Tips for cleaning/dusting radiators

twopenny

When I moved in here the rads hadn't been cleaned since it was built 20yrs ago.
I have a cylinder vac that can blow if you change ends with the hose. Excellent for the bathroom fans and i gave the rads a go.
I found 3 different sizes of long thin radiator brushes for a pound. Excellent.
But the Lakeland one is a step up from the same thing. I'll be looking for one of those.

Alanp

If it’s a fairly modern radiator you can take the ends and top off ( they just unclip) , it makes cleaning easier

bob_a_builder

Depending on the size of the gaps on your rads
A bit of hose pipe, with some tape wrapped round the end so you can jam it into one the hose fittings of your hoover

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lx73GCCxU5jmStDk9

it was in lock down - too much time on my hands !!

Ant555

As an MX-5 Mk1 owner, I have the essential 'trombone cleaner' in my toolkit - many mx-5 owners have one.  I suspect it will do the job on a radiator too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NATEE-Cleaning-Instrument-Maintenance-Accessory/dp/B086MBP7CC

Often required on these cars to clear out the drain holes to clear out debris and stop the inside of the car turning into a swimming pool.

PS - I hadnt thought of using it for a rad until just then but im going to try this later on!

Alanp

https://youtu.be/jox6Iv_NZIc

Apodemus

Alanp said:

https://youtu.be/jox6Iv_NZIc

Lol! 

a) That rad would have passed as "clean" in my house, before she started!

b) she didn't actually do much and didn't seem to clean down into the fins.

badger09

Ant555 said:

As an MX-5 Mk1 owner, I have the essential 'trombone cleaner' in my toolkit.  I suspect it will do the job on a radiator too.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NATEE-Cleaning-Instrument-Maintenance-Accessory/dp/B086MBP7CC

Often required on these cars to clear out the drain holes to clear out debris and stop the inside of the car turning into a swimming pool.

The problem I found with those sort of brushes, some sold specifically to clean radiators, was that they were much too stiff. The bristles just scratched, rather than dusted. 

Lakeland one looks good though. I'll try one when I run out of old tights

Ant555

badger09 said:

The problem I found with those sort of brushes, some sold specifically to clean radiators, was that they were much too stiff. The bristles just scratched, rather than dusted. 

Lakeland one looks good though. I'll try one when I run out of old tights

Its great that there are loads of solutions offered - some of them basically free if you already have the bits.

PS - the trombone cleaner is quite gentle though as I think it probably has to be to avoid damaging the brass instruments.

Apodemus

Ant555 said:

As an MX-5 Mk1 owner, I have the essential 'trombone cleaner' in my toolkit 

Where do you put a trombone in an MX-5? 


.....on the instrument panel!    

Ebe_Scrooge

Apodemus said:

Ant555 said:

As an MX-5 Mk1 owner, I have the essential 'trombone cleaner' in my toolkit 

Where do you put a trombone in an MX-5? 


.....on the instrument panel!    

Groaaaannnnnn.  That's the sort of rubbish joke I'd come up with - but it did make me chuckle :-)