How to Clean Your Blowdryer

Not that long ago my mom was visiting and asked to borrow my blowdryer. Ten seconds into drying her hair she exclaimed, Don’t you ever clean this thing? I looked at her, dumbfounded, and she looked at me the way only a mother can when they are disappointed in the fact that their late-20-something child can barely survive on their own. Then she taught me how to clean my blowdryer. Prior to this I was a serial-blowdryer-replacer. I’d use one for 12-18 months and then replace it. As it would gradually start to require more and more time to dry my hair I would become convinced that it was junking out on me. If only I had known then that what I needed to do was clean the lint from the filter. Please tell me I’m not alone here? Hello? Anyone? Turns out that cleaning your blowdryer is embarrassingly simple and is basically the same for all makes and models:

1. With your dryer unplugged (obviously), locate the air intake. This will likely be capped but the cover should be easily removable. Mine simply twists off.
2. Eww, dirt! Underneath the cap you’ll likely find a build-up of lint. I cleaned mine about 8 weeks ago and this is how g-r-o-s-s it already is.
3. Use an orange stick or toothpick to simply pull out the lint buildup.
4. Replace the cap and you’ll be left with a pile of dust bunnies and a blowdryer that is just. like. new. Thanks, Mom!

Up your blowout game even more with one of our favorite dryers: Hot Tools Turbo Ionic (pictured, $45) // Chi Pro Dryer ($90) // Hanaair Professional Hair Dryer ($194) // Harry Josh Pro Dryer ($300) // Sedu Revolution Tourmaline Ionic TGR 4000i ($159),  T3 Featherweight Luxe 21 Dryer ($250)