MANY people love learning new life hacks on TikTok – but an expert has slammed three recent radiator tips that could be dangerous.

From Mrs Hinch’s hot water cleaning hack to using standard paint on your radiators, you may wish to think twice before copying these trends.

Daniel Nezhad, director of UK Radiators, revealed the radiator “hacks” you should avoid…

DIY radiator covers

Radiators can be ugly, so it is understandable that people may wish to hide them with radiator covers and cabinets.

However, doing so isn’t recommended and could actually cost you more than you think.

Daniel said: “Covering your radiator will significantly impact its ability to heat your home, as the heat will be trapped behind the cover and flow out far slower than it would from an uncovered radiator. 

“This means it needs to work harder and use more energy to sufficiently heat its surroundings, which over time could drastically increase the cost of your energy bills.”

Mrs Hinch’s hot water cleaning hack

Cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch, often shares handy cleaning hacks and tips that many of us swear by, but one of her hacks raises a few red flags with Daniel.

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He said: “Her recent hack has people mixing washing detergent with boiling water and pouring it through the grate on the top of their radiators to eliminate dust build up. 

“In the grand scheme of things doing this isn’t too much of an issue, after all, radiators are metal and designed to handle hot water. 

“However, not all paint is designed to take boiling water directly, so there is a risk it could strip or damage the surface coating – which could then potentially be considered misuse depending on a manufacturers warranty terms. 

“If you want to use this hack, try it with warm water instead, as this would be a lower risk option whilst still yielding similar results.

“Avoiding the use of detergents is also recommended as even light detergents can react with paint if not properly removed.”

He added you should make sure no electrical points are close to where the water is poured and you should only use this cleaning method on a wet system and not electric or dual fuel.

Using standard paint to paint your radiators

Thinking back to unsightly radiators, painting them is considered by many as a great alternative to using radiator covers or cabinets to hide them. 

Daniel advised: “There are no real issues that will arise from painting your radiators, as long as you are using paint that is suitable for doing so, however, this doesn’t seem to be made clear in many of the videos found on the platform.

“Using paints that are not designed for use on radiators can affect the efficiency of your radiator and impact its heat output, which, over time, would likely see you paying more for your energy bills. 

“Another reason why you shouldn't use something like a wall and ceiling paint on your radiator is the way in which it is likely to react with the heat. 

“Over time you are likely to find that the paint starts to peel and chip, leaving you with an even more unsightly radiator than you started with.”

Previously, we shared the little-known radiator fault could be pushing your heating bill up – here’s how to fix it.

For more cleaning hacks, check out I’m an organisation expert, this is how to revamp your house in January with virtually no effort.

Plus, why you’ve been using your washing up liquid wrong – how to banish the bubbles in seconds.

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