The easy way to remove dirt from your radiators before the autumn chill hits
Now that the cold autumn weather has arrived, many of us are thinking about turning the radiators back on to keep us nice and warm.
With bills starting to pile up, you want to make sure you’re getting the most out of the heating you’re paying for.
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But if you turn on the heating and the radiators take a long time to warm up, that could be an indication that there is a problem and you are essentially wasting money.
What many people don’t realise is that radiators need to be in top condition to function properly. If they aren’t, it could result in your monthly bill going through the roof.
Often your radiators do not provide the heat you pay for because dirt and dust build up over time.
Fortunately, now that the cold weather is here, there is an expert who can help you with a simple cleaning trick that will not only remove the dirt, but also allow you to enjoy a warm home.
Cleaning expert Ilze Whiteman showed on YouTube how to tackle the dust in your radiator. It only takes a few seconds.
While demonstrating the trick on her page, the pro said in the video: “All you need is a plant sprayer with diluted degreaser, because you want to actually dissolve the grease and stubborn dirt that has been there for years.”
With this handy wallet trick, you can effortlessly remove the now liquid dirt. Just remember to put a towel or old rag underneath to protect your floor.
“You also want to use a tiny bit of detergent because you don’t want it to get soapy and you don’t want any detergent left behind.”
According to the guru, who regularly shares cleaning content on the platform, the more powerful the spray nozzle, the better.
Once you’re done, she instructed to just grab some water and give it a good ‘spray’ everywhere to remove all the dirt.
“You’re welcome,” she chuckled at the end of the short video.
This simple but effective trick is ideal when the temperature starts to drop. It is especially useful if you cannot remove the radiator grille.
More than a dozen YouTube viewers responded en masse to Ilze’s compliments and almost 550 viewers gave it a like.
Do you need to clean the inside of your radiators?
Apparently, homeowners should clean the inside of radiators once a year.
Fabulous’ Associate Editor Rebecca Miller is obsessed with cleaning. She shares her thoughts on this cleaning hack.
“My standards for cleanliness and tidiness are impeccably high. People have come into my flat and told me it looks like a show home. I am so determined to keep it looking new that I am constantly cleaning.
But there’s one thing I’ve never cleaned: the inside of my radiators.
I’ve lived in my apartment for almost 5 years and never once have I thought about blowing hot air through the vents, or using wire cleaners to remove the dust, let alone throwing a Zoflora solution inside.
Although it may seem like this is the last cleaning job you should do in the summer, it is important to do it before you start using your radiators.
Heating expert Nicholas Auckland previously told The Sun that blocked radiators could cost you an extra £65-£119 a year in heating bills, as the radiators have to work twice as hard to pump heat into your home.
With this in mind I’m going to clean the inside of my radiators – brb…”
One of them said: “Thank you! I tried to remove the grille but it doesn’t work. This is a great help.”
“Mine won’t come off. Super handy, thanks,” said another.
“Thanks, I’m just doing this now,” a third was eager to try out the hack.
However, not everyone will want to try it out for themselves, as others swear by other methods.
For example, one of them said that an ”old, dry toothbrush works much better”.
“This doesn’t look good,” another was not entirely convinced.
