How to Clean a Dryer Vent with a Leaf Blower

Everybody knows the screen on your dryer needs to be cleaned regularly, but it's important to clean the dryer venting too. However, if you know how to clean a dryer vent with a leaf blower you can get the job done with the tools you already have in your garage.

Cleaning your dryer vent on a regular basis is an important safety precaution. As your dryer runs, it produces lint which builds up inside the venting, if not cleaned it can form a clog. The hot air from the dryer, and poor-to-no air flow, can cause a fire within your vent which can lead to property damage, personal injury or even death!

How to Clean a Dryer Vent with a Leaf Blower

The strong, steady air a leaf blower produces can clean your dryer vent if there aren't any bends in your venting. However, before following the steps below, be sure to make sure this method is a good choice for your dryer set up. 

Step-by-Step Directions

Step One: Remove the Exterior Cover

Find the dryer air vent outside your house and remove the cover and screen. 

Step Two: Pull the Dryer Away from the Wall

Unplug the dryer and pull it away from the wall so you have enough space to get behind your dryer. Then remove the vent hose. You may need to use a screwdriver. 

Step Three: Use the Leaf Blower

Insert the leaf blower into the wall duct and seal the area around the nozzle of the blower and the wall duct. A towel works well to create a seal.

Turn the leaf blower on and allow it to run for about a minute. We highly recommend wearing ear protection.

Step Four: Pick-up and Replace

Go outside and check the exterior vent. There should be quite a bit of lint on the ground, but you'll want to check the vent opening to ensure it's clean. You may need to take a brush to remove any remaining lint in the vent.

Replace your exterior air vent cover and plug in your dryer and push it back against the wall.

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When Using a Leaf Blower Makes Sense

Using a leaf blower to clean your dryer vent is a great tip, however, it's not something that works for all homes. In fact, in many cases you should NOT clean your dryer vents with a leaf blower.

Always check if your home meets the criteria to use a leaf blower. If it doesn't, then you should clean your dryer vent using a more traditional method, or hire a professional to do the task for you.

When NOT to Use a Leaf Blower to Clean your Dryer Vent

If your home has any of the following, you should not use a leaf blower:

• Long Vent Line - The vent line should only be a few feet long. Using a leaf blower on longer vent lines can actually cause a clog to form as the blower may not have enough force to move the lint the length of the venting.
• Vent Line Twists and Turns - During normal use, lint will tend to collect at the curves in your vent line, but with the force of a leaf blower this problem could become an even bigger problem. The blower simply may not have the force to push the lint outside.
• Screen - If there's a screen where the air vent terminates outside, you should not use a leaf blower. If you are able to remove the screen, then you can use the blower. Keep in mind, having a screen in place during normal use is not ideal as the lint will collect and can form a clog. We highly recommend not having a screen in place.
• Flex Ducting - Dryer venting is frequently made from smooth, rigid metal, but if your home has accordion-style flex ducting, you should not use a leaf blower to clean your vents. Flex ducting is less expensive and easier to install, but lint tends to catch in the accordion surface inside. A leaf blower won't be able to remove the lint from the deep folds in the venting.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know how to clean a dryer vent with a leaf blower you'll be able to get this maintenance task completed without a lot of headache. 

It's important to remember that using this method when your home doesn't meet the criteria can actually cause more harm than good. You could create a clog or severely restrict the air flow within your vent line, which could not only cause your dryer to perform poorly, but actually cause a fire.

The US Fire Administration states that there are 2,900 dryer fires reported every year, and that 34% of these are the result of not cleaning the dryer.