How often should you clean lint out of a dryer vent?

Lint should be cleaned from a dryer vent hose and pipe whenever the dryer is overheating or not working properly, or at least once a year. This ensures that the dryer continues to run efficiently and reduces the risk of the lint catching on fire.

Signs that a dryer vent needs cleaning include clothes taking longer to dry, clothes not getting completely dry, clothes come out of the dryer hotter than normal and the outside of the dryer gets hotter than normal. In addition, if the laundry room is more humid than normal, or if there is a burnt smell in the laundry room, there may be a problem with too much link in the dryer vent.