I Always Do This Before Turning the Radiators Back on

Summer is over, and with autumn, we are approaching the first cold weather, rainy days, and evenings at home. With the cold weather, the time has also come to dust off jackets and hats and turn the radiators back on. Before doing this, however, you need to clean them thoroughly.

The trick to cleaning radiators effectively

Radiators, like any furniture, gather dust and grime. Start by dusting them off. A practical method involves using a hairdryer. Put a damp cloth behind the radiator and another on the floor to trap the dust and prevent it from flying away and sticking to the walls or floor.

With the clothes in place, switch on the hairdryer using cold air and move it across the entire surface. Now, to remove dust residues and ensure that they do not spread around the house, you can adopt a trick called the “knot trick” using an electrostatic cloth—tie a knot on one end and glide it between the radiator elements from top to bottom to capture remaining dust. For a more thorough cleaning, dampen the cloth in a water and vinegar solution and proceed as previously mentioned.

Let’s move on to the actual cleaning

Protect the Floor

Protect the floor with towels to avoid any water spillage. Set a basin on the towels.

Prepare the Cleaning Solution

Prepare a mix with a jug containing Marseille soap flakes and white alcohol vinegar. Pour this mixture into each section of the radiator for thorough cleaning.

Clean the Internal Sections

After cleaning the internal sections, focus on the exterior. Dissolve a spoonful of Marseille soap flakes in a basin containing water, dip a microfiber cloth in this solution, and thoroughly clean the radiator’s entire outer surface.

Dry the Exterior

All you have to do is dry the exterior using a microfiber cloth. For the interior cracks between elements, employ the knot trick using a dry cloth to ensure they’re thoroughly dried.