My laundry blog posts have been mostly devoted to detergents recently, so I thought I’d change things up a little and put together this step by step tutorial on how to clean a condenser dryer. If you’ve read my Miele W3038 review 
Cleaning the condenser is part of the regular maintenance process and should not be confused with cleaning the lint filters. Lint filters must be cleaned after every use, while the actual condenser needs cleaning less often.
How to Clean a Condenser Dryer: Step by Step
I’m going to be using my own dryer as an example – your setup might be a little different based on the machine. But the overall principle is the same for all condenser dryers. Consult your manual if you have any doubts!
Step 0:Make sure the machine is turned off
This is an easy one – always make sure your machine is turned off before you do anything with it. My manual recommends actually unplugging it or turning it off at the circuit breaker.
Step 1: Locate the Condenser
Now on to the very basics: the condenser element is usually accessible from the front of the machine. That large “window” below the dryer door is where it’s hiding. (By the way, have I mentioned just how much I envy people who have actual laundry rooms? This is our laundry/linen closet and it’s all I get with our current condo setup. Still much better than no laundry of course!)
Step 2: Remove the Access Panel
Next you have to remove the access panel. On my Miele machine it’s easy to do with this little orange tool – when not in use it clips in to the detergent drawer of the washer, so you never have to go rummaging for it.
Tip: the access door is usually made out of plastic, so be careful not to scratch it when removing and setting aside.
Step 3: Remove the Condenser Door
Behind the panel you’ll find another door that seals off the condenser. Unlock the orange latch and take it out.
Step 4: Pull out the Condenser
Now that you’ve gotten past all those different doors, you can finally see the condenser. Once again, unlock the latch and carefully pull it out.
Tip: there might be some lint falling off of the condenser so don’t shake it around too much.
Step 5: Wash the Condenser
This is the fun part! Put your condenser in the tub or sink and give it a good rinse with warm water (no soap). You want to rinse it from all sides with a fairly strong stream of water until all the lint and debris is gone, but be careful not to bend any of the “wires” that are accessible from the sides.
Tip: make sure you have a net on your drain to catch the lint.
Step 6: Dry the Condenser
Put the condenser on a towel and let it dry overnight. I’ll be honest, I have put it right back in while still wet on a couple of occasions, but my manual recommends air drying so I try to comply whenever possible.
Tip: spread the towel out ahead of time.
Step 7: Wipe off any remaining lint and put everything back together
Once you’re ready to put the condenser back in place, give all the seals a good wipe with a damp microfiber towel and clean out the inside of the condenser area of the machine if you see any lint there. Then assemble everything back together and you are ready to use your dryer again!
When to Clean a Condenser Dryer
Now that you know how to clean a condenser dryer, how often do you actually have to do this? Different machines will have different instructions regarding how often maintenance is needed, but the Miele T8023C
You do want to make sure that you clean the condenser as frequently as the manual recommends – if it gets clogged up with lint that will affect drying times (by making them longer) and waste a lot of energy. We live in MA, home of some of the highest electricity rates in the country, so I am very, very cautious about keeping our energy consumption as low as possible. Even though the dryer is energy efficient, I’m still not taking any chances!
We’re also currently replacing all of our lighting with LED bulbs – I could never force myself to use CFLs, but LED technology is pretty amazing right now. (I actually get excited about LED bulbs… If you are the same, check out this awesome post by The Sweethome where they went searching for the best general purpose LED bulb.)
I’d love to hear from any condenser dryer users in the comments – did you know how to clean a condenser dryer when you purchased the machine? How frequently do you clean the condenser? Have you ever seen a decrease in performance due to the condenser not being cleaned on time?
Hi, thanks for this. Where do you get the orange tool to open the condenser unit? I don’t think i have one, or if it did come with me it got lost with the instructions etc. Can I order a replacement, or is there something else I can use?
Thanks,
Joanna
Hi Joanna, if you have the matching washer check the back of the detergent dispenser – there’s a nifty little holding spot for it there. If that one is lost too, you can use any kind of soft plastic (so you don’t scratch the cover), like a spatula or some other kitchen utensil. Good luck!
Hi Olga,
How do you like your Miele condens dryer. How does it comapre to a vented dryer?
thank you. Sue
Hi Sue, the dryer is solid. I don’t LOVE it, but overall have been satisfied. You have to understand the limitations, considering it’s pretty small and clothes/sheets don’t have as much space to freely tumble around.
No personal long term experience with vented dryers, so unfortunately can’t comment on that!
My condenser drawer always pours some water out onto the floor whenever I pull it out! The Bosch manual says to lay a towel down, but I’m still finding that underneath gets wet (There’s such a slum gso under the dryer, no tray will reach). Is there any trick to doing it neatly?
Hi Holly-Ann!
I googled what the Bosch water container looks like, and it appears to be a very similar design to the Miele one that I have. Is water spilling out of the container when it is full? If so, the only trick I can think of is emptying the container before it gets too full, so it’s easier to balance and the water doesn’t go splashing all over your floor! I tend to pour the water out of mine when it’s 1/2-2/3 full.
It seems to be non evaporated water that cones out when I pull out the condenser….
Oh sorry Holly-Ann, I completely misunderstood your question! Yes, now I know what you mean – I get a little bit of that as well. I unfortunately don’t think there’s much that can be done to prevent that (apart from holding a towel right under it as you pull it out), since there will always be a little bit of water left in the condenser.
Nice summary. Thank you for sharing.
Woow ! what a great post , thanks for the sharing , i loved the way explain each and everything, step by step. Really help for who want to clean Condenser Dryer.
Thank you Olga. At six months I cleaned my Miele Dryer condenser for the first times. Oops! I should have counted my loads, the amount of lint in the condenser and the condenser area I am sure was too much. Anyway I will do as you do every 3-4 months.
Thank you for the instructions on finding the yellow tool to open the first panel. I did need to search but I found it behind the front where the handle is.
I have a friend who recently bought a Miele washer and dryer condenser set, I immediately told her about your blog. It was a great way to get acquainted with my Miele before they had been delivered. I was enchanted with the light on the washer when I first got my machine so I would stand in front of it and watch the clothes until the light went out.
Just a comment specifically about the Miele washer and dryer. We have floating wood floors through out our small home. On researching I found that the the floors needed to be glued down under a Miele or it would vibrate the house. Good thing I found out before we had the floors put in. One person had given her Miele set away (sold it probably) because of all the vibration. I feel for her because she gave up such a great set and all she had to do was glue her floors under her washer and dryer.
I love your blog. Laundry has a whole new meaning now!
Hi, thanks.
I have a different model (T 8986 WP Softtronic Dryer), but I understand both have the heat pump technology. This one doesn’t have a removable condenser, and I’m frequently receiving a message (“Limpiar conductos de aire” “Clean out airways”) and the dryer stops. In the instructions manual there is no reference to this problem, and I can’t get a service manual.
Do you have access to this information?
My best regards.
Hi,
Regardless of the type of model you have this should be a safety warning to you to regularly maintain your appliance. Lint build up (trapped clothing fibres and dust) can block the airways of the dryer, which in turn will eventually make the dryer work less efficiently and will cause the machine to over heat and catch fire and blow up which means you could burn your property down and kill you take it seriously, most domestic fires are caused by tumble driers setting fire either because of lack of correct and regular maintenance. I have seen first hand the tragic results of this happening in London regarding the tragic Grenfell Tower.
i have a miele condenser dryer and the lint pick up doesn’t work. i have two dogs and a cat and with my old dryer, the lint drawer was stuffed full after every wash. I have cleaned out the condenser and dont know what else to do. Any suggestions out there would be greatly appreciated. THanks.
Hi Shellie, could you explain in more detail what exactly isn’t working?
Thank you so much for this. I work in leasing condos and had no idea what I was looking at when a new renter asked me to fix a condenser dryer that was not working. I’m not sure how many years it’s been there, but I’m sure the condenser was never cleaned. by the prior tenant.
Thanks for the hint to the location of that yellow tool — had been searching for mine and wouldn’t have found it in a thousand years otherwise
You are very welcome! It’s definitely not easy to find without knowing what you’re looking for.
My miele dryer condenser does not pull out it is fixed into machine behind a plastic panel which is inaccessible. How do I clean it? My dryer has been taking hours to dry so I took off the front panel with the yellow tool and found only a grey honeycomb filter which I have pulled out and washed and when I put it back it still takes ages to dry. I have found if I leave panel and filter off the machine it drys fine. Help!
hi Olga,
I have the same Miele Dryer. We are very happy with this unit and we had it for years. It dries really well and easy to clean
Just recently we started to have an issue with the dryer, it runs as normal but the clothes are not getting dry at all. There is no error messages on the display to tell me whats wrong with it!!
I checked all vents and made sure all clean and clear.
Have you had this issue with your dryer?!
Hi Bill, I have never had this issue – unfortunately it sounds pretty serious to me, I’d get that service call in as soon as you can. Hopefully it’s not a very expensive fix!
Olga, thanks so much for this post. I also have the same dryer (just bought a new home with it already in there) – Miele T8023C. I have been clearing the lint, draining the water, and thanks to you, cleaning the condenser. However, there is a weird smell that just won’t go away. It’s not totally awful, just weird. Any suggestions on how to deal with that w/out contacting Miele’s customer service? Again, much appreciated.
Hi Tony, where is the smell coming from and what is it like?
It’s odd. Seems to be isolated to the drum and the clothes come out with the smell. Again, it’s not “awful” but it is a bit musty. It’s almost as if it carries the smell of the previous owners detergent (maybe?). None of the smell carries over to the water filter.
Are you getting any smell when you open up the condenser to clean?
sorry for the delay in getting back on this. Yes, I do get some of that smell when I do open up the condenser door.
Hi my name’s Claire I’m just wondering if u can help me please my dad’s condenser dryer keeps flashing saying filters need emptying but ther is hardly any water in it and not much fluff in the bottom part either which is cleaned every time and water emptyed every time the drying time is up we alway put it on extra cuboad dry two but still damp after came u tell me how to fix the problem please .and please excuse my spelling to
If the actual condenser unit is clean (not just the lint filters) I’m afraid this might require a service call – that kind of behavior could indicate a fault with the machine. Sorry, I know it’s a pain! You can start by washing the lint filter screens and wiping down the moisture sensors to make sure those aren’t causing any issues.
Thank you so much for sharing
I am looking to replace a 14 year old Asko washer that sadly can’t be fixed, and it appears I also will have to replace the matching stackable Asko vented dryer as nothing else can be stacked with it! I am looking at Bosh with condensate dryer, but really not happy about the reviews I see on line concerning dampness issues with the condensate filter cleaning and possibility of too much moisture being put back into my condo ( we have enough issues with too much humidity in Coastal RI area causing mold and mildew in summer, don’t need to deliberately add more,). I am leaning towards the Mieli set, with the 2018 version Heat Pump dryer instead, though the price is a bit mind boggling. Has anyone here had experience with that dryer rather than the condensate dryer? I need the 24” compact size and the units must be stackable. While I have a vent, I’ve always been aware it is probably longer than recommended and has way too many 90 degree turns to get to where we were able to locate a vent on outside of condo.
Just moved to a new house with an old Bosch condenser dryer and am so glad to have come across your post! I had never even heard of a condensation dryer. My question: do you really have to unplug the dryer to clean the Heat Exchanger? There’s no way. I’d have to pull the whole washer /dryer unit out to reach the plug. Do people really do that every time? Thanks!
Hi Mariah, I personally keep mine plugged in, but you could also hit the switch at the circuit breaker if you wanted to.
Hi Olga,
I had have this exact dryer for a few years. I clean the condenser as you have shown regularly since we have a dog that sheds a lot.
Two questions I have –
1) When the condenser is taken out, there is a fair amount of lint build up in the way back of where the condenser lives. I get most of it out with my vacuum.
2) Recently there has been a build up of condesation around the ‘large window’ so that a small puddle of water ends up dripping out onto the floor.
Any thoughts on either of these issues?
Thanks,
Nancy
Really helpfull and quite fantastic! Good work on this article. It’s worth reading.
Great post, Olga, thanks so much for this post. I also have the same dryer. One more things is How can I clean the inside of my tumble dryer? Thank you.
True Fresh is a brand of cleaning products that is specifically designed to clean the inner and vital parts of your washing machine and dishwasher. These deep clean tablets are easy to use and will leave your machines looking and smelling fresh and clean – https://true-fresh.com/