The laundry room causes more home floods and more fires than any other room, and both come down to two parts: the washing-machine hoses and the dryer vent. Keeping up with them takes minutes and prevents two of the most expensive failures in the house. Here's the short list.
Quick laundry checklist
- Clean the lint trap after every load.
- Clean the full dryer vent duct once a year.
- Inspect the washing-machine supply hoses.
- Clean the washer gasket and run a tub-clean cycle.
- Make sure the washer sits level.
- Clean the drain pump filter on a front-loader.
Clean the dryer vent duct
Lint in the vent duct is the leading cause of dryer fires. The duct is the long tube running from the back of the dryer to the outside wall, and cleaning the lint trap isn't enough, because lint also packs the duct where you can't see it. Disconnect the duct once a year, pull the lint out by hand and with a brush, and confirm the outside vent flap opens freely. If clothes take two cycles to dry or the dryer runs hot, the duct is overdue.
Clean the lint trap every load
Pull the lint screen and clear it after every load so air can move and the dryer doesn't overheat. Once or twice a year, wash the screen in soapy water to strip off the film that fabric softener leaves behind, which blocks airflow even when the screen looks clean.
Inspect the washing-machine hoses
The rubber supply hoses behind the washer are a top cause of home water damage, and a burst one can pour hundreds of gallons an hour onto the floor. Pull the washer out once a year and look for bulges, cracks, blisters, and rust at the fittings. Replace rubber hoses with braided stainless-steel ones, and replace those every five years even if they look fine.
Clean the gasket and run a tub-clean cycle
Front-loaders trap water in the rubber door gasket, where it grows mildew and starts to smell. Wipe the gasket dry after washes, peel it back to clean the folds, and run a tub-clean or hot cycle with a washer cleaner once a month. Leave the door open between loads so it can dry.
Level the washer
A washer that rocks during the spin cycle walks across the floor and wears out its own bearings and your floor. Adjust the leveling feet until it sits solid with no wobble, and confirm you're not loading it to one side.
Clean the drain pump filter
Most front-load washers have a small drain pump filter behind a panel at the bottom front that catches coins, lint, and hair. When it clogs, the washer won't drain. Open it over a towel a few times a year, since water will spill out, and clear whatever it caught.
When to call a pro
Call a technician for a washer that won't drain or spin after you've cleared the filter, a leak you can't trace to a hose, or a dryer that won't heat. A gas dryer's gas line is a pro job. If you ever smell gas, leave and call the utility from outside.
Good maintenance rhythm
Keep the laundry room safe and running with a steady rhythm.
- Every load: clear the lint trap.
- Monthly: run a tub-clean cycle and wipe the washer gasket.
- Yearly: clean the full dryer vent duct and inspect the washer hoses.
- A few times a year: clean the front-loader drain pump filter.
- Every five years: replace the washer supply hoses.
- Ongoing: keep the washer level and the dryer's outside vent clear.