How To Clean The GE Dryer Filter

To help your GE dryer work properly, you need to keep the filter clean. When it gets blocked up with lint and other debris your dryer can overheat, become a fire risk, use more energy, and not dry your laundry properly. For these reasons, you must give it a regular clean.

In this guide, we are going to give you a simple step-by-step way to clean your dryer filter. If this simple process doesn’t remove all of the lint and debris, we also have a more thorough process to clean your filter. Finally, since you’re here we also thought we’d share a guide on how to clean the vent system which you should do a couple of times a year.

This guide covers all models of GE dryers, including:

CADE165RAL

CADG265RAL

CADG265RBL

CADG265RCL

DBLR333ET0AA

DBLR333ET0WW

DBXR300EG3WS

DHDSR46EG8WW

GHDX100EM0WW

GTDP180ED2WW

GTDP180ED3WW

GTDP200EM0WW

GTDP200EM1WW

GTDP200EM2WW

GTDP220EF0WW

GTDP220EF1WW

GTDP220EF2WW

GTDX200EM0WW

GTDX200EM1WW

GTDX200EM2WW

GTDX205EM1CC

Steps to clean your dryer filter

After every use, it’s a good idea to clean your dryer filter. This is a very easy and quick task and will ensure your dryer can operate to its full efficiency.

Here’s how to clean your dryer filter:

1. Locate the lint filter and pull it up and out of your dryer.
2. Open the lint filter by pressing the tab down.
3. Remove the lint from the filter.
4. Close the lint filter – making sure it clicks back together.
5. Place it back into your dryer.

If your dryer filter has a buildup of lint and/or other debris in it that cannot be easily removed, you will need to give it a more thorough clean by using a brush and rinsing the filter in hot water.

Here’s how to give your GE dryer filter a more thorough clean:

1. Locate the lint filter and pull it up and out of your dryer.
2. Open the lint filter by pressing the tab down.
3. Remove all loose lint from the filter.
4. Run the filter under hot water.
5. Fill up a small container with hot soapy water.
6. Use a soft brush to gently clean the filter.
7. Once clean, rinse the filter under hot water.
8. Dry the filter with a towel. If the filter is still wet, leave it to air dry in the sun for an hour or so.
9. Once dry, place it back into your dryer.

Clean out your dryer vent

While you should clean your dryer filter out after every use, it’s also a good idea to give the dryer vent a good clean every few months. 

Here are our step-by-step instructions for how to clean your dryer vent:

1.  Disconnect the duct

Start by disconnecting the duct. You can do that by:

• Switch the power off to your dryer.
• If you have a gas-powered dryer, switch the gas off.
• Gently pull your dryer about a foot out from the wall.
• Disconnect the dryer duct from the back of your dryer. You may need to loosen the clamp that holds it in place.
• Disconnect the dryer duct from the wall end. You may need to loosen the clamp that holds it in place.

2. Clean the vent

The next step is to clean the vent out. The easiest way to do this is to use a vacuum cleaner. If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner, you can use a long brush.

Here’s how to clean the vent:

• Start by wiping up any loose lint deposits from the back of your dryer.
• Connect the hose attachment to your vacuum cleaner.
• Turn your vacuum cleaner on and vacuum out all of the lint from the duct and the back of your dryer.
• If possible, vacuum the duct at the point it exits your home.
• If you don’t have a vacuum cleaner and/or you want to give the vent a more thorough clean, use a long brush to brush out any lint and dust from the vent and duct.

3. Reattach the duct

Now that your vent is nice and clean, the next step is to reattach the duct so you can start using your dryer again.

Here’s how to reattach your vent:

• Reconnect the dryer duct to your dryer and secure it in place with the clamp you removed earlier.
• Reconnect the dryer duct to the wall end and attach it in place with the clamp you removed earlier.
• Push your dryer back against the wall.
• Turn the power and/or gas back on.
• You can now start using your dryer again!

How to keep your vent clean

As mentioned above, it’s a good idea to clean the filter out every time you use your dryer and to give the vent a deep clean a couple of times a year. In between deep cleans, here are a few tips you can use to keep your vent clean.

• Regularly vacuum out the dust and lint that builds up on the outside of your dryer – especially around the vent connection.
• Regularly remove the vent trap (once a month) and vacuum out all of the lint and other debris.
• Give the lint filter/trap/screen a regular deep clean in hot soapy water. This will help prevent lint from baking onto the filter/trap/screen.