Tips For Dryer Not Fully Drying Clothes

The clothes are not dry when they come out of the dryer. What should you do first? If your clothes are not drying, our troubleshooting guide can help you fix the problem.

Dryer Not Drying - Clean Test VentingDryer Not Drying – Clean – Test Venting

The majority of problems with a dryer not drying clothes is because the dryer vent hose is clogged with lint or the lint filter is full of lint. This article assumes this is the issue with your dryer that is not fully drying your clothing. If you find that this is not your issue, see here for other problems with a dryer not drying with dryer parts that may have failed and causing the issue. Clothes Dryer Not Drying

Dryer Lint Filter – Clogged Filter Issues

After each load of laundry, the lint filter in the dryer should be cleaned. Make sure the screen and the entire trap region are clean. If there is too much lint build-up on the lint filter, it will prevent your laundry from drying. If heavy lint is detected in the lint filter trap, you can use a canister vacuum cleaner to get into the tight spots and remove the lint.

What Does the Dryer Vent Hose Do?

The dryer air venting hose lets the air escape from the dryer when drying your clothes. If this hose or anywhere in the exhaust system is clogged, the dryer will NOT be able to dry your clothes 100% or take a long time to dry.

Why Does Lint Build-Up?

The lint build-up in and around the dryer has factors that include moisture problems, bent or crimped air ducts, condensation issues, what you are mostly drying, and how often you use the dryer. Lint tends to gather near the vent inlet and outlet, making it simple to remove.


Easy Way To Clean A Dryer Vent

Dryer Vent Hose – Quick Drying Test

Here is what you can do to find out if the vent hose is clogged… (The vent hose is located on the back of our dryer). Remove the dryer from the wall and detach the dryer vent hose from the dryer outlet. Remove the clamps using your fingers or loosen the screws and remove the vent hose. Remove any lint that has gathered in the vent opening and dryer outlet. Keep the dryer air vent disconnected. Run a test load with wet clothes that come straight out of your washing machine. If the dryer fully dry’s your clothing, then this means that the air ducts are clogged. You will now have to find out where the clog is located.

If your clothes take a long time to dry, the first thing you should do is inspect the air venting system. Remove power to the dryer or turn off the gas to the dryer before cleaning out the air ducts. Find the clog and remove the lint from the dryer vent hose with a strong canister or shop-vacuum. You will also need to clean the wall exhaust where the air duct attaches to the dryer vent on the wall usually right behind your dryer. Look in the inside of the clothes dryer for any lint that has built-up near the back. The dryer can have a build-up of lint inside it and cause the air to not properly flow as designed.

The dryer venting and exhaust area needs to be clean all the way from your dryer to the outside of your homes venting hood. Remove the vent line from both ends and vacuum out any lint. Feed the vacuum hose into the vent line until it reaches its full length. Use an air compressor or a leaf blower to remove any lint from parts of the line you can’t access.

Bent or Crimped Dryer Venting Hose

While you are performing the dryer venting tests, do a visual inspection of the vent hoses for any bent, crimped, or restricted hoses. A bent hose will accumulate more lint as it restricts airflow and the lint is not able to escape as easily if the hose was straight. Be sure all air vents are as straight as possible and not damaged.


How To Clean Your Dryer Vent Step By Step

Dryer Dry’s Clothes Once Lint Removed

Once the dryer air venting areas are cleaned of all lint, and the hoses are as straight as possible, the dryer will now work as designed. The dryer should dry your clothing in the time allotted and no more issues with the dryer taking too long to dry your clothes will occur.

Check your dryer every month or so to make sure all the vents are clear of obstructions. If you notice that your dryer is overheating or not performing properly, clean the vents right away. This is important as lint clogging the venting hoses or ducts can result in a fire.

If you still have issues with the dryer not drying fast enough or the dryer takes too long to dry after cleaning the air vents, let us know the model number of your dryer and we can assist you. Leave a comment below and we will respond ASAP.

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