Idea Exchange: Give your hair dryer new life

Most practices have handheld hair dryers for pet grooming or to help with a quick cleanup if a pet has urine or stool on its backside. To extend the life of the dryer, use a toothbrush to remove the lint, dust, and hair that accumulate on the screen on the back of the dryer. A clean screen will improve airflow and lessen the chances of overheating. We put this task on our monthly to-do list.

Dr. Melisa Hicks

Long Beach, Calif.