This may be a daft question to ask . I am preparing to paint a wall with a radiator on it. The radiator is the panel type with fins at the back and the top and sides have a cover that finishes the whole thing off.
Most radiators can be pivoted forward by slackening slightly the pipe fixings that attach at the bottom , lifting them off the brckets and tilting them away from the wall. Be prepared for a few drips from the slackened fixings.
How far is the radiator off the wall? If there's a bit of space you can buy a roller brush with a narrow head which might fit. That would save a lot of bother
Just had a look at a couple of my Rads. to tilt them forward you would need to raise them by the best part of 2" to clear the brackets so 'slackening slightly the pipe fixings that attach at the bottom' would be no use at all, it would have to be a system drain and complete disconnection.
I use Jomifl's method when repapering a room. it is quite simple, Slacken the pipe fittings a teensy bit - just enough to allow the radiator to swivel forward. You'll probably get a drip or two, so place a towel on the floor at each end. Put some battens or planks on the floor so that the radiator can rest on them with the pipes at their normal level, then re-tighten the connections to stop the drips. Do your work, then put the radiator back in the reverse order.
Thanks But it’s not removing the rad that is a problem but removing the covers as I wish to be able to get into the radiators to clean all the dust and brown dirt out of them .