The Clever Paper Towel Hack That Makes Cleaning Your Lint Trap A Breeze

Benjamin Franklin famously said that nothing is certain except death and taxes. He clearly didn't know about dryer lint. Even if you clean your lint trap after every cycle as instructed, some of the lint invariably falls down into the great abyss below, just out of reach. 

Dryer lint is flammable and not cleaning your lint screen is a huge hazard.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, 27% of dryer fires are due to lint accumulation. Some signs that lint build-up may be a problem in your dryer include clothes that are still wet after a full cycle or your dryer taking longer than usual to complete the cycle. If you're experiencing either of these problems, it's time to do something.

If you suspect you have a lint problem, you can have your dryer inspected and cleaned by a professional or you can try to remedy the problem yourself. Thankfully, a TikTok user named @hometalk has come up with a clever way to remove hard-to-reach lint with just a vacuum cleaner and a paper towel roll.

In the video above, TikTok user @hometalk creases an empty paper towel tube length-wise so that it will fit in the slot that holds the dryer lint trap. After taking out the removable part of the lint trap, he fits one end of the towel tube over his vacuum hose and inserts the other end into the dryer slot. Now the vacuum suction can reach all the way down to where that pesky lint has been hiding (and once it's been retrieved, don't throw it out! There are several clever uses for dryer lint around the home).

In general, if you're not sure how to troubleshoot and fix dryer issues like this one, get help. The National Fire Protection Association recommends periodic inspections of your dryer by a professional, and they've also put out a safety tip sheet to make sure you're using your appliance as safely as possible. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you also inspect your outside dryer exhaust duct periodically by making sure air is escaping while the appliance is turned on. By taking these simple precautions and ensuring that there's no deadly lint still sitting in the bottom of the trap, you can rest assured that your dryer continues to be safe to use, and free from potentially dangerous lint and debris.