It is not a job that you will look forward to doing but there comes a time when you have to clean the radiators. Your column radiators attract dust and dirt. As a result they not only look ugly but an unclean radiator can also cost you money.
Layers of dust will affect your radiators ability to do its job properly. Because they are hot dust is attracted to them like iron filings to a magnet and your heaters will probably be the dustiest things in your rooms.
So they need to be cleaned regularly. They are tricky objects to clean and if you have designer radiators or vertical radiators you may need a set of step ladders to complete the job. Here is some advice on how to get your radiator sparkling.
Get out the vacuum cleaner
Try to clean away as much of the dirt and dust as you can with your vacuum cleaner. It will not be able to get rid of it all but if you have a brush attachment and a nozzle you may be able to get rid of quite a bit with your trusty Hoover.
Now we come to the ingenious bit. We are going to make our own radiator cleaner which will get those hard to reach bits shiny and dust free. If you ever made anything when you were a kid after watching Blue Peter you will be a dab hand at this bit.
Get a long stick. It must be thin enough to fit between the middle of the radiator. Any sort of stick will do but it must also be long enough to reach to the bottom of the radiator. A long kitchen spoon may do the trick.
Now wrap a cloth around the end of your appliance and tape it to the end. 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 dirt from your radiator with your cloth on a stick on to the towel.
Fill a bucket of warm water
You now need to get your radiator to shine so you need to get a bucket of warm water and add a bit of washing up liquid. Splash it about it until you get a satisfying amount of suds on the surface. You need soapy water to bring lustre to your radiator.
Dampen a cloth and wipe down your radiator. Give it a good scrub and then dry your radiator. Remember it is metal so you do not want it to rust. You may notice that the wall above your radiator is mucky as well. You can give this a good wipe down with your soapy water while you are at it.
Remember to make sure that the radiator is not in use when you clean it. You need to check that it has completely cooled down before you start. It is not wise and can be tad tricky to clean a hot radiator.