There is nothing worse than shivering at home while the heating takes ages to kick in, but getting your radiators to be more efficient might be easier than you think. Most people do not think about cleaning out their radiator, but over time, dust can clog inside the appliance and act as insulation.
This means heat will become trapped, and the radiator has to work harder and stay on longer to work properly, which can quickly drive up your energy bills. However, the experts at Designer Radiators Direct have revealed that removing dust inside a radiator is really simple and does not require any handiwork as you all you need is a hair dryer. They said: “While you might think your radiator is dust-free, some dust is probably still trapped and lurking in places you can’t see. Using a hairdryer is an effective solution.
“Simply turn it on to a cool setting, then angle it over the top of your radiator. Any remaining pesky bits of dust will fall down, and you can sweep them away.”
Dust tends to collect in the fins of radiators, which can be really narrow and too difficult to clean with a vacuum or duster.
However, a hairdryer can quickly blow any dust or debris sitting inside a radiator so you can just wipe it up from the floor.
This method will make cleaning out a radiator much easier without needing any special tools, and should take less than 10 minutes.
How to clean dust out of a radiator with a hair dryer
To begin, turn off your heating and make sure your radiator has completely cooled down before you begin cleaning, otherwise you can risk being burned.
Lay down a towel underneath the radiator to catch any dust that falls out. Then, plug in a hairdryer and place it on the coolest or lowest setting.
Hold the hair dryer so it is facing the top of the radiator, and move it slowly up and down the fins to push more dust out.
After removing the dust, collect the towel and carefully shake out the dust into a rubbish bin or vacuum it up.
Then, you simply need to clean the exterior surface of the radiator. Use some soapy warm water and a cloth and make sure it is completely dry after cleaning, otherwise you can risk the metal rusting.
Your radiator should now be completely dust-free and heat up a room quickly so you do not have to spend the rest of winter freezing in your own home.