# Mission Impossible: Find the lint screen **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215 "2004-10-02T17:24:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/1 "2004-10-02T17:24:26Z")
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the gosh darned _lint screen_ on this lint-screen forsaken washer dryer. :mad: Long story short, I’ve been “drying” my clothes for about 3 hours now, and my clothes are still wet. Warm, but wet. Okay, fine, maybe the previous tenants didn’t clean the lint screen (In fact, they NEVER cleaned the lint screen. As in, for the whole year prior.) Ok. Well, shouldn’t be too hard to find a lint screen, right? It should be just right inside the door, right? In plain view, right? Wrong. :sigh: Can someone please at least point me in the right direction as to where the lint screen might be found? Take note that this is a UK washer dryer, a Casatta Hotpoint, if that’s any help. Haven’t found any recesses or anything on the top of the machine, either, so I’m flat out of ideas. Anyone? [Picture of dryer here](http://www.geocities.com/tabby_n/dryer.html) ---
**Author:** ![JimOfAllTrades](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JimOfAllTrades](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimOfAllTrades)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/2 "2004-10-02T17:36:25Z")
What is in the upper left corner on the front? It looks like a piece of the control panel above the door, but it looks like it’s a separate piece, and that it has what looks like a hand grip. Does that pull out? And if so, is there a lint screen behind it? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/3 "2004-10-02T17:38:24Z")
It looks to me that the panel towards the left top under the brand name, with some sort of list written on it, has a hand-grip built into it to pull it out. Could that be it? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/4 "2004-10-02T17:38:25Z")
What is the model number? If you tell us that it should be very easy to find the answer or just go to [www.hotpoint.com](http://www.hotpoint.com) and click on the “washers and dryers” link and you should be able to do it yourself. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/5 "2004-10-02T18:17:06Z")
The little drawer in the top left is where you put the soap and softener in… no lint screen there. I have no idea as to the model number of the machine, but it’s a “casatta”, if that’s any help… I googled it, and got a few hits, and it kinda looks like [this](http://www.kbsa.com/kspecial/jan99/front.asp?pageflip=prodnews/prodframe.asp&pageflip_2=wash.asp). I mean, where’s the lint screen on your washer dryer? I dunno if you merkins get this brand overseas, but it’s got some links to GE… Who the heck hides lint screens like that?! ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/6 "2004-10-02T18:18:12Z")
Forgot to add, Uk website does not have the model any more, and those models that they do list don’t have the manual available online. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/7 "2004-10-02T18:35:54Z")
If those pictures you posted (not the one of your dryer, but the others) weren’t also under a counter, I would have said to check the top. Several dryers I’ve used had lint screens on the top surface of the dryer towards the back. But I don’t think that’s the case here. Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/8 "2004-10-02T18:55:39Z")
> [@Tabby\_Cat](#): > > Forgot to add, Uk website does not have the model any more, and those models that they do list don’t have the manual available online. They make it a little tricky to find, but their lineup of manuals seems to be is [here](http://www.theservicecentre.co.uk/macro/instruct.d2w/display?brand=H&prod=WD). I don’t think it has one. Looks like it’s designed to spin the “fluff” right out. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/9 "2004-10-02T19:42:24Z")
Some additional thoughts-if the dryer vent outlet is partially blocked, the unit will not be able to move sufficient air volume for efficient drying. Also, most dryers have two heating settings-one for delicate, and normal for sturdy cottons and permanent press. If the main element is not getting power owing to a bad thermostat, or is electrically open, symptoms will be as you’ve described. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mission-impossible-find-the-lint-screen/267215/10 "2004-10-03T00:26:24Z")
I’d first check to see if there is something blocking the dryer vent, as **danceswithcats** points out. That’s the usual culprit. The fact that after 3 hours your clothes are warm but not dry is a telling symptom: _something is blocking the air flow into or out of your dryer_. Is there an air inlet? Look around the back and sides and top of the dryer and make sure there are no lost clothes or lint stuffed in between the cabinets and the dryer. Check the air outlets. There should be a hose running from the back of the dryer to an exterior wall or ceiling vent. Make sure it’s not crushed or crimped. If you can access the end, remove it from the dryer and make sure the inside isn’t blocked with lint. Check the outside vent, and make sure the damper or screen isn’t blocked shut; perhaps a critter built a nest there to keep warm. Since it’s a washer/dryer, there may be a gate or a valve that blocks the inlet and/or exhaust vents during the wash cycle. If after all the above fails to find a problem, call for service.