WELL-BEING
Built-up lint blocks air flow in your clothes dryer, which leads to high heat and a potential fire. Thousands of fires occur each year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
Take these simple steps to keep your home safe:
* Clean the lint screen every time you use the dryer.
* If you use fabric softener, wash the screen in warm soapy water periodically to get rid of film build-up that restricts air flow.
* Make sure the lint screen has no tears (otherwise lint gets into the duct system and restricts air flow).
* Inspect the duct, dampers, and access covers for damage every 3 months. Clean all removable parts. Vacuum the duct to remove excess lint build-up.
Don’t dry items that have been cleaned or soaked in gasoline, dry cleaning solvents, vegetable or cooking oil, machine oil, or other chemicals such as mop heads, which can be explosive when heated.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine