Is your Maytag Bravos dryer not drying and probably leaves wet clothes behind? Perhaps the dryer takes longer to dry and frustrates you since you have to wait hours before taking out the laundry – not forgetting the high energy bill that follows its running.
Your Maytag Bravos dryer does not dry your clothes because of a wrong setting, drum overload, extra-wet laundry, clogged lint screen, blocked dryer vent, unlevelled feet, or defective heating element.
If any of these issues happen, your dryer will leave the clothes wet or may take forever to dry them, and you don’t want that. Interestingly, some of the mentioned issues don’t necessarily point to a technical fault, which means they are easy fixes, and I’ll show you how.
Others may require you to do some deep-seating cleaning or slightly disassemble the dryer to check out the affected part and fix it. That, again, is something you can do if you know what to check.
How about we jump into the seven issues to discuss what to look for and how to troubleshoot it?
In a rush? Below is a simple troubleshooting guide for your non-drying Maytag Bravos dryer:
Quick Guide to Troubleshooting a Maytag Bravos Dryer Not Drying
| – | Likely Cause | Recommended Fix |
| 1. | Wrong setting | Consider a medium or high-heat setting over a low/no-heat setting |
| 2. | Drum overload | Keep the drum load capacity not more than ¾ full |
| 3. | Extra-wet laundry | Wring off excess water from the clothes before loading them into the dryer |
| 4. | Clogged lint screen | Clean the lint screen |
| 5. | Blocked dryer vent | Remove kinks and clogs from the dryer vent |
| 6. | Unlevelled feet | Adjust and steady the dryer’s feet |
| 7. | Defective heating element | Replace the heating element |
Why Is My Maytag Bravos Dryer Not Drying Clothes?
Consider these seven issues if your Maytag Bravos dryer doesn’t dry your clothes:
1. Wrong Setting – Probably a Low-Heat or No-Heat Cycle
Not all Maytag Dryer cycles produce heat. Some, like the Air-Fluff and Air-Only cycles, only produce air, while others, like Less-Dry and Wrinkle-Control, allow the dryer to run on low heat.
So, if any of these settings are active, your dryer won’t get hot enough. And remember, if the dryer doesn’t get hot, the clothes will remain wet.
Fix
Change the dryer’s setting or cycle if you are using a low-heat or no-heat option. Consider a medium-to-high heat setting, depending on the clothes you want to dry.
2. Drum Overload – The Drum Capacity Exceeds ¾
For proper spinning by the dryer and drying of the clothes, the dryer shouldn’t be more than ¾ full. If you exceed this capacity and overload the dryer, the clothes won’t spin; if they do turn, there won’t be enough room for the hot air to circulate and dry them.
Ultimately, you’ll end up with wet laundry, which is only frustrating.
Fix
Try to keep the laundry size in the drum at ¾ capacity. Don’t reduce the size too much (below 50%), as the dryer may fail to spin in such a case.
3. Extra-Wet Load – The Clothes Are Soaking Wet
Even though it’s the job of the dryer to dry wet clothes, they shouldn’t be dripping wet. That’s part of why you should first run the rain-spin washer cycle while the clothes are still in the washer.
The problem with extra-wet clothes is that the dryer may run for long hours to get them dry, which means a higher energy bill. So, it’s better to avoid it.
Fix
If the clothes are soaking wet, stop the dryer and take the clothes out. Then wring the extra water out, re-load the clothes into the dryer, and start the dryer.
4. Clogged Lint Screen – The Lint Screen is Too Dirty
There must be good airflow for the dryer to heat and dry clothes. Essentially, that depends on a clean lint filter. Over time, however, the lint filter traps lint and other forms of filth, clogging it and preventing hot air flow.
Consequently, the dryer either fails to get hot or takes longer, which means your clothes will come out wet, or you may have to wait forever for them to dry. The danger of the latter is that it skyrockets your electricity bill.
Fix
Remove the dirty lint screen from the dryer and wash it. Use mild soapy water to clean the screen and if you can, scrub it using a nylon brush and rinse it with clean water before reinstalling it.
5. Blocked Dryer Vent – The Vent is Probably Kinked or Clogged
The vent is another component that could block and result in restricted airflow, just like the lint screen. But unlike the lint screen, which you only need to worry about clogging, you’ve to worry about clogging and possibly kinking when it comes to a dryer vent.
And if the dryer vent is made of plastic or metal for construction, then you’ve to worry about it collapsing and blocking. In some cases, the dryer vent could have many elbows, slowing the airflow and thus prolonging the dryer’s drying time.
Fix
Clean the dryer if it’s clogged, and stretch out any twists or kinks to promote a clear path for air to move in and out. If the dryer vent has collapsed or has many elbows, replace it with a rigid-metal option with fewer than five 90-degree elbows/bends.
6. Unlevelled Feet – The Dryer Can’t Stop Shaking When Spinning
The dryer should stand on leveled ground for smooth spinning and drying. That, however, doesn’t happen if the legs are unlevelled. In such a case, the dryer may fail to spin, and even if it does turn, the spinning will be non-uniform, which means some clothes will come out wet.
Fix
Adjust the dryer feet and ensure the dryer is stable when spinning. If the ground is not uniform, move the dryer to a more even surface.
7. Defective Heating Element
Lastly, your dryer might not dry because the heating element has failed. This component’s job is to heat the entering cold air, and at times, it burns out, thus unable to do that. But still, the heating element can wear out, especially after using it for a long time.
Fix
Replace the heating element if it’s defective. You can tell if that’s so by testing it with a multimeter. If it’s okay, it’ll show continuity, but if it’s defective, it’ll not.
Maytag Bravos Dryer Takes Long Time to Dry
There are different reasons why the Maytag Bravos may take longer to dry clothes. It could be that the lint screen or exhaust vent is clogged and thus interfering with airflow. It could also be that the laundry is either extra wet or too large for the dryer to dry in one or two cycles.
But still, it could be an issue with a low-heat setting such as Wrinkle-Prevent or Less-Dry, which only allows the dryer to run on low heat. Whatever the case, the dryer issues are fixable, and you can get your dryer back working once you identify the fault or cause.
Maytag Bravos Dryer Not Drying in Once Cycle
Though you expect a Maytag Bravos dryer to dry clothes in just one cycle, sometimes you may need two or more. It’s, however, unnecessary, given that the cause includes avoidable issues like a partially blocked vent or lint screen, extra-wet laundry, or dryer overload.
In the case of a blockage, you only need to clean the lint screen and dryer vent, and in the case of the laundry, ensure it’s neither soaking wet nor bulky for the dryer.
Clothes Still Wet
It’s maddening to find the clothes still wet after running the dryer. That, however, can happen to a Maytag Bravos if the dryer doesn’t dry all the way.
One issue leading to that is an auto-sensing setting like Timed-Dry, which only allows the dryer to run for a particular time. So, once the time elapses, the dryer stops heating, meaning if the clothes aren’t dry, they’ll come out soaking wet.
Another probable cause is loading extra wet clothes. If these clothes don’t stay in the dryer for longer, they’ll come out dripping wet.
People Also Ask
1. Why Is My Maytag Dryer Not Drying Clothes in One Cycle?
Your Maytag dryer doesn’t dry clothes in one cycle because there’s restricted airflow, perhaps due to a blocked vent or lint screen. In that case, clear any clogs and kinks from the vent and thoroughly clean the lint screen if it’s dirty.
You may also consider the issue of the laundry load being soaking wet. In that case, the dryer cannot dry it in one cycle. If so, avoid putting clothes dripping wet in the dryer and learn to wring the water out first.
2. Why Are My Clothes Still Wet in My Maytag Bravos Dryer?
Your clothes are still wet in your Maytag Bravos dryer because of an auto-sensing setting like Time-Dry, which only allows the dryer to heat for a specific time. Once the time ends, the dryer doesn’t heat anymore, meaning the clothes may come out wet.
If it’s not auto-sensing, then it’s likely that the clothes are too wet or too bulky, the latter being a case of overloading the dryer. Hence, you may want to check the laundry load and reduce it if it’s too bulky or wring the excess water out if it’s soaking wet.
3. How Do You Fix a Dryer That Is Not Drying?
You can fix a dryer that won’t dry using these tips:
- First, ensure the dryer has power – in case it won’t start
- Check the lint filter and vent for clogging and clean them
- If the dryer vent is kinked, straighten it out
- Choose a medium or high-heat setting unless you are drying delicate and light fabrics
- Ensure the dryer is steady when running
- Don’t load clothes that are too wet or just too bulky for the dryer
- Replace the heating element if it’s defective
Concluding Remarks on the Maytag Bravos Dryer Not Drying:
Generally, it’s worth considering the possibility of a wrong heat cycle, dripping wet or bulky load, dirty lint screen, a blocked vent, unstable feet, or a faulty heating element when your Maytag Bravos dryer won’t dry the clothes.
Most of these issues point to your Maytag Bravos dryer not heating, but the good news is that you can troubleshoot them. So, why don’t you try it before giving the next-door dryer expert or Maytag a call?
Also Read: