Keep Clutter Off the Top of Your Dryer

Few people really consider whether or not they are using their gas dryer or electric dryer properly. After all, it should be pretty self-evident, right? Make sure the lint trap is clear, then toss your clothes in and turn it on. However, you'd be surprised at how many mistakes people make when using their dryer, mistakes that could result in a possible safety risk. For example, many people place their clothes on top of the dryer, which is a fire hazard.

Putting Clothes on Top of the Dryer is a Fire Hazard

When multiple loads of laundry are being done, people will often take clothes in the dryer and leave them on top so that they can transfer another load of clothing from the washing machine into the dryer. If you do this, you may even leave these clothes there while the dryer is running, waiting until everything is done to take all of your clothes back to your room for folding. However, leaving the dryer covered with clothing is a bad idea and can present a serious fire hazard.

First of all, the dryer is producing a lot of heat. That's how it dries wet clothes, after all. It needs space in order to do this so that the heat it produces can escape safely. When clothes are piled up on the top of the dryer, they risk falling off and behind the dryer. There, it becomes a serious fire hazard if it blocks the vents, since this will cause heat to build up. Not to mention that clothing is flammable, which means it's more likely to ignite.

Alternate Ways to Store Dry Clothing

The following are a few alternatives for temporarily storing your clothes in your laundry room until you're ready to bring them back to your room to be folded and put away:

• Use a laundry basket - Put a laundry basket on the floor where you can throw recently dried clothing or carefully place your folded clothes. If you have cabinets, then you could install baskets at the bottom of the cabinets that can be pulled out.
• Set up a table - If you have the space, then put a table in your laundry room where you can put your dry clothes. This gives you plenty of space to fold your clothes before you take them out of your laundry room as well.
• Install a collapsible table - If you don't have a lot of space, you can install a collapsible table on one of your walls. This way, you can fold it up when it's not in use.
• Build a shelf over the washer and dryer - As long as your washer and dryer are front-loading, you can build a shelf that extends over the top of both appliances. Just make sure that you leave some space to allow for airflow. However, this will give you a more steady surface to place dried clothes (and where you can fold them as well) and you'll eliminate the risk of having clothes fall off and block your dryer's vents.

These are just a few alternative solutions for temporarily storing your dried clothes while you wait for the rest of your laundry to be done. Using these solutions will prevent you from cluttering up the top of your dryer, which could present a potential fire hazard should any of your clothes fall off and block the vents. Need help building your shelving?

Learn more about using your laundry room by checking out one of our previous blog posts, and if your dryer or washing machine is in need of repair, then be sure to contact Mr. Appliance today.