When a single load needs two full cycles to dry, you're burning extra electricity and raising your fire risk at the same time. Work through this list from quickest fix to most involved.
1. Clean the Lint Screen Before Every Load
A fully packed lint screen can cut airflow by as much as three-quarters. Clear it before each load without exception, and once a month, wash it with dish soap and a soft brush to remove the invisible film fabric softener leaves behind.
2. Look at the Exhaust Duct (The #1 Cause)
The duct running from your dryer to the outside wall is responsible for more slow-drying complaints — and more dryer fires — than any other single part. Once it's blocked, heat and moisture have nowhere to escape the drum.
Test: With the dryer running, step outside and hold your hand near the exterior vent hood. You should feel a steady, warm gust of air; a weak trickle means the duct is restricted somewhere along its run.
Fix: Detach the duct at both ends and vacuum it thoroughly. If you've still got a flexible plastic accordion duct, swap it for rigid metal — the ribbed plastic sags, snags lint, and is a known fire hazard.
3. No Heat at All? Check the Heating Element
A drum that tumbles normally but produces zero warmth usually points to a burned-out heating element on electric models, or a failed igniter on gas models. It's a routine repair that fully restores drying performance.
4. Clean the Moisture Sensor Strips
Two thin metal strips inside the drum tell the dryer when clothes are dry. Once they're coated in dryer-sheet residue, they misread the load as dry and cut the cycle short. A cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol clears them right up.