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If you’ve recently noticed that your clothes dryer is taking longer to dry clothes than it used to, it’s time to clean the dryer vent. A dryer vent that’s clogged with lint and other debris can make for a longer drying cycle, but it also can trigger a much more serious problem—a dryer fire. Clogged dryer vents are one of the top causes of dryer fires, so it’s critical to know how to clean a dryer vent.

Although it’s a much less dramatic concern, an inefficient dryer can cost you both time and money, tacking on as much as $20 a month to your utility bill. Sure, you could hire a professional to clear out the vent for you , but this is a job that many DIYers can do.…