Blog Post

Managing Dryer Lint in your Home

Angela Culpepper • October 27, 2020

from fire hazard to craft supply

Managing the lint from your dryer is a critical step in the laundry process. Above all attention to this detail can prevent a potential dryer fire. More dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January. The following steps are critical to dryer lint management.

1. Empty the lint trap after each load of laundry.

2. Periodically clean the trap with a lint brush.

3. Never leave the dryer running when you leave the house.

Occasionally, it is a good idea to have the full duct line cleaned out using a chimney sweep or a longer vent cleaning device that will allow the full line of ductwork to be cleared. If your dryer is taking longer to dry clothes or leaving clothes damp this could be the reason. Keeping these areas clean can save energy and prevent damage to the property.

Now for the fun part...dryer lint is one of the most reusable substances in the home and every household creates enough of it to get really surprisingly 'crafty'.

Dry Compost Fiber

Composting is one of the best possible ways to make use of things that are otherwise useless like carrot stems, apple cores, and egg shells. Natural fibers like cotton or wool can also be composted, especially when dispersed into small, easy to absorb, pieces of lint. Naturally, dryer lint counts as ‘dry’ or ‘brown’ when doing your composting calculations as it won’t rot and doesn’t bring any inherent moisture to the mix.

Quick Fire Starters

Dryer lint, by nature, is soft, dry, and incredibly flammable. While you will go out of your way to prevent a lint fire inside your dryer, if you like to camp or even just go on the occasional trip with family, it’s hard to beat a dryer lint fire starter and there are tons of ways to do it. You can wrap dryer lint in twists of wax paper, stuff a bit of dryer lint into the bottom of a toilet paper roll, or even put balls of lint into paper egg cartons. All of these solutions should take to fire quickly and help you create a steady flame to light the larger pieces of wood in your fire.

Natural Anti-Weed Garden Treatment

Dryer lint is not particularly right in nutrients for your garden but it can form an interesting barrier against weeds, Because it’s biodegradable, the lint will eventually fade into a harmless addition to the soil but it’s also great for holding your yard together at the edges and keeping the weeds at bay between your flowers, fresh herbs, or vegetables.

If you are a renter it is important that you communicate with your landlord if your dryer is not working properly. The issue could be in the appliance itself or in the lint ductwork. Ruling out a backup of lint is an important step in home maintenance and fire prevention.