Yep, I told him just that- he was lucky he didn't burn the place down. I make it a habit to pull mine out & clean it if needed before *and* after each load, on the principle that if I let myself not do it once, I'll never remember. :^)

And every once in a while I take it into the kitchen and wash it with dishwasher detergent, because laundry chemicals build up and clog the mesh.