One of the most important preventative maintenance tasks you can do for your dryer is to clean the lint filter prior to drying every load. If the filter becomes completely clogged, some lint can escape and create jamming problems elsewhere in the dryer. Even a partial blockage reduces the dryer's efficiency and limits its capabilities. Most importantly, though, a clogged dryer can be a fire hazard. Lint from many fabrics particularly synthetics is highly combustible.

The vent is designed to carry heat and moisture away from the dryer to the outside of the house. While the vent may seem to waste a great deal of heat which could be put to use, remember that the warm air is heavy with moisture after it passes through the dryer. Were this air to be recalculated through the dryer, the appliance's efficiency -would suffer greatly, since the air simply could not hold much additional moisture. Moreover, the same air is circulated through the dryer motor to help cool it. The hotter the air is, the hotter the motor will run.

Check to see what types of venting materials are allowed in your community. Many hardware and building-supply stores carry kits with which you can do a good job of venting the dryer yourself. Keep the runs as short and with as few bends as possible, and always place a vent cap on the outside to prevent small animals from entering the duct.
Although it is very tempting to place large quantities of clothing in the big drum, remember that the clothing needs a great deal of space for tumbling. Never dry more than a single washer load in a single dryer load, and never try to bake your clothes completely dry. Most clothes should be allowed to retain a slight amount of moisture.

Once a year unplug the dryer or turn off the gas supply, remove the service panel, and vacuum away any lint or dust in the vicinity of the motor. Regular cleaning keeps lint away from the bearings and it helps maintain clean air passageways. It also reduces the possibility of a fire