How To Clean Your Tumble Dryer
September 16, 2015 | Appliances and Appliance Care | Tumble Dryer | No comments
Come winter, drying your washing can seem like an uphill battle. But with a fully functioning tumble dryer, there’s no reason why you cannot get your washing dry and prevent your laundry basket from overflowing.
Key to keeping your appliance working to its full potential, therefore keeping your laundry bin empty and your energy bills down is to keep your tumble dryer clean – and this can be done by following the advice outlined below.
Tumble Dryer Filters:
To help keep your appliance working effectively and to reduce the fire risk, it is important to make sure you clean the tumble dryer filters after every load, particularly the lint filter – although it is important to make sure the appliance is cold first. Plastic lint filters do not retain much heat and therefore the end of this sentence is not necessary.
Although the location of the filters may vary according to the make and model of your tumble dryer, they can usually be found in the following places:
- Door filter – this can be located on the inside of the door, and can be removed by simply sliding it out. Once it has been taken out, wipe away any dirt and debris.
- Door aperture filter – this filter is located to the front of the drum, and can be easily lifted out, removed and cleaned.
Condenser Unit:
Although Siemens have introduced an automatic self-cleaning system on a range of their condenser tumble dryers, including the iQ300, which cleans the condenser during each cycle using condensation water produced from the laundry – on most condenser tumble dryers, the unit will need to be manually cleaned.
To manually clean your condenser unit, you will need to remove it from the appliance before rinsing it under a flow of hot water from the tap. It’s important to make sure each side of the condenser unit is rinsed clean and any debris is removed. Once the condenser unit has been cleaned, leave it to air dry before placing it back into the appliance.
Rest of Tumble Dryer:
Cleaning your tumble dryer filters and condenser units will make a big difference to the performance of your appliance, but there are other parts of the appliance which you should also clean on a regular basis to ensure it continues to work at its peak performance.
These parts include:
- Vent Hose & Vent Duct – once the tumble dryer is cool, unplug the vent hose from the appliance and check it for any blockages. It’s also a good idea to check the hose for any signs of damage, as no matter how small these appear they could impact on the performance of your appliance – if it does appear faulty, get a replacement vent hose from BuySpares.
- Along with checking and cleaning the vent hose, you should also clean the vent duct and any wall vent cover. As with the rest of your tumble dryer, cleaning the vent duct is relatively easy. Simply unscrew the retaining screws on the back panel, lift it off and vacuum the blower area and around the vent pipe connection. Once all lint has been removed from the area, replace the back panel and refit the screws.
- Sensor (if fitted) – if your tumble dryer has a sensor fitted, this will need to be cleaned on a regular basis, and it is recommended to do this you give it a quick rub with white vinegar or a stainless steel cleaner, as these products will remove any build up from fabric softener conditioner, ensuring the sensor works.
- Outside of Tumble Dryer – giving the outside of your tumble dryer a clean is as important as cleaning the internal components. To clean the outside of your appliance, use a clean damp cloth dipped in warm soapy water to wipe the surface down.
Cleaning the tumble dryer filters, vent hose and other areas of the appliance will make all the difference to the performance of your tumble dryer and also its life expectancy. But should you notice whilst using or cleaning the appliance parts are required, you’ll be able to find them via BuySpares.
Tags: money saving, tumble dryer, tumble dryer balls
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