Clogged filter? Anti static sheets?

[g3bill]

The filter in our older Dryer gets clogged every month or two I guess with the chemical used on these anti-static sheets like "bounce" . I noticed it mostly with the Costco Brand. Takes forever to clean the filter screen as the lint sticks to the screen. Is this just something ya have to live with or any alturnatives out there? The dryer is electric.

 

[tennblondie78]

I use Snuggle liquid fabric softener in the wash, no sheets in the dryer. I banned softener sheets from ever being used in my dryer. Not only do they coat the filter, they also coat the moisture sensor. Nasty little things.

 

[tomturbomatic]

The coating from the sheets will actually clog the filter to the point where it will hold water. Dryer sheets are not a dryer-friendly product. Reducing the airflow causes the heating elements to overheat which causes premature failure. This also increases operating time. Do you clean your lint screen with a strong detergent product to penetrate and remove this film?

 

[yogitunes]

best thing to do is run hot water over the screen, and maybe some dawn and a toothbrush to clean it out very well....

that will take care of the filter......but think about what kind of build up you have all inside the machine, especially the sensors...

always best not to use these items, but if you must, maybe cut the sheet in half, or use sparingly....

 

[pierreandreply4]

or vaccum your dryer lint screen filter with the vaccum cleaner it might help

 

[philr]

Speaking of static...

I never use Bounce or other anti-static sheets (and I rarely use fabric softener in the washer) but I recently noticed that some dryers seem to produce more static than others. Of course, it seems to happen more when the clothes are over-dried and they are rarely overdried in my Filtrator dryers! Recently, I unloaded my 1-18 dryer which tends to dry a bit more than I like (it still has a smaller Maytag blower wheel, maybe I should re-install a Frigidaire blower in it!) and there was a lot of static in my clothes.

A friend of mine, who doesn't care much (or at all!) about laundry or appliances told me that porcelain-coated or stainless steel drums are less prone to cause static in clothes than painted ones. I was quite surprised to hear a comment like that from him and I'm wondering where he got that information! Could that be true?

 

[kb0nes]

I sometimes use a 1/2 sheet in the driest part of winter to help keep static at bay. If I ever see any residue on the lint screen I spray is with aerosol Spray 'N Wash, let it soak and flush it with hot water. Since reducing to half sheets and using them infrequently I haven't seen buildup issues.

 

[hippiedoll]

i've read.....

that some people have used aluminum foil balled up loosely & tossed in the dryer with the wet clothes. and that this eliminates static in the dryer. i myself have never tried this for fear that the sharp/pointy edges of the aluminum foil ball, might cause damage to clothes or the inside of the dryer drum. but that's just me.

maybe someone here who has tried this aluminum foil ball, in the dryer, can chime in and give us first-hand experience about this working for static and any damage to the clothes or dryer drum itself?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Nice GE dryer! I liked that model.

Phil, a physicist from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory looked at my Filtrator and said that Filtrators were less likely to produce static electricity because the atmosphere in the dryer barely changes during the dry cycle since it has a minimal to very low air flow in the almost sealed chamber. The water just moves from the upper part of the chamber to the water pan at the bottom so you don't have all of the movement of water molecules being carried out of the dryer in a moving air stream like in a vented machine and until the clothes are almost dry, they tumble in a steamy atmosphere. It has something to do with the similar movement of water molecules moving in a thunderstorm cloud generating charges as they move past each other in the up drafts and down drafts. It is an interesting theory. It might also be that it takes so long to dry a load in the Filtrator that over-drying is rare and even if you do over dry something, if you leave it in the dryer, moisture will migrate back from the water pan to the over-dried fabrics.

 

[g3bill]

LOTS OF GOOD IDEAS

wELL, tHE PROBLEM WITH HALF SHEETS IS i TRIED THAT AND MY vERY OLD MOM JUST PUTs 2 IN, HARD TO TRAIN An OLD DOG new TRICKS Liquid softener might be a good idea in the wash if it stops the static? I heard those bounce type sheets can be put in the wash but haven't tried it. I heard of the Aluminum foil thing and forgot but good point on possible damage unless we hear otherwise? I clean the film off the filter with hot water and small brush but takes time so as not to damage the screen, doubt I could find another one easy. Great point on the sensor, never thought of that. Thing is just bought a box of bounce;( If it will work in the wash would be good or might return the junk and try liquid. Its just my mom and her light cloths that get static, I dry on economy and no problem with mens clothing.

I think the dryer has paddels that are plastic, drum is porcelain.

 

[vintagekenmore]

I dont use the softener sheets at all....I use liquid softener and it seems to help with the static issues even in the winter time....a friend of mine acutally had their dryer catch fire because the lint screen had that film that built up..lint stuck to it...and even the exhaust ductwork...the dryer overheated and he heard this loud WHOOSH....when he ran to the laundry room...flames were coming out of the lint filter compartment and through the vent on the outside of the house...caused about 7 grand in damage! Never again will I use the sheets

 

[ozzie908]

Put the lint screen in the dishwasher

it removes all film traces and helps cut down dryer time.

As for static its to do with synthetic clothes rubbing together that causes it the remedy has been mentioned and liquid softener just with synthetics cuts it out also I have noticed that since changing to a heat pump dryer that is so gentle and similar to the Filtrators it does not have any static either with or without fabric conditioner it seems overly hot dryers cause more static than others I believe.

Austin

 

[tomturbomatic]

Fabric softener sheets make very nice drawer and closet fresheners and, at room temperatures, lose their fragrance very slowly so that could be a way to use up the ones you have on hand.

Cleaning the filter with detergent and hot water will greatly simplify the task that is taking you so long now.

 

[gansky1]

My favorite GE design - do you have the washer too? Beautiful!

I never use dryer sheets, in fact just tossed a box of them a few weeks ago I found on the shelf in the garage above that dryer. Maybe three or four were used, probably for other purposes like the car, etc.

When we used them years ago in a GE/Hotpoint dryer, the sheets would invariably end up in the filter. They usually were deposited there near the beginning of the cycle it seemed.

 

[tennblondie78]

I tried the aluminum ball thing in the dryer. I could tell no difference; I think it's just bunk. It didn't damage my clothes, but they compact down to little baseballs that make your dryer sound like you have a pair of shoes in there.