How to clean and maintain your clothes dryer

Remove the lint screen and wash it with water and soft bristle brush to remove fabric softener and dryer sheet residue that builds up on the lint screen. Let the lint screen dry completely and reinstall it in the dryer.

Repeat this procedure every month so your dryer will continue working efficiently.

Clean the dryer drum

Inspect the inside of your dryer drum and wipe it with a moist cloth if you don’t see any stains. If you do see stains or deposits, follow the advice below for cleaning the drum.

• Transferred dye. The dye from new jeans can rub off on the dryer drum (not to mention your hands), leaving a blue or gray residue. To remove it, rub a paste made from powdered laundry detergent and very warm water on the stains. When the stains are gone, use a clean, damp cloth to wipe off any paste that remains.

Tip: To keep the dye from transferring next time, dry the jeans inside out.

• Gum. First, soften the gum; you can either put a few rags in the dryer and run the dryer for a few minutes, or use a blow dryer. If there are just a few spots of gum, use a hard spatula or a plastic knife to gently scrape them off. If there are many small spots, rub them with a thick paste made from powdered laundry detergent and water.

• Lipstick. Run the dryer empty on high heat for a few minutes to soften the lipstick. While the dryer is still warm, scrape up as much lipstick as possible with a rubber spatula or the edge of a credit card. Use a few drops of olive oil on a microfiber cloth to wipe away any remaining residue, then clean the area with powdered laundry detergent and a damp sponge. Rinse the drum with a clean, damp cloth and wipe the drum dry.

• Ink. If the ink is from a ball point pen and is fresh, place dry rags in the dryer and run for an hour on the highest heat setting to absorb the ink. For any ink that isn’t fresh, rub liquid dish soap with a soft damp cloth over the stain, then rinse with a damp cloth and dry. Use an eraser sponge for stubborn ink stains.

After using any cleaning method, it’s a good idea to place wet rags in the dryer and run at the highest heat setting until dry to remove any residue.

Clean the moisture sensor bars

Many clothes dryers have sensor bars that tell the dryer to shut off when the load is dry. If you use dryer sheets, residue from the sheet’s fabric softener can make sensors think the load is dry when it’s still damp. Clean the sensor bars every 6 months or so, or if the dryer is consistently under-drying the laundry. Dip the tip of a rag in rubbing alcohol and wipe the bars to clean off residue.

Schedule Clean & Maintain Service by Sears

To prevent fires, it’s essential to have a service technician clean the inside of the dryer cabinet yearly. Lint that accumulates inside dryers contributes to a third of the nearly 3000 dryer fires reported each year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Keep your family safe by having your dryer professionally cleaned and maintained every year.

During Sears Cleaning & Maintenance Service, the tech will also perform these tasks:

• Check the exhaust system.

• Inspect the heating system.

• Check the drum, drive system and drum seals.

• Examine and test the moisture sensor.

• Inspect the power cord and electrical connections.

• Measure dryer operating temperature.

• Check the controls.

Having your dryer professionally cleaned and maintained every year will help prevent unexpected breakdowns and the dryer will last longer. Trust Sears to help keep your dryer working safely and efficiently.

Bundle your dryer service with cleaning and maintenance for your washer and kitchen appliances for convenience and savings. A Sears Technician can clean and maintain all of your home appliances at once for one low price.

When it comes to your home, the house experts at Sears deliver services to keep everything in your home working efficiently. Sears is the #1 appliance maintenance and repair provider in the country, delivering guaranteed quality and workmanship.