Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with dryer

How can I minimize the amount of lint on my clothes?

grouse — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:32:05 -0800

How can I minimize the amount of lint on my clothes? I use a communal washer and dryer in my apartment complex.

Should I use drying sheets? I've used them before and they didn't seem to make much of a difference. I was using the cheapest generic ones available—does the brand matter? Can I cut them into quarters as suggested her?eg What about using fabric softener during the wash cycle?

I do a separate wash for my Smartwool socks and towels as these seem to generate much lint. It's worse if one washes the socks inside out as Smartwool suggests, so I've stopped doing that.

Is it more effective to use a lint roller before washing rather than after?

Other suggestions?

Maximum laundry, minimum space

exceptinsects — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:22:13 -0800

What are your experiences using a combination washer/dryer? I am thinking of buying one for my very tiny new house, but somehow it seems too good to be true! Do they really work? Is there a brand you've tried that you like?

It would have to fit in a space that's 23"X25". (Can face either direction)

Crayon in the Dryer, 3x Over

theichibun — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 07:13:54 -0800

I washed some clothes with a crayon in a pocket. Now I've got yellow crayon spread out across my clothes. But it gets better. The clothes weren't getting dry and I kept putting them through the dryer. 3 times total, never noticing that the crayon stains were there. How can I get rid of, or at least minimize, the problem so I get some of my pants for work back? I've tried ironing with a paper towel and putting them through the washer with various combinations of OxiClean and other stain fighting products. At first running them through the washer seemed to be helping (cold/cold just in case maybe using warm water somewhere would help), but the last time I tried that I didn't see it getting any better. I also saw no good coming from the ironing method.

Due to my schedule the clothes have now been sitting in my room for about a week since the incident. Probably not a good move, I know. Do I have any hope of fixing the mess this late in the game?

Keeping my laundry hair-free?

meerkatty — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:02:38 -0800

Do you have tricks or tips for keeping hair off your clean laundry? I have long hair that sheds a lot. And I'm currently being treated with chemotherapy which is making me shed even more. When I pull my clean clothes or sheets out of the dryer rogue strands of my long hair cover everything. Is there a way to prevent this?

I use a Bounce dryer sheet in my dryer, clean the lint filter religiously and just had my dryer serviced. Using a lint brush afterward is pointless because the hair is long and difficult for the brush to pick up and using a lint brush on things like king size sheets is a nightmare. Thanks!

what is wrong with my dryer?

cheemee — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:11:34 -0800

kenmore clothes dryer help: my wife and i recently purchased a home that came with a kenmore washer and dryer. at the time of the house inspection, the dryer was working fine. we have tried to use it since moving in and it no longer functions. any ideas what could be wrong? ...when we turn the dial and press start, the dial moves as if it is drying a load. however, the drum inside does not spin and the unit does not heat up. the little light inside it does turn on when we open the dryer door, which makes me think that it is not an issue with the power or breaker. but can it be? or can anybody suggest what could be wrong?

if anybody has any recommendations for a repair-person in the richmond/vancouver BC area, i'd also appreciate that!

thanks all!

Oh, god, this is terrible.

boo_radley — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:25:54 -0800

My 3 year old son tossed a diaper into the washer while we were doing laundry. The diaper made it to the dryer, where it shredded and gunked up everything. How the hell do I clean this up? The drum and the lint trap are cleaned, but I'm worried about the gel starting a fire.

Duct cleaning?? Wtf??

saradarlin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:23:08 -0800

Do you have your household HVAC ducts for a forced air furnace cleaned? As homeowner for the first time, I'm looking for advice. Should I pay $225 to have my ducts cleaned? I do think that we need to have the dryer vent cleaned because it (apparently) has a history of getting blocked. But what about the rest of the house? Do you guys have this done? How often? Did you notice any improvement?

I live in Ontario Canada so central air and heating systems use the ducts.

Buying your own appliances is the hot new thing for renters?

ignignokt — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:00:38 -0800

As a tenant, how feasible is buying your own major appliances for a place you're renting? I've been hunting for apartments in Boston, and when I ask whether or not a building has a washer and dryer, I sometimes get the answer, "No, but it does have a hookup for a washer and dryer so you can get your own." They say the same thing about dishwashers sometimes.

This isn't a response I've heard from property managers in Chicago.

So, I guess some tenants actually do this? The thing is, washers and dryers appear to cost at least $300 a piece, then on top of that, there's delivery and installation. And when your lease is up, are you really going to deinstall it and take it with you?

What am I missing? Please shed some light on this mystery. I'll probably ask the next property manager I talk to about it, but they also tell me things like "oil heating than gas heating is better because it's much cleaner burning" so I figure it's good to hear it from people with a less vested interest.

Please don't take me to the cleaners...

lannanh — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:36:36 -0800

Buying a used Washer and Dryer on Craigslist: Thrify and Smart or Foolish and Regrettable? So we just moved into a new apt w/ a washer and dryer hook-up, woo hoo! Except, what do we hook-up?

I've never made a major appliance purchase like this and I'm leaning towards buyin off of CL because I can get the fancy LG front loading washing machine and matching dryer (or Kenmore or Whirlpool or even Frigidaire but definitely NOT Maytag) for under $1,000 versus twice that new. Is this stupidest thing ever? Anyone have any advice for buying a used set? Do I sit with the person and make them do a load of laundry in front of me?

Or should I just scrap the whole thing and buy new? I mean, are things like warrenty important, do any places even offer good warrenties anymore? Or yearly servicing if that still exists.

Any advice on the new or used font is greatly appreciated.

Rub a dub dub and so on.

santojulieta — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:14:38 -0800

We have laundry maladies. It seems like my washer might not be draining properly, and it's lint central in my dryer. What can I do about this? First Question:
We have an old stacked washer and dryer in our rental apartment. In the last week or so, it seems like laundry smells like stale water when it comes out of the washer. When I moved the agitator to reach some back laundry, I could hear (but not see) water sloshing around somewhere. Also, when it drains before the spin cycle, it backs up into our bathtub (and the water that backs up appears to have... um... dirty laundry residue in it, like lint, gritty dirt, etc.) It seems like there's some sort of clog somewhere within the washer. What could I run through a wash cycle to help clear some of that out?

Second Question:
Our dryer works just fine, but it's awfully linty in there. I clean the lint screen between every load, but it seems like lint builds up in the door (it's hollow with holes in it that lets the lint out to settle in our lint screen.) This horrifies me for two reasons. First, it seems terribly dangerous to have lint in various places in the dryer. Second, it gives me the heebie-jeebies to touch lint. Anything I could toss in a dryer cycle that will magically attract all the errant lint?

I know this is my landlord's responsiblity, but if I can just do something simple and safe myself, I'd rather do that.

Me and my green dryer

czechmate — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:29:41 -0800

The inside of my dryer is green! How can I clean it? I just noticed that the inside of my dryer drum has a hint of green. Clothes come out smelling funny too. I tried cleaning it with soap and water and also an organic cleaner.. and it's not even making a dent in cleaning it up.
I typically wash and dry clothes pretty quickly, but there have been a few times that damp clothes were left in for a few days.
I do clean the lint trap after every use.

Is it beyond repair?

The Properties of Fluids are not Strained

winna — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:47:06 -0800

Why does my dryer have to be vented to work? I live in an apartment. My dryer vent duct to the outside allows the smell of my neighbor's drying clothing to come into my apartment, since for some damnsilly reason the two vents are connected. I wanted to block off the vent and just let my dryer vent out into the room.

But if I do not have the dryer hooked up to the dryer vent, it does not ever get hot. It gets warmish, but not hot. This seems exactly opposed to what I imagine should happen, which that the dryer air flowing out into the room with no obstruction would allow for much faster drying. I hooked it back up to the vent, incidentally.

I have an extremely tiny compact Maytag High Efficiency MDE2400AYW, if it matters. When I can get it to work it makes a pleasing song after my clothes are done. I delight in the carol of my machine, but it does me no good if I open the box to find the clothes are almost as damp as when they entered it.

Is there some mechanical feature of the dryer which causes this, or is it the long column of air inside the duct is acting as a chimney to suck the air out of the dryer?

They don't shoot dryers do they?

mrhaydel — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 12:29:15 -0800

Should we put a misbehaving dryer in permanent time out? Two-part-washer-dryer-question filter:

Ms. mrhaydel has a washer and dryer pair that is newer than my washer and dryer pair by roughly 5 years. We will be engaging in full fledged cohabitation in about one month, thereby eliminating the need for two washers and two dryers.

However, her dryer has a nasty habit of leaving grease streaks, randomly, on articles of clothing (photo one, two, three). For the most part, it doesn't show through clothing (washing everything inside-out, natch), but the possibility is still there that the dryer leaves a mark on the outside of a piece of clothing.

So, my first question is, should we toss her dryer to the curb, and bring in my dryer (which works perfectly fine), thereby creating a mismatched pair? How hard is it to sell a mismatched pair? What about selling washers and dryers separately? For what it's worth, my washer does not agitate quite as well as hers, so that's why we're not using my pair.

The second question is, has anyone ever had a similar problem of a dryer leaving grease streaks on clothing? We've concluded with certainty that it is *not* the washer doing it. The only thing we've come up with is that *maybe* the pieces of clothing are somehow getting stuck momentarily in the latch of the door (it's a front loading dryer), but, we just haven't been able to track down the source of the aforementioned grease.

So, what say you, Hivemind?

You spin me right round baby right round

spicynuts — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:18:04 -0800

Recommendations needed for stackable, energy saver, low water washing machine/dryer combo Looking to buy one of this sweet front loader, stackable washer dryer thingamabobs and I would like to know if anyone has input on which might be considered the most reliable. Considerations for me:

1. Needs to be 24 inches wide or less
2. Needs to use 15 gallons of water or less per cycle
3. Gas powered dryer
4. Stackable to less than 97"
5. It would be nice if it can steam clothes as well

I've been looking at LG because in a drunken picnic conversation one of my good friends was talking about LG - problem is I can't remember if they were raving or criticizing and she is in labor right now so can't call her.

Previous Ask post on this was in 2005 so I'd like some updated info

Dryer cut clothing. Dryer folk not helpful.

kmennie — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 08:19:58 -0800

Clothes dryer [new] slashed clothing. "Repaired," dryer snags clothes, makes unsettling noise. Visited store 4x; sent registered mail to manufacturer 2x, nothing. Now what? A bit over a year ago I bought a new high-efficiency Frigidaire front-loader and matching dryer from a small local appliance shop. The washer is lousy, but no mind. The dryer made the same 1cm J-shaped cut in most of our knit clothing.

It took a while to figure out where these cuts were coming from, of course. When we finally did, we contacted the store, who sent out Local Repair Dude. LRD scratched his head and asked if I was using HE detergent. (Yes.) LRD said he'd put in a call to Frigidaire. Came back, gave me a hard time about the detergent despite standing under many bottles marked "HE," and did something to the dryer that he thought would maybe solve my problem, and if it didn't, it was Frigidaire's problem, not his.

The "repaired" dryer started snagging a lot of stuff -- drawstrings and snaps on baby clothes get sucked in to a rim around the door and don't come out without ripping -- and making a "Hi I'm a broken dryer" sort of ka-thump noise, intermittently. One knit top came out with a terrible slash; the status of the J-cuts is unclear because our old clothes are already too cut up for us to notice new cuts, and good knits now get hung to dry.

The local shop is nearby, so I went in person. At this point I went in at least three times. Oh, they'd get right on it. Had nobody called me back? Goodness! Be sure to get right on that, yes'm! Same deal each time; never heard a peep.

I sent Frigidaire a letter, via registered mail, enclosing a onesie covered in the J-cuts and missing a snap and a plastic bib that accidentally got in the dryer for a few minutes and came out looking like it'd been in a fight with an X-acto knife. Nothing. I sent a second letter, summarized: "WTF? No response to this one, and it's court. Just in case, here is a copy of the letter I sent." Nothing.

Is small claims court the appropriate/best place to pursue this? At this point I would be happy to return the washer and dryer pair for a full refund and never think of Frigidaire or the shop again; I'm not sure what's realistic, though.

It's a gas

Pants! — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:40:08 -0800

I bought a used gas dryer, and need help connecting it. Right now, I have the gas valve shut off. However, when I turn it on, while the hose is connected, I smell gas. I'm not sure where the leak would be and am not sure how to diagnose that.

The gas outlet was not used by the previous dryer, which was electric. The dryer is used, the hose is new.

Best way to vent a clothes dryer through an attic?

Yogurt — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:10:50 -0800

What is the best way to vent a clothes dryer through an attic? Is Thermoflex unsafe? I know venting a dryer through your roof isn't ideal, but that's how our 2-year-old house was built.

The previous owner used a Thermoflex tube to connect a metal pipe from the dryer to the plastic roof vent. The tube (photo) has fallen off the roof connection, so the dryer is now venting into our attic.

Thermoflex is flexible, insulated and not metal as far as I can tell. The Thermoflex web site says they don't sell any products suitable for dryers, so I'm wondering if I shouldn't just remove the Thermoflex altogether.

If so, what's the best replacement?

If the tube is okay, how do I keep it attached to the roof vent? As you can see in the photo, duct tape and dryer tape are not working.

Skill level: I am an uninformed klutz when it comes to home repairs.

240V Dryer Outlet to 120V Outlet

hylaride — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:06:05 -0800

Is there an adapter for a 240V dryer plug that will allow a standard 120V to operate off of it (while still allowing for the full 240Vs for the dryer)? My wife and I are planning on buying a washer and dryer soon. We're leaning on separate units. The problem is that we only have a single 240V dryer plug. My understanding is that these are really two 120V at a different phase...meaning there may be a magical device that would allow a 120V plug off of it for a washer to run off of as well. Does such a beast exist or are we stuck with combo units?

Can you get it for me wholesale? "It" being a good washer and a dryer.

melissa may — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:42:56 -0800

Proud mavens: help me find a new washer and dryer! After getting screwed out the ying-yang on our last purchase I have been carefully researching washer and dryer options, but feel as if I need Ph damn D in appliancology to make the right decision. Here's what I know I want, in order of importance: ENERGY STAR compliance, good value when bought as a pair (meaning both washer and dryer are good machines), and best warranty/service records. Basically, I need help both deciding what to buy and where to buy it. So if you are in love with a particular brand and/or know of an amazing deal, I'd love to know about it. I will bake you some cookies if you save me cash, for real.*

Brands I've already ruled out: Frigidaire, Maytag, and GE. Other than that I am all ears.

(Also, I've seen this thread but since the information is two years old an update would be great.)

*Warning: cookies may suck.

Brown Paper

charmston — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:43:42 -0800

Why do some types of paper (e.g. ski lift passes, recipts) turn brown when put through the dryer?

Chewing gum stuck inside the dryer

prodevel — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:23:00 -0800

How do you get a good amount of chewing gum out of a clothes dryer most efficiently. I removed most of it w/a method that I thought was fairly thorough but was less than perfect to say the least. I ran a load of bedding through previous to my jeans and button-downs. Even so, I got a small amount of gum/discoloration on one of my shirts (of course the brand new one.) I'm just happy it was a $15 shirt and not a $60 dollar shirt. I digress. I suspect some parents have run into this before and I'm very curious as to their methods.

I say parents because I've not run into this problem since I was say, 17 and now I've a new roomate.... ;) Thanks a lot.

Steam punk washer or steam washer punk'd?

NGnerd — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:37:18 -0800

Steam washer and dryer, are they worth the extra cash? I'm about to buy a new washer and dryer (though i could buy a relatively new one off craigslist). I can't seem to find any information on the benefits of the latest and greatest steam washers and dryers (such as the Kenmore HE5 or LG's machines) as to what's worth the extra $500. What's your experience been with steam clean washers and dryers? Is there a damn difference, or just hype?

I'll probably end up with a Kenmore HE2 or 3, but want to know if i would be missing out by spending more money.

New kinds of dryers in the US?

brujita — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:08:44 -0800

Are there any companies in the US which sell either heat pump or mechanical steam compression dryers? I'm remodeling my kitchen and wanted to replace the tiny Asko washer and condenser dryer installed by the owner of the building. One bag of clothes meant three cycles of laundry, which each took 2 1/2 hours to wash (the washer was an older model which did not have the lesser time option) and three hours to dry. I don't like spending this much time and energy, so I decided to replace them with the GE Profile Harmony set. It turns out that condensation dryers do not need to be vented (I thought the hole punched into the wall behind the dryer--which adjoins the apartment next door-- was for this) but the new dryer does,which means I can't put it in that spot. None of the other brands of condensation dryers are as large as the GE. Also, my apartment is not the same layout as the other units in the building--the original is back hallway, maid's room and bath--which was adjoined by the laundry area, kitchen; in my unit two walls were removed in order to create a larger kitchen and reconfigure the maid's room and bath.

My choices are:
A.Install a lint trap in the original area, but that does not solve the humidity problem.

B. Replace the GE dryer with a heat pump or mechanical compression dryer equivalent in size.

C. Remodel the maids bath (which has a window I can use as a vent) into a laundry room.

If B does not exist, I will have to go with the last.

Lonely Maytag repair newbie seeks NSA troubleshooting.

bonobo — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:02:14 -0800

My electric Maytag clothes dryer cannot rid itself of moisture since the weather turned cooler. Part of the issue, I understand, is my exhaust method. That will be corrected very soon. Are there any parts (switches, thermostats, fuses) I should suspect, as well? Online research and an AskMe search into the matter convinced me that my venting system of flex pipe into what is probably a non-insulated vent in the attic causes moisture to accumulate in the exhaust. I've contacted my apartment's maintenance department to find out whether or not the pipe in the attic is jacketed and have yet to hear back from them.

My apartment complex is over forty years old and the utility alcove is too small for both the washer and dryer. I moved the fridge from it's niche and put the dryer there, just outside the alcove. The (non-plastic) flexible tubing runs up the back of the dryer, curves over the dryer and turns to the exhaust connector at the back of the closet. Water collects in the tubing and sometimes leaks beneath the dryer. Hot air from the dryer + cold air outside + too many elbows/bad angling = condensation. This setup worked great for the past eight-months-or-so.

The dryer tumbles and heats; however, it takes an eternity to dry a load of clothes. Of course, I'm concerned about safety issues, as well. Lint is not blocking any of the flow and hot air does travel through the venting.

While I'm very handy with tools and love troubleshooting, I will most likely summon a repair person if I believe parts are malfunctioning.

I haz no quarters :(

SassHat — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 20:02:35 -0800

Two part laundromat question - transportation and getting ripped off. 1. Urban apartment dwellers without on-site laundry - how do you transport your clothing to/from the laundromat? I currently use a big duffel which has wheels and a pull-out handle. But when the winter comes, this is not going to work. I use this bag for actually traveling, too, so I'd like to find something new and use the bag for its intended purposes. Also, the wheels don't do snow well (as I've learned the hard way). What should I buy to transport my laundry? The nearest laundromat is 3 blocks away.

2. The coin laundry by my house is screwing me over. Even on the "high heat" setting, your clothes take at least an hour to dry. When the cycle ends you can reach in and feel that it's about as warm as a hair dryer set on the lowest heat, if that. The only thing that is ever dry is lightweight polyblend-type articles. Tonight I was in a rush so I tried a new tactic - spreading my clothes across multiple dryers. One dryer had one small bath towel and about 6 socks in it and after 14 minutes everything was still damp.

The guy who runs it obviously either doesn't take care of the machines, or somehow has changed the temperature settings so people have to use more quarters. This is a local neighborhood store, so calling the BBB or something would be next to useless. I can't imagine laundromats are regulated. Then again...this is Canada, so you never know. Is there anything that can be done, or am I doomed to lugging my laundry further away?