Discover How To Get Your Radiator Looking Like New
Nobody likes cleaning. I know I certainly don’t. But there comes a time when you have to bite the bullet, drag out the vacuum, pull on the old marigolds and get the job done.
Cleaning radiators is probably not something that crosses your mind all too often (unless you’re totally weird), but keeping on top of dust and dirt in and around your radiators is definitely something that could save you money, help to make your heating more efficient and fill you with a sense of pride and achievement.
Layers of dust are attracted to your radiator because of convection currents and a build up of dust and dirt could have an adverse effect on how your radiator operates.
Unfortunately, radiators can be quite tricky objects to clean and if you have tall vertical radiators you may even need some step ladders to complete the job. In this blog, I’m going to give you some really useful tips and advice on how to effectively clean a radiator and get it sparkling in next to no time…
What Do I Need To Clean A Radiator?
- Vacuum cleaner
- Vacuum cleaner attachments (Such as dust brush and nozzle)
- Step ladder
- Long thin stick (any sort of stick will do)
- Cloth
- Tape
- Towel
- Bucket (warm soapy water)
How Do I Clean A Radiator?
Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to get your radiator looking like new in no time. Remember, keep your radiator turned off when you are cleaning. Cleaning a hot radiator is not a good idea, and it’s tricky to say the least, so always ensure that it has cooled completely before starting the job.
Step One – Go Get Your Vacuum
Get out your vacuum cleaner and try and remove as much dust and dirt as you can down the back and underneath your radiator.
You might not get rid of it all but if you have a brush attachment and a nozzle you may be able to get rid of the majority of it.
Step Two – Make Your Own Radiator Cleaner
Now, we come to the ingenious bit; you can actually make your own radiator cleaner, which is ideal for cleaning those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies to leave your radiator shiny and dust and dirt free. If you ever made anything when you were a kid after watching Blue Peter, you will be a dab hand at this!
If you aren’t lucky enough to have a radiator cleaning brush (like the one in the picture above), get a long stick that’s thin enough to fit between the radiator columns and down the back.
Any sort of stick will do, but it must be long enough to reach to the bottom of the radiator. A long kitchen spoon may also do the trick.
Now wrap a cloth around the end of your big stick and tape it in place. It may all seem a little ‘Heath Robinson‘, but you will need it to scrub your column radiator clean. Spread a towel under the radiator, and push the dust and dirt from your radiator with your sticky, clothy contraption on to the towel.
Step Three – Cleaning Your Radiator With Water
To leave your radiator shiny and gleaming and without dust and dirt anywhere, get a bucket of warm water and a dash of washing up liquid, and splash it about until there are plenty of suds on the surface. You’ll need really soapy water to add luster to your radiator.
Dampen a cloth with the soapy water, and wipe down your radiator. Give it a good scrub and then leave to dry. Remember, the radiator is made of metal and you don’t want it to rust, so ensure it is thoroughly dry and perhaps wipe down with a dry tea towel just to make sure.
You may notice that the wall above your radiator has grainy black, dusty marks. This is also caused by the convection currents your radiator creates when it is in use. To get rid of these marks, just give them a good scrub with the same water and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank of clean.
We hope this guide leads to a clean, tidy and more efficient radiator for you. Just follow our simple steps and you’ll have clean, gleaming radiators in a flash!
Stay Safe and Happy Heating.