Quick fix for a dryer problem...

[K Frame]

Over the past couple of months it seems that my dryer has been running a bit longer.

Well, the other day, it really started to run forever. The electronic clothes dampness sensor apparently failed, which meant it had no idea when to turn itself off anymore.

It's an older dryer, so I figured I'd soldier through with it until it was time to replace it, but just for grins I decided to see if anyone had had a similar problem and if it could be fixed.

Turns out the problem is... dryer sheets.

Apparently dryer sheets "soften" your clothes by depositing a waxy compound on your clothes, and that compound can, over time, build up on the two bars that serve as the dryness sensors.

I figured I had nothing to loose, so I tried the first approach that was suggested to remedy the situation -- a coarse cloth (piece of denim) and rubbing alcohol to clean the bars.

I'll be damned if it didn't work like a charm.

The odd thing is... I've had that dryer for over a decade, and I've used dryer sheets not with every load (primarily in the winter) but this is the first time this has happened.

[HankB]

I've had my dryer for 25+ years, during all of which I've used dryer sheets, and not had that problem.

Yet.

Maybe the abrasion of the clothes I put in buffs the sensors, but nonetheless I'm going to file this away somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain for future reference.

Thanks for posting.

I'll pass along a little dryer hint myself: the dryer exhaust wasn't routed well when my house was built - the duct goes up through the wall to the attic, makes two right turns, and then goes to a vent pipe in the roof. Lint that isn't caught in the dryer by the screen goes up the vent pipe - but not all gets out. A dryer duct brush is OK for the first vertical run, but it won't make the 90 degree turns in the attic.

I found that a LEAF BLOWER (Mine is a corded Toro electric blower) works well, if you use the vacuum function. I used a small metal coffee can with both ends cut out to make an adapter to the blower, attached it with duct tape, and put it up to the duct in the wall, and it sucked out several DOUBLE HANDFULS  of lint. I now do this annually. (Put an old pillow case over the blower portion unless you want to distribute all the lint throughout your laundry room.)

[MechAg94]

Good to know.  I don't typically use dryer sheets, but I have in the past intermittently. 

I am still using a Maytag dryer from 1996.  The matching washer broke about 5 years ago (give or take a few).  The cost then for the set was less than a dryer now.

[Kingcreek]

Yes, good to know. No issues currently but thanks.
I had to clean my dryer vent at least 2x per year before we got the new commercial speed queen and I changed the venting. Like Hank we had a vertical with 2 90s. I could get most of it by snaking my shop vac hose from bot ends.
With the new dryer we could go back or down and I chose to go directly down out of the bottom of the unit with one 90 under the floor and a straight horizontal 7’ through the outside wall. I’ve only cleaned the exhaust float once and everything stays clear and it works mucho better than the old arrangement.

[Brad Johnson]

Apparently dryer sheets "soften" your clothes by depositing a waxy compound on your clothes,

Also serves as a water barrier, pretty much the same thing as a very light coat of Scotchguard. Your towels might be softer, but they won't dry as well.

Never, ever use dryer sheets or liquid softeners with rags you intend as glass cleaning cloths. Smear city.

Brad

[K Frame]

Also serves as a water barrier, pretty much the same thing as a very light coat of Scotchguard. Your towels might be softer, but they won't dry as well.

Never, ever use dryer sheets or liquid softeners with rags you intend as glass cleaning cloths. Smear city.

Brad

Yep, very true.

I've taken to saving my dish and kitchen towels and doing them in a separate load all by themselves in nice hot water with oxygen bleach.

And then I line dry them in the basement.

[charby]

every couple of years I disassemble my gas dryer and remove the lint from everywhere, amazing how it speeds up the drying process.

[K Frame]

every couple of years I disassemble my gas dryer and remove the lint from everywhere, amazing how it speeds up the drying process.

I do that every two to three years with my electric dryer. It really is necessary because of the amount of fur Seren, and before her, Mason, would deposit in the system.

[Jim147]

Cleaning the sensor was a technical service bulletin years ago. I had forgot about it until you said something.

[K Frame]

I've done 5 loads of laundry since cleaning the sensor bars and the dryer is back to working normally.

I need to do my annual exhaust cleanout next.

[JTHunter]

Those "sensors" have never been that effective.  I just use the "timed" setting.
My problem is that my vent goes down into my crawlspace and has at least 5 elbows and about 25-30 feet to travel to exhaust outside.  About every other year, I have to pull the dryer out, use this flexible shaft brush to break loose the lint within 10 ft. of the dryer, then my electric leaf blower to flush out the rest of the pipe.

[K Frame]

I find the sensor on my dryer to be a LOT more effective than just setting the time.

I had to run the dryer multiple times because nothing was getting fully dry when I would try time drying.

Having my laundry in the basement is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it used to be in the pantry off the kitchen/dining room. I like having a large pantry and, as far as I can tell, when the dryer was in the pantry it wasn't vented to the outside.

Now that it's in the basement it vents to the outside. One 90 at the dryer outlet to an 8-foot smooth riser and another 90 to get it through the rim joist and vented to the outside. Cleaning it is a snap.