How to clean a radiator?

Question

Any suggestions on how to clean an old-fashioned steam radiator? The spaces between the coils are filthy, and my vacuum cleaner's wand won't fit in there!

Also, one of the radiators has a "humidifier" gadget -- a metal trough inside the coils with a reservoir at the end for pouring in water. It's filthy and covered with a heavy layer of scale, and I don't know how to remove it to clean it. Do I just have to pull hard to get the thing out? Or does it have to be disconnected somehow?

Eric in North TX · Accepted Answer

How hard would it be to just disconnect the whole thing and take it toa car wash or pressure washer?  This time of year you aren't using themfor heat most likely, and it would take the clean-up mess out of yourhouse. Just a though, not an experienced opinion.J

Philip Lewis · Answer

Put a pan or towel underneath to catch any water and use a damp bottle or (clean) toilet brush.

[...]

Hard to say without seeing it... but again, I'd try a bottle brush, perhaps a wire brush. A little white vinegar might help loosen the scale...

Of it's really rusty, and you can't get to it with a brush, look up methods for cleaning old tools with electrolysis. In this case, however, you would use the resevoir as the "bucket".

good luck

m Ransley · Answer

Narrow vac tools usualy come with the unit, once I took an old metalextension piece and hammerd it thin to fit in the radiator.

How to clean a radiator?

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