I tried running water through my old lint screen. Although there were no visible signs of buildup, the water pooled rapidly. After cleaning it with soap and water, water ran right through. I’m not sure if this means that air flow would be similarly restricted but I assume that cleaner is better.
I do man laundry. The only things that go into my washer is dirty clothes and soap. The only things that go into my dryer is wet clothes. No fabric softener, no dryer sheets, no vinegar.
I’ve heard of it, but I don’t use dryer sheets. I did, but my daughter had sensitive skin and they would give her a rash. That was 29 years ago, and I haven’t missed them.
I got behind a truck. I forget what they named it, but it was for a dryer-lint-removal company! They have really figured out how to get money out of rich people (it was turning into a very exclusive neighborhood).
I’ll bet these people clean the lint screen.
(Note: They don’t just clean the lint, they vacuum out the whole tube…but still, who needs to hire someone to do THAT?)
People who don’t have air compressors and are afraid to go into their crawlspaces. I suppose it is marginally better than allowing their houses to burn down.
Never heard of it. But the Snopes article linked doesn’t mention fabric conditioner, only dryer sheets. I don’t use dryer sheets and I can’t see that the fabric conditioner residue on the clothes is going to clog the dryer screen.
I prefer line-drying when possible, but when the weather fights me or I need a fast turn-around, I’ll use the dryer. I recently bought a pair of dryer balls - synthetic orbs with nubbies all over them. Supposedly they fight static and help clothes dry better. I’m guessing part of what they do is bang around on the items and keep them separated. I’ve read recommendations of tossing a sneaker in when you dry a blanket to keep it from staying in a big lump - I assume these do the same. Anyway, because I rarely dry and don’t use the sheets, scrubbing the lint trap is not an issue.
voted no, but heard. i use commercial dryers… goodness only knows how those are cleaned. i do see a sigh on the machine that says “clean lint screens daily”, i can only hope.
once the weather gets cold i may use the dryer in my unit, (depends on how the building’s heat heats) then i will scrub the screen.
Air flow would not be similarly restricted because air doesn’t have surface tension. But I tried the same thing (first time ever) and I reproduced your results. So now I will make sure I wash my lint screen every 15 years. 
They clean from the dryer all the way to where it vents outside the house, which would be difficult for a homeowner to do. I don’t really think this is necessary, although excessive lint buildup has been known to cause fires.
I have a Linteater which is pretty easy to use if you have a cordless drill. It also produces amazing results. My vent was completely blocked and it busted right through it. Interestingly enough, its instructions also mention that the lint screen should be washed every 6 months.
Yeah…okay, fair enough. Mine goes out of the back of the dryer, through a wall, and outside, and is easily accessible to my vacuum cleaner all the way. I guess they are not all that easy. Particularly in exclusive neighborhoods!
I’ve never had a dryer in my house, either growing up or by myself. I’ve always just used the laundomat, and could you imagine what people think of you if you tried to wash a lint screen?
Ours goes out through a hole in the limestone foundation and wanders about 10 to 12 feet through a crawlspace under an addition to the house before going through a concrete block foundation wall to the outside. The previous homeowners lived here 10 years and never cleaned the duct, so we got very familiar with it :smack:.
BTW, for those of you who eschew fabric softeners altogether, do you also have pets? The only reason we use dryer sheets at all is to cut down on pet hair pollution. I’d love to find an alternative!
Never heard of washing it. We do use softener, but the in-the-wash kind not the dryer sheets.
Yes, perhaps every 6-9 months, perhaps yearly. The dryer works faster after the screen cleaning.
I’ve never cleaned it with soap and water, but in my house of 4 room mates, I SWEAR I am the only one who empties it at all. I’m honestly really surprised our house hasn’t burned down considering how full this thing gets until I check it. It’s also a really old dryer.
Two sheddy but short haired dogs. I still find that the dryer removes pet hair just fine, even when I wash their blankets. I use vinegar in the rinse cycle and I keep dryer sheets on hand for polar fleece (it REALLY needs the dryer sheet), and occasional other fabrics that need an extra burst of static busting. Normally I discover/remember this as I try to pull the clothes out of the dryer so I just toss the half sheet sitting on top of the dryer in for a few minutes and then try folding again.
I tested my lint screen when I read about that, and it wasn’t gummed up at all (I use dryer sheets all the time). I suppose I’ll test it every couple of years, but they don’t gum up all that quickly.
Ours gets cleaned occasionally by being tossed in the dishwasher. Read about that in Real Simple. I also toss in the knobs from the stove. And my mesh makeup bag when it gets a bit too grungy. We use dryer sheets for pet hair and static, too.
Thanks! I’ve read about using vinegar, so I’ll try that. We have a high-efficiency washer, so the deodorizing effect of vinegar won’t go to waste, either.