Dryer lint comes from your clothes. Every fabric is built from countless short fibers, and a hot dryer works those fibers loose. As a load tumbles, heat, moving air, and friction snap off the shortest fibers, and the dryer’s airflow carries them into the lint screen, where they pile up as the soft grey mat you peel away. Bigger loads shed more. Overdrying produces even more of it, because the extra minutes of heat and tumbling keep breaking fibers after the clothes are dry. The fix is simple. Clean the screen after every load, and stop the dryer as soon as the clothes are dry. Your machines will run faster and carry far less fire risk.
Video transcript
Where lint actually comes from
We all know dryers make lint, but where does it actually come from? When clothes and other linens tumble around inside a dryer, the heat, air, and friction cause tiny fibers to break off from the fabric. These loose fibers get carried through the dryer and pulled into the lint trap.
Why bigger loads and overdrying make more lint
The bigger and bulkier the load, the more lint you’ll create. And if you overdry your laundry, extra heat and friction break off even more fibers, which means even more lint. Some newer commercial dryers have built-in technology that helps limit overdrying, so check with your equipment distributor or manufacturer to find out if they offer these features.
What to do about it
Now that we know where lint comes from, what can we do about it? Clean your lint screens often, ideally after every dryer cycle, and do what you can to help customers avoid overdrying. You’ll dry faster, save energy, and help prevent dryer fires.
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