Cleaning the Fiddly Bits of Radiators

Jane2112

I have to admit I have one of those static long handled dusters type things which I got from a £1 shop. Alternatively could you thread a towel or similar throught the radiator and then 'floss' it?

thriftlady_2

I leave it alone:D Helpful aren't I? Seriously though if it isn't doing any harm why bother?

lil_me

I've got a wire brush with bristles on for this job, I do it so I can use my radiators for drying on without the dust marking the clothes aswell as DSs room who has asthma. I got mine from Kleeneze ages ago, you can get them from £ shops, home bargains, lakeland etc usually aswell. Another option is a piece of pipe or cane, wrap a cloth round it and fasten it to it with rubber bands (what my Gran used to use) The 2 pronged flash type dusters (tescos do their own cheaper version) with disposable refills usually fit so far down. Alloy wheel cleaning brushes can work but are shorter, same goes for baby bottle brushes.

Some similar to mine
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/85cm-Long-Radiator-brush_W0QQitemZ220289934726QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220289934726&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318

as stated on there they are also useful for other cleaning jobs, great on the TD for fluff removing

greenbee

I got a brush from lakeland recently - all the spiders have now moved out of the radiators!

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/radiator-brush/F/keyword/radiator/product/21780

Lily-Lu

Years ago my mum had one of those long handled bottle brushes that are meant for cleaning wine bottles/demi jons and she used to use that for getting gunk from behind the radiators. Me? Like Thriftlady, I don't bother either:D

MrsMW

I usually blast the steam cleaner in the top of the radiator and allsorts of muck and dust drops out of the bottom. I find it very satisfying. However, we had the plumber here recently and he showed me how to slide the panel off the end and then lift the grill off the top. Apparantly that's the correct way to do it.
Have fun!

troll35

Mrs MW I think your idea about sliding the side panel off is probably the only way to do it as the dust is under the top grill and the gaps between the grill are only around 5mm wide, I can't get anything between the grill and maneouvre (?sp) it around to clear the dust. I can just get behind the radiator with aduster wrapped around a long kitchen spatula thing.
So when my BIL plumber comes to change a washer in the toilet cistern (it groans everytime we flush) I'll get him to show me how to do that too.
Thanks to all who replied

littleun

I blast mine with the hairdryer

troll35

Thanks littlun, I'll give that a go. I'll need an extension cable though for the hairdryer LOL

jackieb

I saw a cleaning programme ages ago and on there they sellotaped an empty kitchen roll onto the end of the vacuum attachement. They just squashed the end of the tube so it was flat and would fit behind the radiator.

I was always going to try it myself but never got round to it...

Just realised that you have a grill on top your radiator. My dh took off one of mine. Took a bit of swearing (on his part!) to get it back on again lol