How to clean a hair dryer filter: remove lint for power and safety

You are drying your hair in a hurry one morning when the dryer suddenly whines louder than usual, blows barely warm air or gives off a faint burning smell. More often than not, the motor isn't to blame – the air intake is clogged with hair, lint and dust. To clean a hair dryer filter you need no tools or special products: an old toothbrush, a vacuum cleaner and ten minutes will do.

In winter, most hair dryers run almost daily. These five steps show how to clean the filter, casing and attachments safely – and how to tell when a dryer belongs in the recycling rather than back in the socket.

Why you should clean your hair dryer filter regularly

A hair dryer is essentially a small fan with a heater: the motor draws air in through the intake grille – usually at the back, on some models in the handle – blows it past a heating element and pushes it out through the nozzle. Hair and lint get caught on the grille, along with bathroom dust and sticky hairspray residue.

When the grille is clogged, less air gets through. The heating element is cooled less effectively, the dryer runs hotter and drying takes longer. Dust that reaches the heating element scorches when you switch on – hence the typical burning smell. Most hair dryers have overheating protection that switches them off in time. If it trips often, treat it as a warning sign.

1. Unplug it and let it cool down

Never clean a hair dryer while it is plugged in – not even "just for a second". Pull the plug, not the cable, and wait until the appliance feels cold all over. Work on a towel on the table, not over a washbasin full of water.

Use the opportunity to check the cable: kinks, cracks or a loose spot where the cable enters the handle are reasons to stop using the dryer. This kind of damage typically comes from winding the cable tightly around the handle.

2. Clear lint from the intake grille and filter

On many models, the intake cover comes off by twisting, pulling or flipping it open, as shown in the manual. Some have a fine mesh filter underneath; on others the grille is fixed.

1. Remove the cover and pull out clumps of hair by hand or with tweezers.
2. Brush the grille and filter over the bin with a soft, dry toothbrush.
3. Vacuum up fine dust with the crevice or brush tool – straight from the outside if the grille is fixed.
4. Loosen hairspray build-up on the removed cover with a damp cloth and a little washing-up liquid.
5. Rinse filters that the manual says are washable in lukewarm water and let them dry completely, ideally overnight.

Never poke knives or needles through the grille: the fan and heating element sit right behind it.

3. Wipe the casing, handle and cable

With the dryer unplugged, wipe the casing and cable with a well-wrung microfibre cloth and a drop of washing-up liquid, then dry them with a clean cloth. Scouring cream, solvents and harsh cleaners attack the plastic and the printed markings.

If you keep cleaning products in the bathroom, follow the advice of Tox Info Suisse: store cleaning products in their original packaging and out of children's reach, and never decant them into drinks bottles. If you suspect poisoning, call Tox Info Suisse on 145. Bathroom lint also builds up in the ventilation grille on the ceiling – see our guide on how to clean a bathroom extractor fan.

4. Wash the nozzle, diffuser and attachments

Concentrator nozzles, diffusers and comb attachments are plain plastic parts. Unlike the dryer itself, they can go in water unless the manual says otherwise:

• Soak them in warm water with a little washing-up liquid.
• Brush out the diffuser prongs and nozzle slots with the toothbrush and pull out any hair.
• Rinse with clean water and let them dry completely before refitting them.
• Only use the dishwasher if the manufacturer allows it – heat can warp plastic.

While you are at it, deal with brushes and combs too: our guide on how to clean a hairbrush shows how.

5. Test, store and recycle a faulty dryer

Refit the filter and cover firmly, otherwise the dryer will suck hair straight in. Test it on the lowest setting first. A brief smell in the first few seconds may come from leftover dust. If the burning smell persists, you see sparks or the dryer keeps cutting out despite a clean grille, stop using it. Once it has cooled, store it with the cable loosely coiled, away from the washbasin and shower.

A faulty hair dryer does not belong in the rubbish bag. Electrical appliances must be returned, and according to the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), retailers, manufacturers and importers take back appliances of the kind they sell free of charge – even if you don't buy anything new.

Common mistakes

• Cleaning it while plugged in: one accidental press of the switch is enough to start the fan and heating element.
• Rinsing the dryer: water in the casing can cause a short circuit.
• Poking sharp objects through the grille: this damages the fan or heating element.
• Refitting damp parts: moisture has no place in an appliance with a heating element.
• Ignoring a burning smell: a dryer that still smells burnt after cleaning should be returned for recycling, not put back in the bathroom.

Priority Clean editorial teamOur cleaning team from Alberswil, Canton of Lucerne, shares hands-on experience from move-out, house, office and window cleaning across Central and Northwestern Switzerland.