December 8

How To Clean Dryer Vent With A Leaf Blower

0  comments


Dryers are an essential part of our household, and naturally they need thorough cleaning every few months. 

Now a professional can be called every time to do it, but that would mean spending a lot of money. What if I told you about an easier way to clean the dryer by yourself?

So, recently I have faced this problem myself, when my dryer started to malfunction. I had to call in an expert who went on to clean the vents. That is when I decided to take note of the entire process and write it down. 

Hi! I am Stacy Smith, and today I will share my guide about how to clean dryer vent with a leaf blower. I have broken it down into steps to make it easier to follow. 

So, grab a cup of coffee and dive in! 

clean dryer vent with leaf blower

Steps To Cleaning A Dryer Vent With A Leaf Blower

While leaf blowers are essential tools needed to clean the backyard and porch, they can be pretty versatile. You can clean snow with them, and can also remove lint from clothes dryer vents. The professional I employed used a gas-powered one for this process.

Before I start with the steps, are you wondering why removing lint is necessary? I could rant about all the hazards that they may cause but long story short, it is highly flammable and can cause house fires. Also, these can lead to the growth of mold and mildew if not removed. Hence you should aim to clean the ducts at least once or twice a year. 

Now that you know the reason, let’s get into the process. 

Step 1: Reaching The Dryer Vent

Your first task would be to reach the dryer vent. This could be done by moving the dryer away from the wall and accessing its backside. Once you do that, you will have to take out the hose. This might require you to unscrew a few nuts, or you might be able to pull it out. It all depends on the model that you are using. If you are unable to understand how to remove it, look up the instructions booklet. 

Step 2: Detaching The External Cover

Once you have been able to remove the outer cover, you will find the external vent. This also has a cover that needs to be removed. By detaching it, the air can escape, making it easier for you to work. 

Here too, you might have some unscrewing to do, so keep a screwdriver with you in case the screws cannot be removed by hand. This is essential, else the air blowing out could damage your leaf blower or the tube outside.  

Step 3: Cleaning The Vent 

When you have open access to the vent after removing its cover, it is best to clean the outside well. Manual cleaning is more effective, and you can use a brush to do it. If there is a lot of dirt, a vacuum cleaner could be used too. This will suck up the lint faster and clear the space. Once the majority of it is gone, you can use a duster to clean the rest. 

clean dryer vent with leaf blower

Step 4: Using A Leaf Blower

After the outside is clean, it is time to clean the inside of the dryer. To do so, you will first have to create a seal and ensure that the lint does not blow out all over the place. This seal can be created with the help of duct tapes. 

Put the leaf blower nozzle inside and cover the space around it with duct tape. If the gap is larger than expected, then you could use towels too. That will prevent the air from escaping and will ensure complete cleaning. 

Coming to the leaf blower variant, you can use all the types, but I will personally recommend gas-powered ones. They are powerful but not so much that the vent will be destroyed. Whichever kind of leaf blower you use, ensure that it is not started on high mode. 

A cordless or an electric variant can also be used, and you would not need to plug them in. But backpack leaf blowers will not be a great option as they are too big and will require a large amount of space to be placed. 

Step 5: Switching On The Blower

Once all the parts are in place, check if the setting is fine by switching on your blower for a second. If it works well and the seal stays in place, go on to use it for 30 seconds. All the lint should be removed well after this. Once the cleaning is done, check the outside and clean it again. 

Step 6: Reattaching The Parts

Now that your dryer has been cleaned thoroughly, you can reattach all the parts. Screw the cover well and reattach the vent. The outer cover needs to be placed back properly, and you can attach the hose too. 

clean dryer vent with leaf blower

Final Words

Some of my friends do not prefer using a leaf blower to clean their dryer. They feel that it might not work well, or the lint might catch fire due to the heavy blast of hot air. 

In my opinion, you do not need to worry about it if you have got a short and straight vent pipe. A leaf blower may not be able to do much if the pipe is crooked or the vent is too long. Then your blower’s nozzle cannot enter all the way, and the inner parts may not get cleaned properly. 

So, check and see if the vent is good enough for you to clean with a blower. If it is in proper shape and is not too long, go forward and use a blower without any worries. 

On that note, I will end my guide. Let me know in the comment section below if you have any further concerns. 

Until next time! 


Tags


You may also like

How Hot Does a Pressure Cooker Get?

How Hot Does a Pressure Cooker Get?
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}