# Dryer microplastics



## stoveliker (Mar 7, 2021)

I clean the filter on the drier before every run. But I notice quite a few drier dust clumps on my deck (the vent is 2 ft above the deck). I do clean the hose every now and then for fire safety, but I am annoyed by the fact that I am spraying these microplastics I to the environment (and the look it gives on my deck).

I could only use cotton and wool, but that's not in the works.

Do any of you have tips on how to better contain this stuff? So it doesn't end up on my deck or in the environment?


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## andym (Mar 7, 2021)

Don't use the dryer. Or at least use it less. 85% (or more) of our laundry is hung up to dry, either by the wood furnace or outside depending on the season.


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## stoveliker (Mar 7, 2021)

andym said:


> Don't use the dryer. Or at least use it less. 85% (or more) of our laundry is hung up to dry, either by the wood furnace or outside depending on the season.



Yes, same here. But...


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## andym (Mar 7, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> Yes, same here. But...


Gotcha. I think some people don't know that clothes (like dishes) will air dry. Thankfully clotheslines are becoming 'a thing' again. Afraid I don't have much to offer concerning the OP. Never actually considered that much of the lint would contain plastic, but its true.


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## DuaeGuttae (Mar 7, 2021)

How well does your dryer lint filter seem to fit?  Is there some sort of large gap that is letting a lot by?  I know that lint escapes from filters (otherwise I wouldn’t have to clean the vent), but it seems odd to me that it would be so much as to collect visibly (I assume regularly) on your deck, especially if you only use the dryer infrequently.

I assume there is a little hood of some sort on the dryer vent where it exits the house.  Is there a way that you could affix something to the outlet under the hood (like a lady’s nylon stocking) to catch the extra particles.  In our former home, we used to detach the dryer from the outside venting in the winter and let it vent into our basement to add humidity.  We sealed up the outside with some foam insulation and used a stocking to cover the venting inside.  It did collect something over the course of the season, but most of the material seemed to be caught by our lint filter.   I really don’t recall large accumulations.  That’s what made me ask about your filter itself.  I wonder if the frame is bowed out of position or something.


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## SpaceBus (Mar 8, 2021)

DuaeGuttae said:


> How well does your dryer lint filter seem to fit?  Is there some sort of large gap that is letting a lot by?  I know that lint escapes from filters (otherwise I wouldn’t have to clean the vent), but it seems odd to me that it would be so much as to collect visibly (I assume regularly) on your deck, especially if you only use the dryer infrequently.
> 
> I assume there is a little hood of some sort on the dryer vent where it exits the house.  Is there a way that you could affix something to the outlet under the hood (like a lady’s nylon stocking) to catch the extra particles.  In our former home, we used to detach the dryer from the outside venting in the winter and let it vent into our basement to add humidity.  We sealed up the outside with some foam insulation and used a stocking to cover the venting inside.  It did collect something over the course of the season, but most of the material seemed to be caught by our lint filter.   I really don’t recall large accumulations.  That’s what made me ask about your filter itself.  I wonder if the frame is bowed out of position or something.



I was going to mention the nylon stockings. My grandparents used them on the washer and dryer outlets.


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## peakbagger (Mar 8, 2021)

I don't own a dryer. The clothes get hung in my basement during wood boiler season and in an unfinished bedroom in summer. My Staber washer gets the clothes quite dry so they do not take long to dry. 

I am intrigued by the heat pump dryers,. I wonder how much lint they produce? I do think the filters need to be cleaned after every use but expect its less dispersed than blowing it outdoors.


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## SpaceBus (Mar 8, 2021)

peakbagger said:


> I don't own a dryer. The clothes get hung in my basement during wood boiler season and in an unfinished bedroom in summer. My Staber washer gets the clothes quite dry so they do not take long to dry.
> 
> I am intrigued by the heat pump dryers,. I wonder how much lint they produce? I do think the filters need to be cleaned after every use but expect its less dispersed than blowing it outdoors.


Where did you get the Staber? I can't find an online retailer, but the literature I found makes it sound great. We are using a high efficiency portable washer for an RV or small apartment right now. It seems pretty economical on power and water use so far.


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## peakbagger (Mar 8, 2021)

Last thing I knew Staber sells direct from the factory and sends them truck freight. Its usually an extra $100 for residential delivery with a tailgate truck unless you can convince a local business to accept delivery.  They are not cheap ($1,600 ?) but they are a lifetime purchase. Its definitely commercial equipment.   Not a lot of moving parts. Its a stainless steel drum and heavy steel frame that is not going to wear out with standard bearings holding it up. They have an optional Stainless steel case if you want a more modern look.  It doesnt have a  transmission, just a drive belt.  The variable speed drive predates microprocessors.  No rubber seals to wear out. The owners manual is the service manual and if you need parts just call the factory.  My only way I guess they might wear out if they are in wet basement and consistently sit in puddle so the bottom of the unit rots out.  Mine is roughly 25 years old and still going strong.


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## jetsam (Mar 8, 2021)

If you're willing to maintain it, you can vent an electric dryer indoors. Mine vents into a 5 gallon bucket with six inches of water in the bottom and window screen for a lid all winter, then vents outdoors all summer.

Owning a clothes dryer (and a dishwasher) is seen as a perplexing Americanism in a lot of the world.


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## SpaceBus (Mar 8, 2021)

jetsam said:


> If you're willing to maintain it, you can vent an electric dryer indoors. Mine vents into a 5 gallon bucket with six inches of water in the bottom and window screen for a lid all winter, then vents outdoors all summer.
> 
> Owning a clothes dryer (and a dishwasher) is seen as a perplexing Americanism in a lot of the world.


I have a bucket for our room vented dryer, but I open the window a bit, otherwise we get condensation on the windows.


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

DuaeGuttae said:


> How well does your dryer lint filter seem to fit?  Is there some sort of large gap that is letting a lot by?  I know that lint escapes from filters (otherwise I wouldn’t have to clean the vent), but it seems odd to me that it would be so much as to collect visibly (I assume regularly) on your deck, especially if you only use the dryer infrequently.
> 
> I assume there is a little hood of some sort on the dryer vent where it exits the house.  Is there a way that you could affix something to the outlet under the hood (like a lady’s nylon stocking) to catch the extra particles.  In our former home, we used to detach the dryer from the outside venting in the winter and let it vent into our basement to add humidity.  We sealed up the outside with some foam insulation and used a stocking to cover the venting inside.  It did collect something over the course of the season, but most of the material seemed to be caught by our lint filter.   I really don’t recall large accumulations.  That’s what made me ask about your filter itself.  I wonder if the frame is bowed out of position or something.



Hi, the filter is a 1.5-2 ft long screen that slides in and is slightly curved (by design). I can't see how well it fits, as I only have a 5"x1" slot into that curved space that I can look into - and only when the filter is not in there. Given its flexibility, it's not out of the question that it would not fit perfectly... Poor design, I guess.

Yes, there is a 3-louvered exhaust cap outside. Unfortunately, the nylon stocking has been vetoed by the better half ... 

The door handle broke off of the dryer (so no there's a zip tie there that we use as a grabbing handle). The dryer was in the home when we bought it (already used). I guess it may be time to start looking for another one. I heard a new stimulus check is coming ... 

Thanks for your feedback - all of you!


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## blades (Mar 8, 2021)

lot of the time those dryer sheets are the problem


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

blades said:


> lot of the time those dryer sheets are the problem



Not using them...


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## semipro (Mar 8, 2021)

We use a condensing dryer that has a closed cycle so no lint exits the unit.   Heat pump dryers operate similarly but use a heat pump for heat production as opposed to electrical resistance. 
Our dryer does require frequent (though easy) maintenance but has the added benefit of heating our house with warm dry air.  The water from the clothes is discharged to a nearby utility sink. 
The dryer shares a room with our heat pump water heater.  They have a mutualistic relationship in that each benefits from the exhaust of the other; cool dry air from the HPWH and warm dry air from the dryer.
We typically hang larger items inside or on an outdoor line to dry.  Socks, rags, underwear, etc. go in the dryer.  
Some items may go into the dryer after hang drying to remove pet hair.


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## DuaeGuttae (Mar 8, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> Hi, the filter is a 1.5-2 ft long screen that slides in and is slightly curved (by design). I can't see how well it fits, as I only have a 5"x1" slot into that curved space that I can look into - and only when the filter is not in there. Given its flexibility, it's not out of the question that it would not fit perfectly... Poor design, I guess.
> 
> Yes, there is a 3-louvered exhaust cap outside. Unfortunately, the nylon stocking has been vetoed by the better half ...
> 
> ...



That filter sounds like the one on our current dryer.  I, too, can’t verify its fit by sight, so I understand.  I can certainly understand your better half not wanting a nylon hanging above the deck.  I would not go for that myself, and I’m no decorator.  I was wondering if you could detach the vent inside, use the nylon stocking at the end of the vent, and then reattach it.  Or remove the vent and apply it behind the lovers?  Or has she vetoed any sort of hidden installation?  It would be something I’d suggest doing only if it is quite easy to inspect and clean.  You would not want to clog your outlet.

I’m always impressed with the many uses for zip ties.  I have a nice (but older) food processor that was becoming difficult to use because the handle separated and the safely mechanism kept slipping out of place and needing to be reseated each time I took it on and off the motor.  A couple of zip ties fixed the problem.  If your wife is okay with a zip tie handle on the dryer, I’d say try to keep the old one unless you feel that the lint problem isn’t just on the deck but is also in the machine itself.  That can be a fire hazard as well.


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

DuaeGuttae said:


> That filter sounds like the one on our current dryer.  I, too, can’t verify its fit by sight, so I understand.  I can certainly understand your better half not wanting a nylon hanging above the deck.  I would not go for that myself, and I’m no decorator.  I was wondering if you could detach the vent inside, use the nylon stocking at the end of the vent, and then reattach it.  Or remove the vent and apply it behind the lovers?  Or has she vetoed any sort of hidden installation?  It would be something I’d suggest doing only if it is quite easy to inspect and clean.  You would not want to clog your outlet.
> 
> I’m always impressed with the many uses for zip ties.  I have a nice (but older) food processor that was becoming difficult to use because the handle separated and the safely mechanism kept slipping out of place and needing to be reseated each time I took it on and off the motor.  A couple of zip ties fixed the problem.  If your wife is okay with a zip tie handle on the dryer, I’d say try to keep the old one unless you feel that the lint problem isn’t just on the deck but is also in the machine itself.  That can be a fire hazard as well.



Yeah, zip ties rule..  

I'm hesitant putting a (nylon) filter under the exhaust - I'd feel compelled to check it before each use due to the fire hazard of a lot of lint in the hose, out if sight.


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## DuaeGuttae (Mar 8, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> Yeah, zip ties rule..
> 
> I'm hesitant putting a (nylon) filter under the exhaust - I'd feel compelled to check it before each use due to the fire hazard of a lot of lint in the hose, out if sight.



I completely understand.   

On a different train of thought, have you recently bought new clothes or new towels or bed linens?  Is the lint build-up something you’ve always had, or is this a new problem?  A new dryer might not change anything if there isn’t any defect in the machine.  It might just be related to what you’re currently washing and drying.  Fuzzy apparel for kids playing in snow?


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

DuaeGuttae said:


> I completely understand.
> 
> On a different train of thought, have you recently bought new clothes or new towels or bed linens?  Is the lint build-up something you’ve always had, or is this a new problem?  A new dryer might not change anything if there isn’t any defect in the machine.  It might just be related to what you’re currently washing and drying.  Fuzzy apparel for kids playing in snow?



Good thinking. Nothing new though, since a year... (me working at home, with the wife in the medical profession, we've kept to ourselves, limiting trips to the grocery store, the gas station, and the occasional necessary home depot trip).

Unfortunately, it's something I've always had since living in this place with this dryer, - not in my previous home with a different dryer. I just noticed it again when I grilled some turkey/spinach/feta burgers 2 days ago after the grill was finally accessible again when the snow had melted.


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## jetsam (Mar 8, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> Yeah, zip ties rule..
> 
> I'm hesitant putting a (nylon) filter under the exhaust - I'd feel compelled to check it before each use due to the fire hazard of a lot of lint in the hose, out if sight.



If you want to filter the exhaust the surface area of the filter should be much larger than the cross section of the 4" exhaust duct.  The finer the filter, the more surface area is needed.  And any filter needs regular cleaning.  So for example you could run the dryer into a milk crate wrapped with window screen if you cleaned it regularly, but you would not want to put the window screen on the end of the duct.

Anything that creates resistance to airflow is going to cost energy and keep more heat in the venting system.  If the restriction is bad enough, you get dryer fires.

The safe answer from a dryer perspective is "clean the duct regularly and otherwise let it be"- and the best answer that blows less microplastics around (though your washer is generating tons too) is to air dry your stuff.

It's not at all clear to me that even a hypothetical 100% effective filtration system would result in less microplastics in the environment at the end of the day.


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## DuaeGuttae (Mar 8, 2021)

Ah, well.  

There are add-on lint filters that you can install in your venting run.  I’ve never used one and don’t have any product to recommend.  I just know they exist.  I don’t know if something like that would help.  It would need to be accessible to be cleaned, of course, but I think it’s commendable to try to keep the lint from being blown straight outside.  This thread even got me thinking that I need to check our dryer line just to be sure things still look good.


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## jetsam (Mar 8, 2021)

DuaeGuttae said:


> Ah, well.
> 
> There are add-on lint filters that you can install in your venting run.  I’ve never used one and don’t have any product to recommend.  I just know they exist.  I don’t know if something like that would help.  It would need to be accessible to be cleaned, of course, but I think it’s commendable to try to keep the lint from being blown straight outside.  This thread even got me thinking that I need to check our dryer line just to be sure things still look good.



It's always good to run a brush through it!  Might need to go along and pop some sheet metal screws into the joints first.


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

jetsam said:


> If you want to filter the exhaust the surface area of the filter should be much larger than the cross section of the 4" exhaust duct.  The finer the filter, the more surface area is needed.  And any filter needs regular cleaning.  So for example you could run the dryer into a milk crate wrapped with window screen if you cleaned it regularly, but you would not want to put the window screen on the end of the duct.
> 
> Anything that creates resistance to airflow is going to cost energy and keep more heat in the venting system.  If the restriction is bad enough, you get dryer fires.
> 
> ...



The washer: yes. And the cesspool sucks (a sewer treatment plant at least filters some out).
My filter actually looks like window screen..., but yes, I see your point.
The one person above that recommended running it thru a bucket with water (bubbling, with some screen above), actually has a decent idea - the water will likely be quite effective. Taking the clumps of lint out of the bucket every now and then (and refilling with water) would solve a lot, I think. 

The filter: a 100% effective filter would help, if the filtered debris is disposed of properly. Landfills then, but that's a different debate.


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## jetsam (Mar 8, 2021)

stoveliker said:


> The washer: yes. And the cesspool sucks (a sewer treatment plant at least filters some out).
> My filter actually looks like window screen..., but yes, I see your point.
> The one person above that recommended running it thru a bucket with water (bubbling, with some screen above), actually has a decent idea - the water will likely be quite effective. Taking the clumps of lint out of the bucket every now and then (and refilling with water) would solve a lot, I think.
> 
> The filter: a 100% effective filter would help, if the filtered debris is disposed of properly. Landfills then, but that's a different debate.



Don't run it through water.  The dryer exhaust hitting the surface of water from above is fine, and you can add some soap to capture more debris.

If the outlet is underwater, significant pressure is needed to force air through and again, bad stuff can happen.  The best case outcome is that you lose efficiency. Worst case is that the dryer doesn't have the grunt to do that, dryer fire.


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## stoveliker (Mar 8, 2021)

jetsam said:


> Don't run it through water.  The dryer exhaust hitting the surface of water from above is fine, and you can add some soap to capture more debris.
> 
> If the outlet is underwater, significant pressure is needed to force air through and again, bad stuff can happen.  The best case outcome is that you lose efficiency. Worst case is that the dryer doesn't have the grunt to do that, dryer fire.



Good point. Thanks.


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