Keep It Clean & Keep It Safe!
I admit it. I didn't expect to be writing asking you to take 30 minutes out of your day to check your clothes dryer vent. Yet, here I am doing just that.
Let me explain why.
A few weeks ago my clothes dryer indicated that the dryer vent wasn't clean. I removed the filter, cleaned it of lint and replaced it (which is what I do after every load). The light didn't go off. The clothes dryer is a bit intimidating.
Built to be highly energy efficient, the dryer also has a digital interface that many dryers do not have to indicate issues.
When the light didn't go out after cleaning the filter, I located and used the dryer lint brush - pushing it into the small space to try and grab any lint and debris from the space where the filter goes. I got a little bit out but not enough for the alert light to go away.
Feeling determined, I grabbed a screwdriver and disconnected the dryer vent from the dryer and vacuumed it out as best I could. I then went outside and removed the end cap and vacuumed it out as well. Went back to the dryer and got an all clear! The vacuum had collected a LOT of lint!
Before our cat passed away, we had a LOT more pet hair in the clothes dryer. My dogs don’t shed but if they did, that would increase the risk of the dryer vent becoming dangerous.
I looked up the statistics to see how many fires occur every year from dryers. Here are the facts:
- There are 2,900 home clothes dryer fires reported every year
- These fires cause an estimated 5 human deaths and 100 injuries
- The fires result in $35 million in property loss every year
- Failure to clean the dryer vent system is the leading cause of dryer fires
- It is recommended you clean your dryer vent annually
- It took me about 30 minutes from start to finish
- You can hire companies to clean your dryer vent and your duct work if you don't want to do it yourself
What was missing from these statistics of course was the number of pets that die in dryer fires every year.
I know I've left the house to do errands with the dryer running - putting my furry family at risk. Just writing that makes me never want to do that again!
It popped in my head not only am I concerned about clean ingredients in our USDA Certified Organic dog shampoo, I am also concerned about clean dryer vents!
Keep It Clean! Keep It Safe! It applies to the products and ingredients you use in and on your dogs and the appliances in your house!
