Comments on: Warning! Homeowners at Work?

By: Johnny

Johnny — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:13:26 +0000

We have a worse situation. My 16 year old daughter took sheets out of the washer and put them in the dryer. She didn’t look to see if the dryer was empty, and since there wasn’t much to put in the dryer, got everything in, closed the door turned it on and left before realizing that the cat we have had for 17 years was in there.

I was in another state when I got the phone call from a hysterical wife that she found the cat dead as she emptied the dryer. I had to come home in the middle of the night and “handle” it all.

The problem we have now is that anytime you turn the dryer on it has an awful smell.

The cat was dead, but not in that bad of shape. There wasn’t a lot of blood and fur, and she was only dead in the dryer for about 4- 5 hours before I got home.

How can we get rid of the odor? I am trying drying rags soaked in vinegar right now, but I am open to any suggestions you might have!

PS- My daughter doesn’t know she killed the cat. We just told her my wife found her dead in the utility room. (She’d never forgive herself!) I need to get this issue resolved before she puts two and two together.

By: Boone

Boone — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:58:38 +0000

Hi Karen,

I am TRUELY TRUELY sorry to hear about your critter funk. We actually did wind up taking the dryer apart…or partially apart. It was pretty simple though.

Just remove the exhaust pipe near the bottom on the back of the dryer. (it should just pull off by hand.) This is where we “found our dead thing/s.” The back of the dryer (ours anyway) just has a thin metal plate that came off with 8 screws. From there, as you so eloquently put it, was surgical masks & kitchen gloves time.

Fortunately, we were able to salvage the dryer after a hearty bleaching and scrubbing session from the dryer exhaust fan out. However, the exhaust pipe was a lost cause and had to go.

If you have further questions, please let me know.

I wish you the best of luck on your funk hunt!
~Boone

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:44:00 +0000

Hi,
We have an odd funk in our dryer too! We tried to take the dryer apart but to no avail. We don’t know how to get to the funkiness. Did you take the dryer apart??? We believe it is a bird or a squirrel and it has got to go. Any advice you can give would be appreciated.

Signed,
2 girls equipped with surgical masks and kitchen gloves

By: Cindy

Cindy — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:47:49 +0000

Boone,
I agree, this is definately a Cindy story! chipmunks, mice living in cars. Hey they need a warm place to stay!
Cindy

By: Boone

Boone — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:41:50 +0000

So, last night I ran to Home Depot and purchased the needed hardware to finish the repairs on our dryer. However, Home Depot is now at the top of my shit-list. I can’t walk into that store without spending $50. I don’t know how it happens…it just does. I’m like a kid in a candy store.

While I was standing there, in the 4-mile isle of metallic venting pieces and dryer plumbing, I noticed a sign. The sign was warning people not to use vinyl dryer exhaust hose as it is quite flammable. Guess what we have (had) during the “hot animal” debacle? …Vinyl dryer exhaust hose.

It was bad enough that we had dead things in our dryer…but come to find out that we had a recipe for dead animal ignition. Needless, to say, I also purchased a new aluminum exhaust hose.

I will be returning to the big HD to purchase an exhaust pipe outdoor “Cage” cover to prevent animals from finding their way in ever again.

The fun just never ends here in Madison.

$14.69 for a new small-spaces dryer exhaust vent
$9.95 for a new aluminum exhaust hose
$13.00 for chlorine, gloves, a broom & dust-pan, and 2 wash-clothes

Spending 2 hours removing dead things from a dryer with your new wife…Priceless