Cleaning Clothes Dryer Vent with a Tape Measure and Rope

How to clean a dryer vent with a tape measure handyman trick.

Thank you everyone for your comments!

Dryer Vent Cleaning Kit - Buy on Amazon

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Looking for a dryer vent cleaning kit instead of doing what I did? Here is a link to dryer vent kits sold on Amazon.

Here is a link to purchase the dryer vent outlet attached to the exterior of your home.

Here is how I cleaned the lint and dust out of a dryer vent using a tape measure and small rope.

The dryer vent brush tool at Home Depot was only 10 feet long but the length of the vent is about 12 feet long. Yes I could have inserted the brush at each end of the pipe but I really didn’t want to get the dust and lint inside the house.

My goal is to get all the lint outside.

[JohnMarionDotCom]

Hi everyone. Thanks for watching and commenting. I’m glad this video is both entertaining and creating so much conversation. I will have to do a follow-up video soon to explain a few things that people have asked or commented on that I didn’t mention in this video.

[ursulavonglahn]

People don’t seem to get the joy and satisfaction that comes with figuring out how to solve problems without spending money.

[janyshendrickson]

Necessity is the mother of invention as they say. I appreciate that you did not edit/clean up the video; that you showed your real time, actual "live and learn" experience. Good job.

[Carol-kjeh]

This was really neat to watch. We used to just burn wood that my husband had cut when we lived in the country. My husband used to tie a very coarse screen shaped in a square shape the size of the chimney to clean it. He would be on up on the roof and my son down in the basement. My son pulled it in the basement and my husband had a lung pole to help push it down. They would do this a few times and the chimney got scraped clean. Then he would scoop out the soot at the bottom of the chimney. It did a great job. Money was tight then. Years Later after my son left home my husband bought a proper chimney cleaning brush. It was a great father-son thing. Your doing this reminded me of that great memory. I really enjoyed watching this and enjoyed your doing it your way.

[VintageLPs]

Considering I accidentally sucked a Swifter fluffy end into my in-house vacuum system and it clogged up all four levels of my house, I knew you were in trouble with four rags! It all worked out in the end for you. What I really got from this video is seeing how much lint can clog up a dryer’s vent pipe. Yikes! Thanks for posting.

[anncorsaro]

Good for you John! My son in law is a firefighter and he said the #1 cause of home fires are dryer vent fires. Even before kitchen grease fires. I love your detective/scientist enthusiasm!! Keep up the great work and great ideas! 💡

[JudithTaylor-fdfy]

84 yr old woman here...took pipe apart ...took to driveway and used leaf blower to clean it out.. worked like a charm. reconnected pipe...took 1/2 hr or less

[mommaoinnh]

Mission accomplished! Never mind the critics! You showed us we really do need to clean out that pipe! However we do it doesn’t really matter. Some fire departments lend out chimney brushes. Those may work also.

[orcoastgreenman]

I taped a toilet brush with half the handle cut off to my ryobi 18v drain snake. Worked a charm and did 20' of pipe no problem.

[davidshettlesworth]

Wow! Thank you for making this video. I would put a reminder in my cell phone to alarm at a future date to periodically perform this cleaning! You did a Job well done and you are correct about "not being able to find the tool bought to clean the pipe". The next time you do this, let mama or a teenage family member watch you do the cleaning process. Many young adults don't have any idea about how dangerous dryer lint can be. We have got to educate the family. Carry On Sir!

[susanfantssia]

Thanks for sharing your idea! You have inspired me. - I have to say that I don't understand why some people have left unnecessary comments? It's not like you started off the video asking, "what do you think about this?" You were just kind enough to share some great thinking.

[GuyWithTheDogs]

Job 1: Reconfigure that vent so that it's a straight shot with no uphill climb and no 45 degree bend. And while that project in in progress, connect the pipes so that the small, crimped end is on the exhaust side, so lint (not dust) doesn't build up when it gets caught on those sharp crimps. And while you're at it, you could put a 4x4x4 "Y" at the beginning of the rigid run and cap it off. Then when you want to clean the duct, pull off the cap and blow it out with a leaf blower. That vent cleaning would make a quick, and very satisfying, YouTube Short. 🙂

[cindycoven]

Thank you for sharing. Sorry some people were so rude with their comments. Remember: It’s not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles. Or where you could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena…If he fails at least he fails while trying. Teddy Roosevelt

[vaticanjesuitNWO]

This video demonstrates like no other just how much better it is to go to Home Depot and get their ten foot long dryer vent cleaner made of flexible fiberglass rods screwed end to end and terminated with a rotary brush. I bought one and have used it and it works brilliantly with a simple cordless drill for power. When done, simply unscrew the rods and the brush and store it in its original package until needed again. You can't improve on perfection, especially when it is that inexpensive. You GO Home Depot!!

[e.a.loomis]

Ingenious. It's good to see what worked, what didn't, and figure out what needs to be changed. Sometimes stuff on YouTube is just too perfect.

[stevenlarkum]

First of all, this vent pipe was installed backwards. The crimped end, (male), should be installed closest to the outdoors. With the crimped end is on the drier side, all those corrugated ripples will catch lint faster. Never connect the vent pipe with screws, it's another place for lint to collect. Use foil tape.

[catherinelucas]

I used a tape measure one time when we put new thermostat in for furnace to run wires down thru wall, easy peasy, worked awesome. Nyou never know when an idea that sounds to easy, will work and be easy! When that happens it's a beautiful day!

[lisaj]

One of the most useful tips I've seen in ages. Thank you!

[johnwapenski]

As a professional appliance repair technician. I frequently clean dryer vents. Please use the 4" brush with drill and extension rods. My kit goes to 30ft. Run the dryer and clean from the outside back to the dryer. The dryer blows out all the lint. You dont have to take anything apart. The 4" brush scrubs the duct completely

[rhondabeckwith]

Scary to see how much li t was in there. No wonder it could cause a plug and fire. Now I want to go clean mine, except it's dark out right now lol. Thanks