When do you clean your dryer's lint trap?

[Orrex]

Poll question: When do you clean your dryer's lint trap?

[CreekDog]

1. Before and I've been told i'm supposed to do it after

but what is the difference? :shrug:

[Shell Beau]

3. I do it before as well. I am too busy unloading the clothes to do

it after.

[Bryan]

2. Religiously after each load

I'm not sure why, exactly; I think it was drummed into me at a young age that a severe fluff buildup can cause ruin the machine or cause the dryer to explode or something absurd like that, but I take pains to clean it every time.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. After each load, my dear Orrex!

That way, it's ready for the next load...

Speaking of which, I'm up to my eyeballs with laundry from the trip!

Scuze me while I go push it!

*runs off to laundry room*

:hi:

[bikebloke]

5. Before and after

I have to clean out the lint of the selfish person who used the machine before me. Then I clean out my lint after I'm done. I think there's one other person in my building who is communitarian like myself.

[mainegreen]

6. before and after. Before for safety. After just in case I forget to do it before.

[flvegan]

7. This would make a brilliant flamewar.

:popcorn:

[Inchworm]

8. After each load or the dog hair lingering there gets on clean clothes

:hi:

[Kali]

9. never

I use solar.

[TimeChaser]

10. After if I'm at home, if I'm at a dorm or somewhere else, before and after

[Javaman]

11. when I'm hungry. nt

[pokerfan]

12. When the dryer starts smoking

but before it actually bursts into flames.

[marzipanni]

13. After the dryer stops, but before I remove the dry laundry

My dryer has its lint trap at the bottom of the 'porthole', so clean clothes, etc. might pick up lint if I pull it out across a linty trap.

Soon I plan to go outside and take the vent cover off and vacuum the exhaust tube with a long vacuum cleaner hose, because if that gets clogged with lint the dryer can overheat and catch on fire.
http://www.galttech.com/research/household-DIY-tools/dryer-vent-cleaner-cleaning.php

[tigereye]

14. I know people who make art with it!

:bounce:

[madinmaryland]

15. Never. That's my wife's job!

:hide:

[Orrex]

16. That's why I listed that as one of the options

[madinmaryland]

19. Thanks!

[rucky]

17. I usually just let the fire burn it off. n/t

[old mark]

18. Every Christmas eve, precisely at 9:30 PM.

It's a religious thing....


mark

[surrealAmerican]

20. Not only before and after each load, but during each load too.

I find my clothes get dry faster if I clean the lint trap in the middle of the drying time. It saves me time and money.

[yy4me]

21. Just a side note to this: It is advised that the dryer lint trap be

washed every so often because, even though you cannot see it, the trap builds up residue from soap and fabric softeners.

The result of not washing the filter is that it is more difficult for the air to flow through, causing the machine to take longer to dry.

Not a well known fact, I learned about it a few years ago from a repairman.

[billyoc]

22. After the fire's under control.