How often should you clean your dryer vent?
Updated July 2026
Clean the dryer vent duct — the full run from the back of the dryer to the outside wall — once a year. Households that dry a load most days, own shedding pets, or have a long or twisting duct run should do it every 6 months. This is separate from the lint screen, which you clear every single load. The U.S. Fire Administration counts about 2,900 home clothes-dryer fires a year, and failure to clean is the leading cause.
What changes the interval
| Your situation | Interval | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lint screen | Every load | A blocked screen is the first restriction — and a fire starter sitting on the heater |
| Typical household (4–6 loads/week) | Duct once a year | The standard fire-safety recommendation |
| Large family / daily loads | Every 6 months | Lint production scales directly with laundry volume |
| Shedding pets | Every 6 months | Fur mats with lint and clogs ducts noticeably faster |
| Duct over ~15 ft or with 2+ elbows | Every 6 months | Every bend is a lint trap; long runs lose airflow first |
| Foil/plastic flex duct (replace it!) | Now, then upgrade | Ribbed flex duct catches lint and is the highest-risk setup |
The cost of skipping it
What skipping it costs: beyond the fire risk (~2,900 US dryer fires and roughly $35 million in property loss a year — U.S. Fire Administration), a clogged vent makes every load run long: drying times creep from 45 minutes toward two hours, energy use roughly doubles, and the overworked heating element fails early ($150–300 repair). A pro vent cleaning runs $90–170; the DIY brush kit is $25.
How to do it (30–60 minutes · DIY with a $25 brush kit, or $90–170 pro)
- Unplug the dryer (shut the gas valve too, if gas) and pull it away from the wall.
- Disconnect the duct from the back of the dryer.
- Run a rotating vent-brush kit (drill-driven, extendable rods) through the duct from inside toward the exterior vent.
- Outside, open the vent hood, clear the flap, and pull out the lint the brush pushed through.
- Vacuum the dryer’s own lint chute and behind/under the machine, reconnect with a smooth metal duct (never plastic), and push back.
- Test: run the dryer on air-dry and confirm strong airflow at the outside hood.
Knowing the interval is the easy half. OnOtto reminds you at the right interval — and won't let you snooze it into next year. Tasks persist until they're done, and completing the dryer vent cleaning schedules the next one automatically.
Put this on autopilot — free for 30 daysFrequently asked questions
What are the warning signs my dryer vent is already clogged?
Clothes taking two cycles to dry, the dryer or the laundry room getting noticeably hot, a burnt smell, the outside flap barely moving during a cycle, or lint accumulating around the dryer door. Any one of these means clean it now, not at the next scheduled date.
Is cleaning the lint screen every load really enough between duct cleanings?
It's necessary but not sufficient — about 25% of lint gets past the screen and into the duct, which is why the duct needs its own annual date. Also wash the screen itself with soap every few months: dryer-sheet residue films it over and blocks airflow even when it looks clean.
Should I hire a pro or DIY the duct cleaning?
DIY is very doable for runs up to ~12 ft with one or two bends — a drill-driven brush kit costs about what one pro visit does. Go pro for long runs, roof-terminating vents, or if you've never seen the duct's condition: they'll also spot crushed sections and illegal plastic duct worth replacing.
Does a heat-pump (ventless) dryer need this?
No duct, no duct fire risk — but ventless dryers have their own schedule: empty the water tank (if not plumbed), clean the lint screen every load, and clean the condenser/secondary filter monthly, or efficiency drops fast.