Dryers require regular simple maintenance to keep working safely & efficiently. Regular drier maintenance also helps you avoid potential fire hazards and having to do costly repairs to your appliances.
What to do
Clean your lint screen after every load of laundry. Keeping the filter clear will shorten the drying cycle, save you money, and prevent any potential fire hazards. Also, remove the lint that accumulates at the bottom of the housing that holds your lint screen approximately twice a year. This can generally be done using a vacuum cleaner’s flat attachment to reach down in the housing to suck out anything that has accumulated in there. At the same time you’re doing that, clean out your dryer’s exhaust duct using a dryer duct cleaning brush (it’s a stiff bristled circular brush with a flexible handle that you can buy at most hardware stores). The exhaust duct vents your dryer’s exhaust to the outside of your house and can become a fire hazard if not kept clear. Consider doing this more often (say monthly) if you do heavy amounts of laundry on a consistent basis.
