While rare, dryer fires do occur and can have tragic consequences. One mother loaded up her dryer and left her children asleep while she took a 15 minute trip to drop her husband off. When she returned her house was on fire and her children were lost.
Some simple precautions could have prevented this tragedy. Don’t leave the house or go to bed with the dryer running. Keep the lint catcher as well as the dryer vent cleaned out. We often forget or neglect these easy steps in our effort to save time. But there are other dryer traps that should be avoided as well.
Consumer Reports says you should avoid using liquid fabric softener on all-cotton clothing made of fleece, terry cloth, or velour. Burning speed of these fabrics was increased when liquid fabric softeners were used. You can avoid this problem by using dryer sheets instead.
Purchasing a dryer with a moisture sensor and keeping it clean is also very helpful. In addition, wash clothing twice that has been exposed to flammable material such as gasoline or turpentine. It is best to air dry these items if at all possible.
Being diligent with these precautions could keep you from being one who laments, “I never thought it could happen to me.”
