Unremarkable Dryer Lint

Dryer lint is generated by the drying of clothes in a clothes dryer; it typically accumulates on a dryer screen. The lint is composed of tiny bits of fabric fibers that are shed from the edges of our garments. Fabrics made of natural fibers like cotton and wool generate more lint than fabrics made of rayon or other synthetic materials. Bits of fiber break off from our clothing from the friction of wear. When clothes go through the washer, dirt and lint are lifted from the garments but remain on the fabric in its wet state. During drying, the lint is released as water is removed from the wet fabric and friction increases as a result of the tumbling action. Finally, a heating mechanism within the dryer called an open-wire element creates an air stream that sweeps through the garments, blowing the lint off and trapping it in the lint screen. The dryer's exhaust system, which pulls moisture and heat safely out of your home, also helps to suction lint off the clothes. The reason for the uniformity of color of gray, is that when you mix colors at random you end up with a muddy, dark mess. Melt a box of crayons together and you’ll see this for yourself. But when you mix clothes that are mostly blues, grays and blacks — as is typical with most wardrobes — with a smattering of reds, browns and greens, the mess becomes bluish gray every time. Essentially, the contributions of your blue jeans and white athletic socks outweigh those of your favorite red t-shirt. Statistics from the U.S. Fire Administration (2017) cite that over 3,000 dryer vent fires occur annually, causing $35 million in damages and resulting in 100 injuries and five deaths per year. Keep your dryer vent lint-free. Accumulated lint in dryer vents is the leading cause of dryer-related fires: 34% of all dryer fires result from excess lint build up.