A Full Guide to Cleaning Your Tumble Dryer

Winter is quickly approaching us, meaning its time to convert our free time from sunbathing to watching films indoors under a blanket, and to convert from wearing a t-shirt and shorts to wearing a thick coat and jeans. Winter brings a lot of changes in our lifestyle, for example choosing to drive more to stay warm rather than walking, and using our heating more to stay warm rather than having our windows open, the list goes on. One significant change in the winter is the inability to use your washing line, meaning all of your clothes have to be dried indoors with your tumble dryer. Clean clothes are required every day, therefore, in the winter your tumble dryer will not be short for usage. When tumble dryers are frequently used, they are very susceptible to getting dirty, which could potentially lead to damage or inefficiency. This is why it is so important to clean your tumble dryer regularly throughout the with. In this post, we have provided you with a full guide on how to clean your tumble dryer to ensure use all winter long.

What is Needed?

Before beginning, please ensure that you have all of the following items. Without these items, the cleaning process will be inefficient. The items needed are as follows:

• A soft fabric cloth
• Old towels (any type)
• Warm water
• Bleach
• White vinegar in a spray bottle
• A vacuum cleaner
• A small brush
• Fabric softener sheets
• Olive Oil
• Baking soda
• Washing up liquid

Cleaning the Lint Filter

The lint filter in your tumble dryer traps the fluff and lint that comes off of your laundry items in a very fine mesh, preventing it from being drawn through the airflow of the tumble dryer and into the heating element. After many uses, the filter can become full, therefore it is important to clean it to prevent any damage or clogging. A build-up of lint can also increase the risk of a fire. For this reason, it is recommended to clean the lint filter after each use.  Below is a step to step guide on cleaning the lint filter.

1. After using the tumble dryer, ensure the appliance has cooled down.
2. Locate the filter in your tumble dryer (usually inside the door rim or behind a panel at the front)
3. Remove as much lint as possible using a small brush before swiping the screen with a fabric softener sheet.
4. Switch on your vacuum cleaner, and swipe over the lint filter to ensure it is extra clean.

Cleaning a Smelly Tumble Dryer

Wet clothes constantly being loaded into your tumble dryer can eventually leave an unpleasant damp mould smell.  After a long process of washing and drying your clothes, the last thing you want is for them to inherit a vulgar smell. It is better to prevent the smell than to clean the dryer when it already smells, however, the cleaning method works in both situations. Below is a step to step guide on how to clean your dryer’s drum to prevent or get rid of the bad smell.

1. Mix together a single cup of bleach with just over three and a half litres of warm water.
2. Dip the cloth into the mix and wring it out thoroughly.
3. Up the cloth to wipe the inside of your tumble dryer’s drum and the inside of the door, before then leaving the door open for the drum to dry.
4. After the drum has dried, wipe the walls down with water and leave to dry again.
5. Spray white vinegar onto the old towel, place the old towel in the tumble dryer, and run a drying cycle to neutralise any remaining odour inside the drum.
6. Ensure that all of the walls of the dyer are free of bleach to prevent discolouration of clothes.

Removing Stickiness and Scuffs From the Dryer

It’s common for us occasionally to forget to remove certain items from our pockets before placing the item of clothing into the washing machine. This can lead to the item then being placed inside the tumble dryer. Items like gum or crayons in the items of clothing are susceptible to melting due to the heat of the tumble dryer. This can lead to stickiness inside of the drum, which can be difficult to remove if not removed properly. Below is a step to step guide on how to remove stickiness and scuff properly.

1. Warm (warm not hot) olive oil on a hob or your microwave.
2. Dab a disposable cloth in the olive oil and gently scrape the sticky patches off.
3. Create a paste of baking soda and warm water.
4. Use the paste to remove the scuffs.
5. Once all scuffs and sticky patches are removed, spray the drum walls with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe the drum clean.
6. Ensure the drum is dryer before next use.

Cleaning the Tumble Dryer Exterior

Besides the interior (the drum) of the tumble dryer, it is highly important to keep the back of the dryer consistently clean to prevent a build-up of dirt, which is a potential fire hazard due to the heat of the tumble dryer. Below is a step to step guide on how to clean the exterior of your tumble dryer.

1. Wait until the dryer is cooled and completely switched off.
2. Unplug the dryer and move it away from the wall.
3. Remove the back panel of the wall and clean the inside area carefully with a vacuum cleaner.
4. Push the back panel back into place.
5. Ensure all doors are shut and wipe the rest of the dryer with a damp cloth dipped in washing up liquid and warm water.
6. Leave the tumble dryer to dry before plugging it back in.

Tumble Dryers Croydon

It’s coming to that time of year where we cannot use washing lines as often as we can in the summer. At this time of year, it is vital to have a fully functioning and efficient tumble dryer in your home. If your current tumble dryer is old or faulty, or you do not own a tumble dryer. Visit Budget Appliances for brand new Tumble Dryers in Croydon from a variety of high-end global manufacturers. This blog was written by the content writer at Budget Appliances. The content writer at Budget Appliances has a passion for the growth of businesses and inspiring people with his content.