As noted in previous articles the presence of lint in all laundries is a fact of life. We have written about what causes lint and how best to control it. Nonetheless, despite one’s best efforts lint will still be present in laundries. We have all heard of Spring and Fall cleaning as ritual around our homes. How about applying it to our laundries? Following are a few suggestions.
Dryers will accumulate lint in various places during the year. Removing the front panels and vacuuming around the dryer basket is a good place to start. This exercise improves air flow.Next, go to the rear of the dryer and vacuum around the motor and blower fan. MAKE SURE THE DRYER IS POWERED DOWN AT THE BREAKER BEFORE PERFORMING THIS EXERCISE. Also vacuum around any switches, belts, pulleys, etc. Finally, if you have long exhaust duct runs or several elbows lint may be building up causing back pressure in the dryer. Back pressure extends dry time and can cause premature failure of dryer components. Several duct cleaning companies are available with the necessary equipment to clean even the most complex duct systems.
Lint will also migrate into rooms that house water heaters. At a minimum cleaning and vacuuming around the pumps, motors, heat exchanger will extend the heater’s life, reduce downtime, and minimize repair costs.
Feeders, folders, and ironers also generate a lot of lint and are susceptible to the same risks of lint build up. Unlike dryers and heaters, feeders and folders have photo eyes that need to be clean to operate properly. If a photo eye is blocked then it may not signal the unit to perform a certain function.
Motors, pumps, electronics, electrical components all work better when clean and free of lint and other dirt. An investment in a vacuum and some time will pay good dividends for your operation.
