my dryer doesn't dry my clothes

DragonfliiMama · 01-06-2009, 07:07 PM

seriously, it takes an hour and a half to two hours to dry just one load. I set it to the maximum time and then have to listen for it to end and go restart it, sometimes twice. Meanwhile the load in the washer is just sitting there and that load's not getting dry either. Any suggestions for how to improve my drying time?

Rabbit · 01-06-2009, 07:09 PM

Clean your dryer and its vents.

Start with the filter in the machine, and vacuum down into the space behind the filter as far as you can get. Then move the dryer out, and vacuum, sweep and mop up all the lint behind it. After that, disconnect the vent pipe or tubing and clean in there. Finally, go round to the outlet, outside of the house, and remove the grates or vent covers, and clean that out as thoroughly as you can. When you've got it all put back together, the dryer should run like new!

2sunshines · 01-06-2009, 07:09 PM

throw a dry towel in with your wet clothes. That will help dry the wet clothes faster.

ShiriChayim · 01-06-2009, 07:12 PM

come wash clothes at your sister's place, my drier works fine

DragonfliiMama · 01-06-2009, 07:20 PM

i will try the dry towel trick.

as for cleaning the vents - i always clean the filter and almost always clean out the door spaces. I can't pull the machine away from the wall or reach any of those other spots, b/c we live in an apartment. the dryer is above the washer and the whole combined thing is tucked into a tiny little nook, I'm not sure if it's even possible to move it at all. And I certainly can't get to the outside of the house. I have no idea where it would come out!

I suppose I could call the apartment office though.

Rabbit · 01-06-2009, 07:23 PM

I would absolutely call maintenance. You're paying a lot of extra in electricity and time, when cleaning out the vent could fix it all.

anjelika · 01-07-2009, 10:05 AM

Is it an electric or gas-powered dryer? I ask because we used to have an electric - which took hours for each load (at least 2 cycles). When we moved to our new house, the old owner left a dryer that ran from natural gas - dries clothes no problem. Maybe that's part of it?

I would definitely call management though - wouldn't hurt to do vent cleaning!

And I will have to try the dry towel trick!

expatmom · 01-07-2009, 10:07 AM

If this is a change in how your dryer used to work, then you definitely need to call your maintenance company. It is a fire hazard to not be able to clean the tubing & the outlet.

pastelsummer · 01-07-2009, 10:53 AM

I would call maintenece and have them come look at it. untill then

Quote:

Originally Posted by dramamomma

come wash clothes at your sister's place, my drier works fine

I think someone is lonely!! Not sure if she lives close by but maybe take her up on it if she does!

DragonfliiMama · 01-08-2009, 06:33 AM

Sadly, she doesn't.

I would love to go do laundry and hang out with her, if only!

The dry towel did help, some. I know that it would also take less time if I switch the dryer to high heat instead of low, but I am concerned that my clothes will shrink if I do that. Most of the care instructions say to use low heat. And I really ought to be able to use low heat for clothes that need it!

I'll have to call the apt office but I'm not sure when I'll get a chance. I don't really like to have them come in when we aren't here.

01-08-2009, 06:46 AM

It could be that your heating element is going. Dh fixed ours and said it wasn't too hard and the part was inexpensive. Do you own the machine or does the apartment complex? Before I did anything with the dryer, I would take Rabbit's advice to clean out all the lint from everywhere and call maintenance for the stuff you can't get to.

Lady TS · 01-08-2009, 06:47 AM

Did it just recently start not working right?

Does it get hot?
(Could the kids have switched it over to air dry instead of the setting you usually use?

)

Or maybe the heating element went out. I'd call maintenance and have them take a look.

oops--diamondintherough beat me on the heating element comment!

DragonfliiMama · 01-08-2009, 06:58 AM

It doesn't get hot, that I've noticed. No kids around the house, so if anyone switched it, it'd be dh, but I don't think he did. And this isn't really a recent thing, I've just been dealing with it until I got fed up with it. But I can't remember now if it's always been like this since we moved in or if it's gotten worse over time. And it belongs to the apt complex.

Beauty4Ashes · 01-08-2009, 08:26 AM

My dad put ours up on 2x4s so that the dryer hose wouldn't get kinked. If something is blocking the flow of air, the clothes won't get dry.

illinoismommy · 01-08-2009, 03:30 PM

We just had to replace the heating piece of our dryer. It was coming and going and not getting very hot.

01-06-2009, 07:07 PM	#1
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	my dryer doesn't dry my clothes seriously, it takes an hour and a half to two hours to dry just one load. I set it to the maximum time and then have to listen for it to end and go restart it, sometimes twice. Meanwhile the load in the washer is just sitting there and that load's not getting dry either. Any suggestions for how to improve my drying time? __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

01-06-2009, 07:09 PM	#2
Rabbit Deactivated You know how we say, "It works both ways!" Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the Neighborhood Posts: 39,704	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes Clean your dryer and its vents. Start with the filter in the machine, and vacuum down into the space behind the filter as far as you can get. Then move the dryer out, and vacuum, sweep and mop up all the lint behind it. After that, disconnect the vent pipe or tubing and clean in there. Finally, go round to the outlet, outside of the house, and remove the grates or vent covers, and clean that out as thoroughly as you can. When you've got it all put back together, the dryer should run like new!

01-06-2009, 07:09 PM	#3
2sunshines Moderator in Celebrations, Cloth Diapering & EC, Empty Arms, Prayer & Praise, and Swap n' Shop Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 27,027	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes throw a dry towel in with your wet clothes. That will help dry the wet clothes faster. __________________ married 25 years mom to two young adults (23 and 20) and two teens (17 and 15)

01-06-2009, 07:12 PM	#4
ShiriChayim Rose Garden Rock on!!! Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 18,102	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes come wash clothes at your sister's place, my drier works fine __________________ ~Heather~ ENFP married to my ENJF hubby gently mothering: ds15yo- the performer, ds14yo- the gamer, ds 12yo- the adventurer, and dd 10yo-the dynamo Missing my little Malachi David and Hannah Danielle, in Jesus' arms Check out my blog "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You." Dr Seuss

01-06-2009, 07:20 PM	#5
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes i will try the dry towel trick. as for cleaning the vents - i always clean the filter and almost always clean out the door spaces. I can't pull the machine away from the wall or reach any of those other spots, b/c we live in an apartment. the dryer is above the washer and the whole combined thing is tucked into a tiny little nook, I'm not sure if it's even possible to move it at all. And I certainly can't get to the outside of the house. I have no idea where it would come out! I suppose I could call the apartment office though. __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

01-06-2009, 07:23 PM	#6
Rabbit Deactivated You know how we say, "It works both ways!" Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In the Neighborhood Posts: 39,704	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes I would absolutely call maintenance. You're paying a lot of extra in electricity and time, when cleaning out the vent could fix it all.

01-07-2009, 10:05 AM	#7
anjelika Rose Bouquet Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: SE PA Posts: 962	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes Is it an electric or gas-powered dryer? I ask because we used to have an electric - which took hours for each load (at least 2 cycles). When we moved to our new house, the old owner left a dryer that ran from natural gas - dries clothes no problem. Maybe that's part of it? I would definitely call management though - wouldn't hurt to do vent cleaning! And I will have to try the dry towel trick!

01-07-2009, 10:07 AM	#8
expatmom Rose Garden Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 19,582	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes If this is a change in how your dryer used to work, then you definitely need to call your maintenance company. It is a fire hazard to not be able to clean the tubing & the outlet. __________________

01-08-2009, 06:33 AM	#10
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes Sadly, she doesn't. I would love to go do laundry and hang out with her, if only! The dry towel did help, some. I know that it would also take less time if I switch the dryer to high heat instead of low, but I am concerned that my clothes will shrink if I do that. Most of the care instructions say to use low heat. And I really ought to be able to use low heat for clothes that need it! I'll have to call the apt office but I'm not sure when I'll get a chance. I don't really like to have them come in when we aren't here. __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

01-08-2009, 06:46 AM	#11
diamondintherough Guest Posts: n/a	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes It could be that your heating element is going. Dh fixed ours and said it wasn't too hard and the part was inexpensive. Do you own the machine or does the apartment complex? Before I did anything with the dryer, I would take Rabbit's advice to clean out all the lint from everywhere and call maintenance for the stuff you can't get to.

01-08-2009, 06:47 AM	#12
Lady TS Rose Garden Wish I was there! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: NW OH Posts: 10,614	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes Did it just recently start not working right? Does it get hot? (Could the kids have switched it over to air dry instead of the setting you usually use? ) Or maybe the heating element went out. I'd call maintenance and have them take a look. oops--diamondintherough beat me on the heating element comment! __________________ Tanya InTJ Wife to Randy Mom to: Brownie-18, RockSalt-16, LuLu-going on 14 and Avery, with the Lord September 2010 In essentials, Unity In non-essentials, Liberty In all things, Charity My Blogs: Living Healthy in the Modern World and Wordy Musings

01-08-2009, 06:58 AM	#13
DragonfliiMama Rose Garden Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,114	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes It doesn't get hot, that I've noticed. No kids around the house, so if anyone switched it, it'd be dh, but I don't think he did. And this isn't really a recent thing, I've just been dealing with it until I got fed up with it. But I can't remember now if it's always been like this since we moved in or if it's gotten worse over time. And it belongs to the apt complex. __________________ ~Amii~ INFJ, Type 2/1 wife to Jimi, mama to Gabriel , 06/09 shimmer = soft, subtle sparkle

01-08-2009, 08:26 AM	#14
Beauty4Ashes Rose Garden Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 13,095	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes My dad put ours up on 2x4s so that the dryer hose wouldn't get kinked. If something is blocking the flow of air, the clothes won't get dry. __________________ Tammy--ISTJ wife to AbuBa(6/2001) mom to B (6/2004) D (6/2005) L 4/2008 R 9/2015 Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that they might be glorified.

01-08-2009, 03:30 PM	#15
illinoismommy Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 25,657	Re: my dryer doesn't dry my clothes We just had to replace the heating piece of our dryer. It was coming and going and not getting very hot. __________________ Mommy to: Ds (9.5), Dd (7), Ds2 (6), and Ds3 (4.5).

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