Simplifying radicals without using prime factorization

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Is there an easy way to simplify radicals?

For example, take the case of $\sqrt{252}$. We can the find prime factorization of $252$ as $252=2\times 2\times 3 \times 3\times 7$ and thus we get $\sqrt{252}=\sqrt{2\times 2\times 3 \times 3\times 7}=6\sqrt{7}.$

This method takes more time for large numbers. Without doing these calculations, i.e., without finding out prime factorization, is there any approach available to simplify radicals?

Please help. thanks.