How to clean a dryer vent

Updated October 10, 2026. By the OakTend team.

Clean the lint screen after every load, and once a year clear the duct that carries hot, damp air from the back of the dryer to the vent outside.

How often: The U.S. Fire Administration says to clean the lint filter every time you use the dryer and the vent ductwork every year.
What you need: Dryer vent brush kit, Vacuum with a hose attachment, Screwdriver or nut driver for the duct clamp

Why it matters

Lint burns easily, and it builds up where you cannot see it. The U.S. Fire Administration says failure to clean was the leading factor in home clothes dryer fires from 2018 to 2020, at 31 percent.

Steps

Clean the lint screen. This one is every load.
Unplug the dryer. For a gas dryer, also close the gas valve behind it.
Pull the dryer out from the wall and loosen the clamp to take off the duct.
Brush and vacuum lint out of the duct, the dryer's outlet and the wall pipe.
Go outside and clear lint from the vent hood. Check that its flap opens freely.
Reattach the duct, push the dryer back without crushing or kinking it, and restore power and gas.
Run the dryer and check that air blows out strongly at the outside vent.

When to call a pro

Hire a dryer vent cleaning company if the duct runs a long way, goes up through the roof or attic, or clothes still take too long to dry after you clean it. For a gas dryer, a gas smell or a loose gas connection needs a licensed technician.

Safety

Plug the dryer and washer straight into a wall outlet, never an extension cord, which the U.S. Fire Administration warns against for major appliances.

General information, not professional advice. Your equipment's manual comes first when it says something different.

Sources

U.S. Fire Administration: basement and garage fire safety
Clean the lint filter every time you use the dryer and the vent ductwork every year; plug washers and dryers directly into wall outlets.
U.S. Fire Administration: appliance and electrical fire safety
Failure to clean (31 percent) was the leading factor in home clothes dryer fires from 2018 to 2020; never use an extension cord with a major appliance.