Cleaning a radiator: how to do it properly (before mould takes hold)
As an essential part of any home, radiators naturally get a lot of use, and it’s important to make sure that they’re always functioning well. Taking good care of them, by cleaning them regularly, will lengthen their lifespan and avoid costly replacements or repairs.
Whether you have classic horizontal radiators or more contemporary designs, cleaning them is a straightforward task, and can easily be integrated into your home maintenance routines. While it can be a little time consuming, it’s well worth taking the time to do this every once in a while, to help keep them in the best condition, as well as making sure they’re always looking impressive.
Read on to find out how to clean your radiators in the best way.
Why it’s important to keep them clean
Horizontal radiators and other designer styles look chic and striking, but only when they are well looked after. You might have noticed that radiators are notorious for attracting dust – and this is especially visible on lighter colours. But this isn’t because your home is particularly dust-ridden or dirty. It’s actually due to the fact that as radiators heat up, they cause warm air to rise, and cold air is forced to come down towards them, pulling down all the dust and dust particles in the air, to collect on the surface.
It’s not just the dust on the outside that needs cleaning – radiators can also accumulate mould, as dirt and rust collects inside. If this builds up, not only will this impact how well the radiators function – it can also lead to your house starting to feel cold and damp too.
Cleaning your radiators
To start, make sure they’re turned off and cool to the touch. Once that is done, spray the surface down with any multipurpose cleaner, and leave for a few minutes, to penetrate any grime. Wipe the surface down with a cloth, getting into any small areas, to clean off as much as possible.
Once you’ve wiped the surface of your radiator down, vacuum underneath the radiator to get rid of any accumulated dust and dirt, before using the extendable hose fixture to vacuum as much of the surface as you can. It’s especially important to give a good clean to convector fins, as it can be quite tough to wash these areas down.
Once you’ve vacuumed as much dirt away as possible, get back to your soapy water and a thick cloth. With a damp cloth, wipe down as much of the surface as you can, making sure that you don’t miss out on the pipework and valve areas.
If you have anything in your home that creates a lot of dust, such as smoke or pet fur, you might want to clean the walls around the radiators too. While this might seem like unnecessary extra work, this will help you avoid any dust from being pulled in off the walls, into the radiator.
