Real simple 15-minute fix, plus first photo shoot ever from inside my dryer ‣ MyFixitUpLife

By Mark Fix it How-to Mark's blog OurFixitUpLife

I love it when my home fixes are real simple. And I hate it when someone says it’s easy and then it’s not easy.

‣ MyFixitUpLife real simple — Real simple home fixes make us happy.

The problem: Conscientious ‘dryer operator’ that I am, I attempted to empty the dryer’s lint screen before drying clothes. Upon placing it back in its slot, it would not seat all the way like it’s supposed to. Note the ‘thumbs-down’ signaling my disapproval.

Of course, what I found inside the lint screen, makes perfect sense: A hotel key card. Also irony because inside the lint screen in no way appears to be a great seat.

Having taken the lint screen apart before to clean the dryer duct, I know its fairly simple to remove and should only take a few minutes.

‣ MyFixitUpLife real siimple — Removing the lint screen cover was reasonably easy.

So far so good. Except, this real simple home repair I only planned a few minutes for started slipping away as the foam gasket that was supposed to be adhered to the dryer came out with the plastic cover. Not happy.

I knew that I couldn’t just leave this gasket out or it would cause a tiny tornado of lint pouring into the duct with each load of laundry and that is not a good idea at all. The look on my face is not fake. I’m a little torqued off.

‣ MyFixitUpLife real simiple — See the gasket? I hate it when little things like this make a simple project more complicated.

Please remember, the camera is inside the dryer. For me to get to this area, I have to be on a stool (dryer is stacked on top of the washer) and hunched over in a tiny opening to see what I’m doing. I bumped my head about 80-times already so my blood pressure is now up. As I sorted out possible solutions I remembered the Gorilla Glue Super Glue with the BRUSH Gorilla Glue sent us. I love this brush.

Trying to slather glue in there from a bottle—my first thought—would simply not work. The brush, however…oh yeah…So I scrubbed as much gunk off the dryer as I could with a damp cloth.

I can barely see what I’m doing. I’m bent over in the opening looking down my nose and it’s just all blurry. The light is bad and I know if glue isn’t spread across the whole length of the gasket when I put the cover back on anything not glued will pull off. With the brush, I can coat the entire surface.

The gasket stayed glued to the lint trap and the cover went on without a hitch. Real simple fix accomplished.

Here’s a better look at the brush. It’s basically a nail polish brush and it works great!

Mark

A licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor, he writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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