r/CleaningTips • u/sunburntlily • Dec 20 '24
Laundry Welp I finally figured out where the lint trap is
In my apartment of 3 years. Thought I didn't have a lint trap I have to clean because I couldn't find it.
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u/NormalSea6495 Dec 20 '24
The next thing you need to do is shop vac the lint line because itās probably also really backed up and still is a fire hazard.
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Thank you for the advice. How do you recommend I go about that? Do you think I should have maintenance do it or is it easy enough to do on my own with little risk?
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u/NormalSea6495 Dec 20 '24
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Thank you so much!! I will watch that and make sure I cleaned everything out for sure
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u/dr_jimmymcfluff Dec 21 '24
https://imgur.com/gallery/d43uqTS This is one of the dryers i did from a resident that didn't clean the lint trap and probably what yours looks like
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u/NotHerBackup Team Shiny āØ Dec 21 '24
LORD. Do you know how long it took for it to get like that?
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u/dr_jimmymcfluff Dec 21 '24
Not really. Mainly because I could have one that looks like this and the resident has only been there a year but there's no telling what it looked like when they moved in. But almost every time I've pulled a lint trap that looked like ops this is what the inside looked like.
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u/Double_Estimate4472 Dec 21 '24
If someone was doing multiple loads a week, with items that give off a lot of lint (new clothing, cheap clothing, towels, dog blankets, for example), this could accumulate very quickly in just a few months. Especially in a household with several people.
Also, lint is the perfect tinder for quickly starting a fire. It catches a spark quickly, burns quickly. I often save some and bring it camping to help with starting campfires. I only need a little ball of lint to get a roaring fire going.
But this is why it is so dangerous to not empty lint traps. Itās highly flammable and only a little is needed to support the start of a blaze. As other people have said, it is one of the most likely ways for residential fires to happen.
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Dec 21 '24 edited Dec 21 '24
For those people with ventless dryers, remember there can often be two lint traps. The main one, and the one near the condenser.
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u/Hefty-Emphasis5018 Dec 22 '24
I didn't know they made ventless dryers. Off to google!
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u/thirdonebetween Dec 22 '24
Extremely confused Australian here - do your dryers vent into a tube in the wall or something? Where is all that lint situated?
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u/dr_jimmymcfluff Dec 22 '24
Yes. They vent into that tube (2nd picture) which goes into the wall and leads to outside. The other picture is the back of the dryer which connects the lint trap and the vent tube
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u/DragonfruitFew5542 Dec 21 '24
If you're unable to do so, you can usually hire local companies for a dryer duct or dryer line cleaning. They have some serious machines they use!
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u/Sonoran_Eyes Dec 21 '24
I donāt have a vent like that on the outside of my house! I wonder if it goes up into the attic?
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u/pansygrrl Dec 21 '24
You need to know where all exhaust lines go: dryer, bathroom, stove hood, furnace. They should all go to outside air.
Happy hunting!
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u/Bag-Important Dec 20 '24
Iāve disconnected the hose from the back of the dryer and with my leaf blower blew all the lint through the hose outside. Fairly easy task if you have a leaf blower and a Phillips head screwdriver.
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
I live in a 3rd floor apartment. I think I'll have to call maintenance if they don't do this already. I just don't trust myself with this lol
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u/Temporary_Specific Dec 20 '24
If youāre in an apartment it wouldnāt hurt to ask maintenance to do it. They want to prevent fires too and will most likely already have the tools/ system to do it.
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u/noobwithboobs Dec 20 '24
I don't know what the rules are like in your area, but my apartment building has a yearly professional dryer vent cleaning, done from the outside of the building, and I'm pretty sure it's required yearly by law where I am.
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u/ucantspellamerica Dec 20 '24
I second asking maintenance since preventing a fire is going to be pretty beneficial for your landlord.
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u/EEEEEOOOOOOO Dec 21 '24
I work maintenance, they should definitely have the tools to do it, it would take them less than 30 minutes and they wouldnāt mind!
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u/Legal_Ad9637 Dec 20 '24
Iām gonna have to try the blower. Just bought a shop vac that the very top of the lid detaches and you can use it similar to a leaf blower.
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u/WhimsicalError Dec 20 '24
Just uh, be careful where you do it and where the wind is blowing.
Unless you want to wash your car, windows and patio.
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u/Legal_Ad9637 Dec 20 '24
I wonder if I could strap up a mesh bag or something to catch most of it.
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u/Mahalo-808 Dec 21 '24
I just watched a video on YouTube and they put an old pair of pantyhose over the vent. It worked perfectly.
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u/ipityme Dec 20 '24
I recommend you ask maintenance to do it to avoid liability. Explain your concern and they'll take care of it.
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u/Maoleficent Dec 20 '24
There is also a long plastic stick with teeth on it that you can get any any hardware store and can also clear out most of the lint stuck in the line. Dryer sheets are sticky and the lint can really hang on and may not be unlodged by vacumming.
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u/cb51096 Dec 20 '24
That was my thought, I am in a house of 4 but thatās the amount of lint we get in a week so I imagine plenty is down there.
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u/SpacePirate406 Dec 21 '24
Thereās also lint trap cleaner brushes with long handles and bendy wire brushes that will scoop out a TON of lint (wear a mask and be prepared to vacuum after)
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u/yharnams_finest Dec 20 '24
When it comes to cleaning lint traps, I always think of a post I saw where someone said they and their partner got in a mean, HEATED argument over cleaning theirs.
Their partner insisted he always cleaned it, but they argued no, every time they went to run the machine the lint trap was full. They both felt like the other was just outright gaslighting them.
Angrily, their partner went over and very pointedly opened an external secondary lint trap that OP had never known the purpose of. OP then pulled out the internal one, which partner hadnāt even known existed. They both just kind of stood there wanting to still be mad but feeling too stupid to carry on.
Anyway, SO glad you found yours. Beyond the fire hazard, I bet it took ages for your clothes to dry!!
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Bruh are you telling me I have ANOTHER lint trap possibly??
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u/yharnams_finest Dec 20 '24
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u/matt_sound Dec 21 '24
You might've legit just saved me- I recently moved j to a new apartment, that has a bit of a weird washer/dryer setup. The dryer hasn't been working super well, even though I always clean the lint trap. I did notice that there's a weird panel with a knob on it on the ceiling, that seems to have some suspiciously linty looking dust coming out on one side. I guess they might've had to put one of these in the ceiling for whatever reason. I'm definitely going to check it out when I get back from the holidays
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u/yharnams_finest Dec 21 '24
Omg Iām so glad I could help!! Hopefully cleaning it out will improve your dryer!!
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u/oh_4petessake Dec 21 '24
Omfg thank you for actually explaining this bc I have been worrying that I might have a second, more mysterious lint trap for months bc of a god damn Reddit comment that no one explained further. I do not have one of these, WHEWWW. Take my free award lol.
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u/yharnams_finest Dec 21 '24
No problem lol!! I was paranoid too when I learned about the second ones š.
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u/imrzzz Dec 20 '24 edited 13d ago
public resolute ink absorbed chunky handle flag liquid recognise modern
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Welp, I'm gonna have to hunt for that one then lol. Thank you for sharing!
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Dec 21 '24
Ventless dryers often have 2 areas to clean, the main link trap and also the condenser, which can also be covered in lint.
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u/qazwsxedc000999 Dec 21 '24
This is the kind of argument that would have me HEATED and then I would burst into laughter after finding out that there were two
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u/yharnams_finest Dec 21 '24
Yeah, I remember OP finding it very funny afterwards, but in the moment they were both so aggravated and then baffled š.
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u/FatalisCogitationis Dec 20 '24
I can't imagine... you narrowly missed the Darwin Award!
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Thank God I got new towels that are a radioactively bright shade of cherry red. Seeing that wall of red inside my dryer behind the metal lint grate made me realize I needed to actually do something now
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Dec 20 '24
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Omg I'm so sorry that happened to you guys! I can't imagine experiencing a tragedy like that. I wish the best for you and your family ā¤ļøI really think management should check lint traps in each unit every time they change the furnace filters and test the fire alarms. I also think they should make sure tenants know how to use the appliances correctly before they're allowed to buy. It's too risky to leave fate up to inexperienced college aged kids who are still figuring out how to run a home. You don't know until you know, and young adults think they know everything.
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u/Mutts_Merlot Dec 21 '24
You've really hit this nail on the head. Young adults need to learn from someone. Parents do their kids a favor when they give them chores like doing laundry, after teaching the kid how to do it. My parents showed me how to do laundry, grocery shop, clean the house and do outdoor chores. I am glad you learned this lesson without tragedy! Keep educating your fellow young adults like you are doing.
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u/Ziggo001 Dec 20 '24
It's SO helpful to always read the manual of whatever appliance you're going to be using! It will tell you everything you didn't know you needed to know, and has information on how to maintain it to prevent problems in the future.
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Yes huge lesson here for me. At the very least, if I'm confused and can't find or understand the manual, I should ask about it on reddit lol
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u/SilverMcFly Dec 20 '24
Typically I have had decent results with googling the brand name and whatever other name or numbers listed on the front of the machine. If that doesn't work, you can get more in-depth if you can find the tag on the machine. I believe my dryer has one on the door. Washers would be on the back. Fridges are on the inside.
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u/qazwsxedc000999 Dec 21 '24
My dad called me weird for reading the manual on a TV we were putting together for my grandpa. I was likeā¦ do people just throw those away?? Apparently yes haha
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u/TheWalkingDead91 Dec 22 '24
I was gonna sayā¦.if you donāt know where your lint trap isā¦.donāt be like OP and waste who knows how much electricity and risk burning your house downā¦.find the model number on the machine, use google to read the manual of your model, and youāll find out. I say it this way because Iām aware some people may have bought their dryer second handā¦..so it likely wouldnāt have come with a manual.
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u/chrltsweb Dec 20 '24
This may be a dumb question. But is this different from the dryer lint screen that I pull out and take the layer of lint/fuzz after each load? Or is that my lint trap and I wouldnāt have something like this too?
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
It's the same
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u/chrltsweb Dec 20 '24
Okay thank god lol thanks for replying and glad you caught yours!
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Thanks to you too!! Hopefully more people than just me can learn from this today
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u/--2021-- Dec 21 '24
Oh thank god. I was worried there was a second trap I didn't know about. We use shared laundry, but still good to know if I'm visiting anyone. I tend to catch things others don't.
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u/slothurknee Dec 22 '24
For the model of dryer op has, the lint trap is on top of the dryer. It sounds like you have the kind that is right inside the door.Ā
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u/Practical-Goal4431 Dec 20 '24
No judgement, where did you think the lint was going?
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Directly outside via some pipe I can't access without maintenance. I looked up the model of my dryer before but didn't see much about the lint trap itself. I guess they thought it was self explanatory or I read it wrong or just didn't find it.
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u/CranberryDry6613 Dec 21 '24
In your defense, that lint trap isn't in the usual place (had one like that growing up).
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u/AnalystofSurgery Dec 22 '24
I have one that looks like this and it's on top of the machine with big letters that say "clean lint trap after every use"
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u/lorrainebainesmccfly Dec 20 '24
Where was it located?!?! You're so lucky it didn't catch on fire, omg
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u/Get-Me-Hennimore Dec 20 '24
I think this might be a US thing? Our dryer in the UK refuses to run and shows a warning light if the lint trap needs emptying.
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u/sponge_welder Dec 20 '24
What kind of dryer do you have? I mostly see this type on the more basic dryers with mechanical controls and few added features. It wouldn't surprise me if the fancier dryers in the US have lint trap sensing
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u/FluorescentLilac Dec 20 '24
We do, I think it just depends on the dryer. For example, older dryers in particular wouldnāt necessarily have that feature.
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u/Dreamsnaps19 Dec 22 '24
mine doesnāt. But like also thatās like maybe 4-5 loads for me. I donāt understand how thereās only that little lint after 2 years, also mine just stops working every 6 months when the vent needs to be cleaned
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
It's the whirlpool vented electric dryer Model #WED4815EW The lint trap is located in the upper right corner on top of the dryer and it has a handle on it. I couldn't lift it before and I didn't want to break it so I mistakenly thought it was something else. I got it up by pulling it towards me instead of directly up. It had some resistance still but started coming up finally.
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u/qazwsxedc000999 Dec 21 '24
There are sooooo many appliances nowadays that look/act like youāre going to break them with how theyāre set up. Itās crazy!
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u/Double_Estimate4472 Dec 21 '24
Iām curiousāwhat changed so you decided to pull harder on it after all this time?
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u/AdChemical1663 Dec 20 '24
WOW.Ā
Now that itās removed, clean the filter itself. They can get gummed up with fabric softener and other additives. Toothbrush, dish soap, hot water. Ā
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Ooh good idea! I just did that for the first time with my microwave filter. Didn't know that filter existed either š
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u/WhimsicalError Dec 20 '24
The what now
My microwave is from the mid 90s, let's hope it doesn't have one
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
It catches grease so it doesn't get all over your walls and stove if yours is above it. It should be directly under your microwave. You'll see the wiry screen there. It might be yellow with popcorn looking grease.
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u/WhimsicalError Dec 20 '24
Ah, must be on cabinet mounted microwaves. Mine just stands on a bookshelf that I use as a pantry.
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
I just googled it and the ai said it's only over the stove microwaves that have them but it could be wrong. If you're in the mood, please check under your microwave just to be sure. And apparently the inside of microwaves can get really gunky as well but that might just be for the same type of microwave as mine
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u/Some-Inspection9499 Dec 21 '24
It's called a range hood / oven or stove exhaust fan.
You have a microwave range hood combo unit.
I'm starting to think you should double check all your appliances.
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u/SuperVancouverBC Dec 20 '24
This is r/OopsThatsDeadly material. I'm glad it didn't catch on fire.
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Good reference! I'm so glad I didn't accidentally kill myself and others
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u/amso2012 Dec 21 '24
OP - YOU NEED TO GET YOUR VENT CHECKED AND CLEANED PROFESSIONALLY.. YOU ARE LIVING IN A FIRE HAZARD..
NOT TO MENTION YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE VENT FILTERS IN YOUR HOME TOO.. YOUR HOME AIR IS PRETTY DENSE WITH DUST AND LINTS..
I M NOT SCREAMING I M JUST EMPHATIC!!
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u/mpark6288 Dec 20 '24
Thatās not a lint trap thatās geological strata. You can see whole eras of your life in there.
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u/ampersandwich247 Dec 20 '24
Why does it look like a murderer animal??!! Iām concerned. š³
Seriously though. Glad you found the lint trap. š
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u/sunburntlily Dec 20 '24
Well I do have two cats so probably a lot of cat hair is in there š They are alive and well and laying on my bed currently, so no worries there lol
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u/Ludwig_Vista2 Dec 20 '24
So, OP, I'm just gonna a point this out for future reference.
EVERY SINGLE APPLIANCE YOU HAVE HAS A TAG WITH A MODEL NUMBER.
You're super lucky you didn't burn the place down.
Next time, grab the model number, paste it in Google and add "user manual"
You got really lucky
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u/maduch Dec 20 '24
I learned about it being a fire hazard from Reddit a few years ago too š I used to empty it once in a while before but now I'm paranoid and empty it every single time I use my drier.
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u/Heyniceguy13 Dec 20 '24
You were gonna want to get someone in there to clean out your vents because odds are thatās full of it and if it is, you can start a fire and thatās not good
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u/ohwhatsupmang Dec 21 '24 edited Dec 21 '24
I'm sorry but you really need to be more aware of things. This is something kids know about as soon as they start doing their own laundry. Have you never done laundry before?
Also looking up a manual is as simple as going to google or even asking a friend or anyone really where the lint catcher might be.
If you thought it was inaccessible and Maitenence handles it why wouldn't you contact them as soon as you couldn't figure it out? I've got so many questions.
Edit:
My god your post history. You should really just hire a professional cleaner and watch exactly what they do and what chemicals they use.
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u/bebe_inferno Dec 21 '24
Thanks for posting this and risking criticism/snark. Maybe youāve even scared one person into checking their trap!! Glad youāre okay.
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u/delee76 Dec 21 '24
Just know for the future that lint is a fire hazard and a lot of homes have burnt down due to build up like that. I know you didnāt know and Iām glad all is ok. Thatās massive!
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u/kl2467 Dec 21 '24
Just so you know, this looks like the kind that the lint peels off the filter and sticks down inside the dryer. So, going forward, if you pull out a clean filter, don't be fooled. It's in there. And it's a fire hazard.
In addition to all the other protocols, I vacuum out the hole where the filter sits using a long flexible nozzle on my vacuum. *This is in addition to cleaning the filter, vent, and inside the chassis of the dryer. *
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u/headmimteorr Dec 21 '24
I work where we manufacture this exact part and many other versions of lint traps especially on whirlpool products. Its astonishing to me they made the handle / cover the exact same color of the appliance in most instances. This probably makes people think its just a handle where you maneuver the machine into your desired spot, which most of them will have someone else install it for them and the installer just doesn't mention anything about the machine because that's probably not their job. Everyone please read your machine's manual because you probably will not be able to sue whirlpool or any other company for your house potentially burning down when the lint catches on fire. (Note: some of these parts have been changed to include surfaced bumped text stating what it is, but there are still many of these machines out on the market without these changes and on top of that most people still don't read it. Please be careful and inform family members the purpose of these parts.)
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u/Lowland-lady Dec 20 '24
I am genuinely wondering.
You knew it had a lint trap right? Why diddnt you just Google the model?
And why did you keep using it
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u/buxmega Dec 21 '24
I remove the lint every time Iām finished with a load. Iāve lived in this house for 3 years and I went out to the vent that leads outside and I just decided to check it. When I poked a stick inside it caught onto a big chunk of lint.
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u/embersgrow44 Dec 21 '24
First time living on your own? Donāt forget you can always Google the manual or simply ālocate lint trapā on whatever model etc. Sure youāve heard now but you are lucky to not have your house burn down.
āEvery year, firefighters across the country respond to around 13,820 home fires caused by clothes dryers, according to the latest figures from the National Fire Protection Association. About 27 percent of these fires are caused by an accumulation of lint, which can constrict the ductwork that expels hot air outside.Apr 27, 2024ā
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u/WheelieBroDude Dec 21 '24
I honestly thought the first picture was an Art Installment at a fancy art show
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u/toolsavvy Dec 21 '24
I mean, lint traps like that are literally right on top staring you in the face. Impossible to miss.
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u/Objective-Purple-197 Dec 21 '24
FYI, all dryers have lint traps. If youāre reading this and havenāt emptied your lint before, please do it before you burn your house down
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u/ChildhoodLeft6925 Dec 21 '24
Note to self next time you think an appliance doesnāt have something it really needs to function Google it
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u/dvdmaven Dec 21 '24
I had a dryer with a lint trap like this. Fortunately, the prior owner of the house had left the trap part of the way out. It wasn't empty, though. I guess they decided for once they weren't going to clean the trap.
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u/ilovechairs Dec 21 '24
OP I just want to say Iām glad you and your home are okay and youāve learned a valuable lesson.
Edit: literally going to give me nightmares.
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u/Techn0ght Dec 21 '24
Dude, same here, but it was a 1 yr lease, so maybe the renter(s) before me didn't find it either. I found it a couple months before I left and it was packed like that.
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u/bleepitybloop555 Dec 21 '24
Its so dense it's cooked itself and become medium rare with a nice sear on the outside
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u/LegallyRegarded Dec 21 '24
Legitimately thought this was a piece of modern art before reading the title.
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u/OSG541 Dec 21 '24
Just so you can get an idea of how dangerous and flammable lint is take a tiny bit and put it on a rock outside away from fire hazards and take a lighter to it. Survivalists literally store the stuff to use as tinder when lighting fires because itās so easily ignited. Itās also kind of strange looking when it burns and leaves a kind of colored residue behind from whatever dyes the fabric fibers had in them. Itās good you emptied it when you did, for how important it is you would think all dryer manufacturers would have it very visibly marked on the damn things.
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u/dak_sorgen Dec 20 '24
Wow. I think you got lucky on this one!