It’s highly suggested that you clean your dryer lint trap after every use. It only takes a few seconds but it is still something we all tend to forget to do from time to time. Unfortunately, if this chore is continually ignored there could be some severe consequences to follow. Try to keep these following 4 reasons why to keep your dryer lint trap clean in mind the next time you take a nice warm fluffy load of laundry out of the dryer. 

1. Prevent Fires. 
Lack of dryer lint maintenance causes more than 15,00 fires each year! Dryers obviously run hot and dryer lint is extremely flammable, put the two together and you have a recipe for disaster. It’s a scary possibility so why not even go beyond just cleaning the lint off the screen and wash with soap water and rinse to remove any lingering lint and debris.

2. Prolong the Life Of Your Dryer. 
A clogged/full dryer lint trap will cause your drying time to run longer as the air flow is being restricted, causing your machine to work harder and less efficiently. This will slowly be shortening the life of your dryer. Nobody wants to have to replace an expensive appliance after a few short years of ownership.

3. Lower Energy Bills. 
Having a clean and clear dryer lint trap/vent will help keep the drying time of each load to a minimum. The benefits will show up on your next energy bill and you wont regret taking the few seconds to peel that thin layer of lint from the screen. Starting each load with a clean trap is a good rule to follow. 

4. Keep The Professionals Away. 
Having a professional come out to clear out a dryer vent can cost as much as a couple hundred dollars depending on the severity of the clog. Unfortunately, lint build up in your dryer vent duct is inevitable. Maintaining the lint at the source will lengthen the time in between the need to have the entire vent duct cleaned. 

It’s cleaned from the lint trap, now what? Rather then just tossing it in the garbage, how about recycling and reusing it. If your a DIY’er and would like some other ideas, here is just one of many links to find out ways to reuse dryer lint.