Finding out how to clean a house radiator is certainly a step in the right direction because clogging could actually be the reason your heat bills are so high.
Why? If your radiator is clogged with dust and debris, it will have to do a lot of work to heat up the house. So, you can see how that could spike your bill; not a terribly high increase but maybe a significant one.
Anyway, to help you with pointers for cleaning your house radiator, we’ll be looking at how to clean a regular house radiator (with a removable cover) and how to clean a cast iron radiator. Trust us, they are different.
How To Clean A Regular House Radiator
As with anything that has to do with cleaning, you’ll benefit greatly from doing it regularly. Now, when you clean a house radiator regularly, you need not do anything intense.
Taking a vacuum cleaner with the appropriate head every once in a while helps keep the dust at bay. You’ll need to vacuum the radiator itself and around the radiator too.
For a periodic cleaning, you’ll need a duster with a really long handle (a bottle cleaner might do too). You’ll also need some clean cloths, a bucket of soapy water (dish soap should be good) and a bucket of clean water.
So, the first thing you want to do is to remove the cover. This makes it easier to get to all the dust and debris that must have been stuck in.
Next, you want to vacuum the radiator and the spaces around it. When that is done, get your long brush and begin to get into the spaces. You want to go in an in and out motion in order to get to all the dust in the cracks.
However, before you brush out the dust, place a piece of cloth beneath the radiator so that everything that comes off the radiator lands on the cloth. It will be easier to clean things out this way.
Moving on, get out your bucket of soapy water and clean cloth. You’ll have to attach the clean piece of cloth to a stick with tape. This is so that you’ll be able to reach in.
Now, start to scrub the radiator and when you’re done, rinse it out with another piece of cloth and the clean water.
Washing the radiator cover you pulled off is something to consider too. And be sure to only attach it back when it is dry.
Watch this video to learn how to take out the radiator cover.
How To Clean A Cast Iron Radiator
With a cast iron radiator, you’ll also be using your vacuum cleaner. However, you only need to vacuum the areas around the radiator.
Now, cast iron radiators do not have removable covers. As a result, you’ll basically be working blind. It is kinda the same as cleaning the regular radiator, though.
So, you’ll be using your long brush to sweep out the dust. From the front, you’ll be working in an in and out movement. Then you’ll have to move to the top and work in an up and down movement.
You’ll need to pay a lot of attention to dusting because you won’t be washing the iron cast radiator. Because you can’t see what is going on, it is safer to just stay clear of moisture.
That said, here is a detailed video showing how to clean out an iron cast radiator.
