Tools Used to Clean a Dryer Duct

Vacuum

• A household vacuum cleaner is one of the most accessible tools for cleaning dryer vents. Simply inserting the hose attachment into the vent where it meets the dryer, or at any of its easy-to-open joints, removes the majority of lint in the immediate area. Vacuuming the vent from the outside, where it vents into a chimney or into the yard, can remove lint at one of its most common collection points. Vents that have wire mesh screens to prevent birds, mice and insects from entering the house may collect lint in the same screen, which cleans easily with a simple vacuuming.

Brush and Rods

• A dryer brush, also known as an auger, or auger brush, is made for reaching far into a dryer duct and loosening the lint inside. Dryer brushes connect to an electric power drill via a series of flexible connecting rods. Some dryer brushes and rods are sold as a dryer cleaning kit, with homeowners left to supply the drill. Other connecting rods attach to a vacuum cleaner's hose attachment and perform much the same function, loosening lint from the walls of the duct and collecting it.

Blockage Removal Tool

• A blockage removal tool is a hook-like attachment for dryer cleaning kits. It connects to the flexible rods and snares any large obstructions, such as wet lint balls or other debris that may enter a duct from the outside.

Lint Trap Brush

• A lint trap brush is a small specialty brush intended for cleaning the lint out of a dryer's lint trap. Despite a user removing lint from the trap before and after each use, a dryer's lint trap can still collect lint over time in the fine mesh that prevents too much lint from entering the duct in the first place. Brushing the lint trap to keep it as clean as possible is a preventative measure towards cleaning the duct itself.