breeze. Literally. ---
**Author:** ![Sally\_Mander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Sally\_Mander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sally_Mander)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/8 "2011-09-13T13:39:33Z")
I’ve heard about the build-up, but have never bothered to clean the lint screen. I only use softener on a few things, mainly the chenille throws that we use in the winter when it’s chilly. Otherwise they’re a huge mess of static cling. For most stuff, I don’t use it. Like \*\*Zsofia \*\*said, it screws up your towels. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/9 "2011-09-13T13:44:15Z")
I use vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of fabric softner so I don’t get the buildup but I have heard of the need to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/10 "2011-09-13T13:51:13Z")
Odd, I’ve never noticed any ill effect on my towels for using dryer sheets, and have been doing it for decades. What exactly is it supposed to ruin? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/11 "2011-09-13T13:56:13Z")
Never heard of this before, but I’m going to check it out when I get home. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/12 "2011-09-13T14:00:45Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > Odd, I’ve never noticed any ill effect on my towels for using dryer sheets, and have been doing it for decades. What exactly is it supposed to ruin? Ditto. And am unaware of any screen buildup. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/13 "2011-09-13T14:09:58Z")
Heard of it, never do it. No softener or dryer sheets. > [@Dahnlor](#): > > Odd, I’ve never noticed any ill effect on my towels for using dryer sheets, and have been doing it for decades. What exactly is it supposed to ruin? I’ve found it makes towels less absorbent, and makes them (and everything else) feel waxy. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/14 "2011-09-13T14:20:58Z")
It does make your clothing/towels/etc less absorbent. It’s not really a big deal for towels, but you’ll notice the difference pretty quickly with, say, cloth diapers. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Sparky\_the\_Wonder\_Spirit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky_the_Wonder_Spirit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/15 "2011-09-13T14:20:50Z")
Fabric softener is gross, and I’m not surprised that it causes build-up on the lint screen. But I hadn’t heard of it before now. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/16 "2011-09-13T14:21:25Z")
Huh, I always use dryer sheets because I hate static cling. I haven’t noticed anything weird with the towels and I’ve never scrubbed the lint screen. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/17 "2011-09-13T14:24:54Z")
> [@Dahnlor](#): > > Odd, I’ve never noticed any ill effect on my towels for using dryer sheets, and have been doing it for decades. What exactly is it supposed to ruin? Part of how dryer sheets work is to leave a waxy residue on the cloth, which is not exactly beneficial to absorbent qualities of towels. That is the claim, anyway. Doesn’t seem to me that a dryer sheet can deposit all that much wax. ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/18 "2011-09-13T14:41:32Z")
I scrubbed it once, after reading about the supposed dryer sheet buildup. There was nothing to clean off. No buildup, and I use dryer sheets. Maybe it doesn’t build up because I cut the sheets in half. They work just as well and, if my math is correct :p, last twice as long. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/19 "2011-09-13T14:59:36Z")
Yes, but not because of any invisible build-up. I’ll give it a good scrub whenever it starts to look grubby to me, usually every other month or so. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152/20 "2011-09-13T15:28:28Z")
As I’ve mentioned on this Board before, I look forward to cleaning the lint trap in the dryer after each load. That’s because I have no life. It’s fascinating what you “catch”, but it’s also essential, because that buildup – which is pretty significant – blocks the flow of dryer air. Sometimes I’ll even clean it off in the middle of a cycle, if it’s likely to be heavy… I also vacuum out the lint from the vent, invariably at Pepper Mill’s insistence. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-ever-really-clean-your-dryer-lint-screen/596152.md?page=2)