Dryer vent cleaning

[legenddc]

Our dryer is taking longer and longer to dry clothes so it's time to clean the vents.

Any recommendations for a dryer vent cleaning kit? I've heard the cheap ones on Amazon aren't great. I'd estimate I have close to a 25' run with a 90* bend.

[Mark J]

Good question.

[wtnhighlander]

With the 90*, you will need approach it from both ends, correct?

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

YOU'VE probably done so already, but the first areas I'm looking  at first are  the port on the dryer and the exterior outlet. Those are the first to jam up, at least in my house.  After that I'd hit that 90 first. Good luck. 

[legenddc]

I measured and it’s under 19’. I will shorten up the flex vent from the dryer to the hard vent when I clean it. 
 

The exterior outlet is fairly clean. 

[Tom King]

long shop vac hose will be a good start.   Every house I built, I designed.  One no exception was dryer backed right up to an outside wall and directly vented outside with no flex hose.  Too late for that now, but it's worked out great.

I changed the one in the rental house to a short metal duct by using the internal possible conversion to a right angle turn to go out the side of the dryer.  Not quite as ideal, but the dryer works great and I can reach my arm up into the duct from the outside.  I didn't use their kit, but modified some round ducting.

[Tpt life]

Take the cabinet apart and clean all around the drum also. 

[Beechwood Chip]

I asked my friend who I knew used a dryer vent cleaning kit.  He wrote:

  I have a Lint Eater

        It works okay and by having the vacuum running helps keep the mess to a
minimum. But if the duct get sealed, the vacuum will collapse the
standard 4' ducts.

        Just remember to oil the rod threads before using. The torque can
tighten them up enough to make unscrewing difficult.

        I used the blockage removal "claw" on a clogged downspout once and it
worked.

        This is the only one I've used so YMMV.

        Oh! The long brush and one rod are great for cleaning our fridge's
radiators. No drill, just using as a brush

[legenddc]

On 6/22/2025 at 1:11 PM, Tpt life said:

Take the cabinet apart and clean all around the drum also. 

I will do that as well.

On 6/22/2025 at 2:46 PM, Beechwood Chip said:

I asked my friend who I knew used a dryer vent cleaning kit.  He wrote:

  I have a Lint Eater

        It works okay and by having the vacuum running helps keep the mess to a
minimum. But if the duct get sealed, the vacuum will collapse the
standard 4' ducts.

        Just remember to oil the rod threads before using. The torque can
tighten them up enough to make unscrewing difficult.

        I used the blockage removal "claw" on a clogged downspout once and it
worked.

        This is the only one I've used so YMMV.

        Oh! The long brush and one rod are great for cleaning our fridge's
radiators. No drill, just using as a brush

Funny, I asked my cousin what he recommends and he said the same one. Thanks for the tip about oiling the rod threads. 

I just cleaned my fridge coils as best I could this morning. 

[Beechwood Chip]

I don't think the rods will go around a sharp 90° bend.  If you have access to both ends, I'd do the top end first up to the bend, then the bottom.  I'm thinking when you do the top it may knock some stuff down into the bottom.

[Coop]

When we remodeled our house, I installed 4” pvc drain pipe for the horizontal runs and it sure made cleaning easier. 

[legenddc]

I ordered the kit above last night. I might have to remove the lower-most vent pipe to clean it from the bottom. Will report back how it works and if I need to attack if from both ends.

I'd like to move the washer and dryer to the outside wall but I would still need to go up 8' to get to ground level and moving the washer would be very difficult.

[Tom King]

Can you change it to metal ductwork that you can put up and take down when it needs cleaning?

[legenddc]

On 6/23/2025 at 12:18 PM, Tom King said:

Can you change it to metal ductwork that you can put up and take down when it needs cleaning?

The bottom vent is a 2-3' piece of metal ductwork attached with foil tape. Won't be the end of the world to remove it.

One of these years when the laundry room gets a makeover I will look at an easier solution or possibly adding a Y-pipe at the bottom.

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