The kind that attach to a drill.

I can remove the length of flexible hose which connects the dryer to the wall vent and clean it easily. The vent in the wall has, I think, just one 90 degree bend and then it's a short run to the outside, about six or seven feet.

You can find these cleaners at Home Depot and on Amazon. I'm looking for specific recommendations (and, perhaps, which ones to avoid) based upon experience. Thanks

I have this one. I've only used it once, but it worked well enough that I would buy it again if I needed another one.

I don’t know which one I have but it’s similar to what was posted above. Mine has an attachment for a shop vac but I always use it with the dryer on and go in from the outside vent. It may make a mess outside though.

If I can find mine I will post the brand but I think my brother may have it at the moment.

Don't put it in a drill! Just use it by hand. If it kinks (and it will), it will likely push the vent seams apart. If it's in a wall or confined space, you won't be able to access the duct to repair it.

I start at the outside and work in. Push it in about 18" and pull it out. Repeat adding about that distance and pull back out. Go slow around the elbow, it may take several attempts. If you roll a ball of lint up ahead of the brush that is to large, it may plug the vent so do it in little jumps.

Thanks for the advice, Brad, but starting from the outside is out of the question. My washroom is on the second floor and the vent opens out over the garage.

Why not use the drill? I want to use the drill. I should know why I can't use the drill. Using the drill would be fun. I guess what I'm saying is I have questions about the drill. You know, they say "Use the drill" but you are Appliance Brad, appliance man extraordinaire and if you say don't use the drill, I probably shouldn't, because if anyone around here knows whether or not I should use the drill, it's you, but, as I said, I want to use the drill, if I wasn't clear on this point. About the drill, I mean.

Don't you think it would be fun to use the drill? Shit, I've forgotten what we're using the drill for.

Oh yeah, I remember now.

Oh, wait. I see why I shouldn't use the drill. You said it right up front. I missed it, probably because I'm excited to use the drill. For the dryer vent, that is.

My vent used to dump in the garage. Got tired of the heat and moisture so I ran it up the wall into the attick about three feet then out the side wall above the storage room/shop adding 12-14’ to the run.
Every few years I unhook the dryer and move it away.
I get my backpack blower and blow the run out from both directions since getting to the exhaust is easy. Its always come clean with the forced air.

Is your duct straight walled rigid aluminum tubing or the accordion type ,flexible expanding foil ?

I have used this one with some extra rods to get to a long run. I used a drill but I have a stainless steel venting system.

One tip is when screwing the rods together apply some painters tape on the joint so the rod does not separate in the pipe accidentally.

They are very flexible.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Proje...aning-Kit/5014260371

I hope you don't have the cellophane type of vent from the dryer to the wall. They are a fire hazard and should be replaced.

Every couple of months I move the dryer and take the tube off my ego leaf blower. Attach it to the vent tube and run it until my helper says no more lint coming out.
Nearly as much fun as the drill thing.

I used this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...pop_mob_b_asin_image

My venting is ~10ft of semi rigid vents with 2 90 degree elbows. Worked well. Ataach 1 shaft to brush, clean in 15", attach next section of shaft continue cleaning, keep doing this till entire pipe cleaned.

I thought my pipe was "okay" boy was i wrong.
Use a good sized shop vac to collect the lint as you clean, there will be a lot of lint.

Neighbor uses his battery powered leaf blower to clear his dryer vent tubing. It was pretty funny the first time I saw it. He had sent his 50yo wife up on the roof where she removed the cap, and violated lint bomb.

Afterwards I asked about it and seems he had removed the flexi part from the dryer and blew out that and the vent tubing. When I clean it I remove the flexible part completely and clean that outside, then forced air thru the vents to the roof. I wish the builder had gone thru the wall at floor level for a shorter run and an easier clean.

Btw I’ve seen dryer fires aboard every ship that has a laundry. Run em 24/7 and that’s a lot of lint in piping.

I have this drill and vacuum system. Mine vents through the roof so I also bought the 12' extension. The reason I selected it is that it had the vent cover that allowed attaching the vacuum while simultaneously feeding drill flex rods through it.

I have used once about 4 years ago, and it worked well. I also used it from the back of the dryer towards the lint trap just in case. The other day, I was thinking that it's time to do it again.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
Is your duct straight walled rigid aluminum tubing or the accordion type ,flexible expanding foil ?

The former

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Neighbor uses his battery powered leaf blower to clear his dryer vent tubing. It was pretty funny the first time I saw it.

I do that for the flexible duct which connects the dryer to the wall vent. I disconnect it and take it outside to blow it out.

IIRC, I can't get my big ol' leaf blower situated to blow out the wall vent, but thinking about this, if I left the flexible section connected, I would be able to do it.

Sucks about the drill, though. I really wanted to use it.

Drill baby Drill.
Someone had to say it.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
Oh, wait. I see why I shouldn't use the drill. You said it right up front. I missed it, probably because I'm excited to use the drill. For the dryer vent, that is.

Thank you Sir, you had me laughing out loud!

We bought a home in the NC mountains 2 years ago that was built almost 20 years ago and ended up buying a Maytag washer and dryer. The first time we used the dryer it flashed a note that the vent was restricted…

I ended up using one of those sectional pieces that attach to your drill and I couldn’t imagine all the stuff that came out of it. I was covered in lint! My 3 sisters were visiting us when I did this and mentioned that they’ve never cleaned their ducts. I gave it to one of my sisters with the understanding that they would send it to one of the other sisters etc. I got it back about a year later and used it again.

From what I understand they should be used yearly.

We have a long pipe from the vent to the outlet and the dryer vent cleaner that I bought didn't work well (sorry, not recommended). I had it professionally cleaned and then added a couple of devices between the dryer and the flue going up the wall.

In case para or anyone else my benefit from this, I added a supplemental lint trap since the lint in the flue is what's not being caught by the dryer screen. Then, I added an in-line booster fan just behind the lint screen; that is sort of like using blower on low all of the time. The lint trap collects probably 90% of the lint the dryer didn't catch (before it gets to the fan) and then the fan blows the rest out. The system has worked well for just over five years and the vent had no significant buildup the last time I checked.

Lint trap: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Y...t_b_fed_asin_title_5

In-line booster fan: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A...t_b_fed_asin_title_5