WHY I AM FACING THIS PROBLEM?

MOST dryer heat related problems are due to poor ventilation. As your clothes dry, warm moist air is exhausted out the dryer exhaust vent ducting. If you have any kinks, excessive bends, sags, or excessively long ducting runs, this can create choke points for lint to accumulate. Once the lint accumulates, it begins to collect moisture. As it collects moisture, it will act as a sponge and collect more lint until the dryer becomes completely clogged. Left in a clogged state, the dryer begins to overheat and dries less efficiently. You may notice longer dry times or an excessively hot dryer. Eventually the dryer heating circuits will fail which will require the replacement of failed components ($). This can also become a fire hazard if the lint becomes so backed up that it begins to collect on, or near, the heating element.

CAN I MYSELF DO ANYTHING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM?

WHAT CARE SHOULD I TAKE TO STOP THIS PROBLEM IN FUTURE?

Make sure the exhaust vent is at least 12 inches off the ground. This will deter mice and others pests (like snakes or birds) from entering the dryer exhaust from the outside. If you place a cover on the vent, make sure it is of the louvered variety. Do not use screens. They will collect lint and clog easily. Keep in mind, along with cleaning your lint trap after each load, you need to check the outside vent periodically to ensure it is not obstructed.

HOW I WILL KNOW THAT THERE IS EXHAUST PROBLEM?

An easy test to determine if you have an exhaust problem is to remove the dryer vent hose from the back of the dryer. Turn the dryer on and attempt to dry a load of clothes as you normally would. The air leaving the back of the dryer should be forceful and warm (about 140 degrees). If the air flow is weak, you need to check the dryer interior. In particular, the blower fan housing. If the air flow is normal, and your clothes dry as they should, reattach the hose and run the dryer again. This time, check the exhaust vent where it exits your home. Again, the air flow should be forceful and warm. If not, you have a clog somewhere in the ventilation ducting which will require cleaning.

WHAT SHOULD I CHECK?

-----------------

I ALSO HAVE PROBLEM WITH MY WASHING MACHINE?

Jean Seberg shows off her lovely skin.

Nobody wants to have scaly shins, ashy elbows, or dishpan hands.  Nobody wants to spend all their scratch on preventing these disasters, either.  When it comes to caring for the skin from your neck down, it’s possible to do so without spending a fortune.  It’s altogether possible to keep your skin gorgeous without breaking the bank, from bubbles to body lotion.

Lathering Up

You lather up for one reason – to get clean.  However, unless you work in the coal mines or a pig farm, you’re probably not as dirty as you think.  In other words, you are probably using too much lather, too often.  Wait! Don’t leave!  This isn’t as gross as you think!

Lather up your stinky parts (and you know what your stinky parts are) every day, preferably with deodorant soap.  For your other parts, unless you’ve gotten especially dirty or sweaty, do those every other day.  Trust me, as long as you take care of the stinky parts, the water in your shower or bath will be enough for the rest.  If you have dry, irritated, or just plain itchy skin, you may find that this bathing method cures it, especially during the winter when cold temperatures tend to aggravate these conditions.

What to lather with?  Well, if you’ve been down a soap aisle in any store lately, you’ll know that there is an array of products to choose from – it’s up to you which to choose.  As a general rule, clear bars of soap, which are primarily glycerine, are less drying than opaque soaps.  As for body washes, whichever you like the scent of and fits your budget.  Personally, I use Lever 2000 deodorant soap on my stinky parts, and the absolutely wonderful Lander 3-in-1 Body Wash, Shampoo and Bubble Bath as my body wash.  This Lander stuff is a knock off of the much more expensive Philosophy 3-in-1s, for a literal fraction of the price, and as far as I can tell, works just as well.

Smoothing Up

Exfoliating – the new black.  For real.  There are an overabundance of exfoliating products on the market now, and 99% of them are too gentle to do any good whatsoever and the other 1% will take the top layer off your skin.  That’s only a slight exaggeration.

The best exfoliators you can buy are not in a tube.  Rather, they are tools – think loofahs and bath puffs.  However, loofahs become nasty, not to mention germy, almost overnight, and while most bath puffs can be washed, who actually does wash them?

The absolute best exfoliator for your body is a washcloth.  Preferably a cheap one that has a little texture to it.  Not only will it exfoliate, unlike loofahs and puffs, you will likely wash it after every use.  What’s more, since you don’t have to replace washcloths nearly as often as you should replace loofahs and puffs, washcloths are the best bet for your budget, as well.  Oh, and here’s a hint – if you really want to keep those washcloths in exfoliating shape, don’t use fabric softener.

Lotioning Up

Ah, lotion – the best part of the bathing experience.  Who doesn’t like to get out of the tub and slather on a delicious-smelling lotion?  If you don’t,  go look at alpacas or goats or something.

As much as we love the scentsation of lotioning up, we do it to keep our skin soft and smooth.  Here are the best budget-friendly ways to do so:

Cheap – If you like more expensive lotions, such as those from Victoria’s Secret or Bath and Body Works, or, like me, Chanel, but it’s running you in the red, try this: mix a few drops of baby oil into your lotion before smoothing it on.  Not only will the baby oil allow you to use less, it will allow you to do so without sacrificing beautiful skin.

Cheaper – Vaseline makes several good lotions and body oils, as do Palmer’s, but Vaseline’s often leave me feeling sticky, and Palmer’s is often a little too strong smelling for my taste.

Cheapest – You absolutely can’t beat Queen Helene lotions with a stick.  They are dirt cheap, often have little or no scent, and come in huge bottles that last forever.  Did I mention that these huge bottles can often be found for under $3?

Another cheap way to go are the Lander lotions that go with their 3-in -1 products.  I have been a devotee of the Vanilla Creme Caramel lotion for several years now, and I have to say that for a lotion that sells for under $3, I have never found one that is as moisturizing or smells as good.  In fact, I actually prefer this lotion to similarly scented ones I’ve gotten from VS and BBW.

And cheapest of all?  Baby oil.  Go ahead – buy it generic.  Baby oils are all basically the same, and if you  put them on while you’re still damp from the shower, you will have the silkiest skin ever.

Prevention is Priceless

Bathing and smoothing and lotioning are all great, but the best way to get beautiful skin is to protect it.  That means putting sunblock or sunscreen on EVERY SINGLE DAY. Let’s say it again together – SPF EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Unless age spots and uneven skin tone are your idea of sexy, you should be using an SPF of at least 15 on all your exposed parts every day.  Protecting your skin from the sun today is like investing in your skin’s 401k – it’s going to pay off years from now.

For the delicate skin on your neck and chest, use the same SPF products you’d use on your face, and ramp the SPF number up to at least 25 or 30.  I either use Neutrogena or Eucerin, because my super-sensitive skin extends down to my neck and chest.

And I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but STOP SUNBATHING.  That means no lying on the beach frying like bacon for hours at a time or cooking yourself in a tanning bed.  Stop it right now.  If you must be tan, use a self-tanner, but for the love of all that’s holy, use a gradual one so that you don’t look like an Ooompa-Loompa.  The only one I have been able to use with any success is Olay’s, and even it I have to water down with lotion.

Etcetera

Don’t forget Vaseline.

When you’re shaving your legs, don’t use any old razor.  You can use any old shaving cream/body wash/even hair conditioner, but use a good razor with a sharp blade.  Men’s razors are typically better, and the Mach 3 that I stole from my brother not only gives me the softest legs and underarms known to man, but I can also use the same blade for ages before it gets dull.

For feets that won’t fail, Gold Bond’s Foot Cream in the blue tube is light enough to be used during the daytime, yet rich enough to put on overnight.
See there? You can be soft as a baby’s bottom all over without spending a fortune.  Now put that money you saved in your piggy bank, because we’ve got a dream house to work on!