The US Fire Administration lists clothing dryer fires as the cause of approximately 15,600 fires annually, causing structural damage, injuries, and about 15 deaths per year. The USFA identifies “failure to clean” as the number one factor contributing to clothes dryer fires.
Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.
Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.
It is recommended that a professional duct cleaning organization be contracted to inspect and clean the duct work. To ensure that the exhaust ducts do not have lint buildup. Contractor to have a video camera lowered down the exhaust vent from the roof or outside discharge to obtain a complete inspection.
Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up.
Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation.
Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
Daily remove equipment panels and clean the lint from the inside, especially in dryers. Lint will collect in and around the cracks, crannies and blowers of dryers very quickly.
It is recommended that each piece of equipment get blown off at least once a week, top to bottom, over and under. Blowing lint around may seem useless as a small percentage of lint settles back on the machines, but the majority of lint ends up on the floor where it’s easily swept or vacuumed up. Some pieces of equipment may require daily service: towel folders, ironers and cross folders, for example, as they’re utilized the most throughout the day. Cover your clean carts before you begin the blow off process, which will prevent the lint from settling on the clean goods. A good time to do this procedure is when the laundry operation is shut down.
Wiping equipment with a damp cloth is another way to remove lint, especially on your small machines like 50-to-125-pound washers. Make it part of your equipment operators’ duty to wipe down the machines at the end of the shift or when the machines are idle.
Refer to your equipment manufacturers’ manuals to obtain the best ideas as to how to remove lint and how often.
Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.
The benefits of a lint free environment are a clean looking facility, elimination of potential fire hazards.
