Clean your dryer vent, before it's a fire risk.

The short answerTo clean a dryer vent, unplug the dryer (and shut off gas if it's a gas dryer), pull it out and disconnect the duct. Feed a rotary vent-brush kit through the duct from inside and from the outdoor vent hood, spinning it with a drill to pull lint out. Vacuum the dryer's outlet and lint trap housing, replace crushed or plastic duct with smooth metal, reconnect, and check that the outdoor flap opens when the dryer runs. Do it at least once a year.

Failure to clean is the leading factor in home clothes-dryer fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. If loads take longer to dry, the vent is the first thing to check.

DifficultyEasy–Moderate

Time1–2 hrsmost homes

DIY cost$17–$47estimate

Hiring a proVaries by areaestimate

DIY range is the Home Depot price of the parts below as of Oct 15, 2026. We didn't find a reliable published pro rate, so none is shown.

6 stepsEvery pick rated about 4.5★ or higher, from hundreds to thousands of reviews.

Photo: Gianluca D’Intino on Unsplash

Your Match

The kit, vetted.

Tick items off as you shop. Ratings and review counts were checked on 2026-10-15. Home Depot prices are as of 2026-10-15. Amazon shows its price at checkout.

Tools

2 items

Top PickVent brush kit

Gardus LintEater Rotary Dryer Vent Cleaning System (RLE202)

Drill-powered brush on flexible rods that reaches about 12 ft. The standard DIY kit.

Home Depot 4.8 (248)$29.99View →

Home Depot prices as of 2026-10-15

If neededDrill

RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless Drill/Driver Kit

Spins the brush rods. Any drill you already own works.

Home Depot 4.7 (4,230)$89.00View →

Home Depot prices as of 2026-10-15

Materials

1 items

Replace foil/plasticDuct

Everbilt 4 in. x 8 ft. Flexible Aluminum Dryer Vent Duct

Swap out crushed, foil or plastic transition duct for semi-rigid aluminum.

Home Depot 4.6 (1,511)$16.97View →

Home Depot prices as of 2026-10-15

The Method

Step by step, start to finish.

01
Unplug & shut off
Unplug the dryer. For gas, close the gas valve and be careful not to kink or loosen the gas line.
02
Disconnect the duct
Pull the dryer forward and loosen the clamp at the back to free the duct.
03
Vacuum the outlet
Vacuum lint from the dryer's exhaust port and the lint-trap housing.
04
Brush the duct
Feed the brush through the duct a few feet at a time, spinning it clockwise with the drill, then pull lint back out.
05
Clear the outside hood
Remove lint and any nests from the exterior vent hood. The flap should move freely.
06
Reconnect & test
Replace damaged duct, reattach with clamps, push the dryer back without crushing the duct, and confirm air flows outside.