this is really true  as my appliance man cme to fix my washer he checked my dryer and said to wash out the lint trap also if your washer has a place to put your fabric softer in on the agitator you need to take that middle section out and clean that also.

posted on 8/11/2010 8:50:06 AM

Wow! I never thought of this!!! Thank you!!! I am going right now to do this!!!

posted on 8/7/2010 12:02:11 PM

I had heard of this before. Thanks for the reminder!

posted on 7/19/2010 10:35:05 AM

I always pull the lint off, but never thought to actually wash the trap.  thanks for the tip!

posted on 7/17/2010 7:50:27 AM

Thanks for a very good reminder. I haven't done this in a while, but will now.

posted on 7/16/2010 4:29:26 PM

I don't use dryer sheets anymore!  Get Wool Dryer Balls & you can have great smelling laundry that will dry faster & won't leave the chemical build up!

posted on 7/15/2010 11:20:30 PM

Do you think it could be thrown in the dishwasher or would that cause more trouble than it's worth?

posted on 7/15/2010 11:07:06 PM

I work for 911 and firemen will tell you that dryer fires are one of the most common sources of house fires! This is an excellent idea! If you don't think it's necessary, try letting water run through the lint trap before you clean it... Better to be safe! Blessings to all!

posted on 7/15/2010 4:09:53 PM

I clean my lint trap once a week with soap and water.  My dryer is thirty yrs old and keeping it clean has kepted it running this long and it's a used dryer.mary

posted on 7/15/2010 3:58:09 PM

wow!  I never even thought of this being a fire hazard.  Thanks for the info

posted on 7/15/2010 2:46:30 PM

great idea thank you.. I never new about the chemical build up.  I'll definitely pass it on...

posted on 7/15/2010 12:33:55 PM

This is a great tip! I never knew about this but tend to worry about the fire hazard issues. Any chance it helps lower the static in winter? I can't find anything to work in the winter. Dryer sheets just don't cut it and the static guard stuff in the can is very temporary and has a funny smell.

posted on 7/15/2010 12:23:25 PM

I've done this for a long time and it really works well. Good in the tub too, with all that conditioner that goes down.

posted on 7/15/2010 9:12:06 AM

thanks for the reminder. It does have build up from time to time.

posted on 7/15/2010 8:50:59 AM

every 6 monts when the dryer lint trap gets a scrubbing, I also clean the vent line  and pull both waher and dryer out to clear away any dust bunnies and/or debris.. (also good habit to do with Stove and refrigerator)

posted on 7/15/2010 8:36:15 AM

We recently discovered another potential fire hazard with our dryer that others might want to know about. When we discovered a small hole in our dryer's lint trap screen, we purchased a replacement from a local company. It was an afte-market part, because our dryer was 11 years old. Before installing it, we cleaned the lint from the hose & within the unit. About 3 weeks later, it started overheating & shutting off. We found that even though the lint trap appeared to fit, there was a tiny gap on the sides that let lint pass through. Be careful with after-market parts. We now have a new dryer.

posted on 7/15/2010 7:41:00 AM