How to Remove Fireplace Grime
Few things are cozier than a roaring fire in the hearth. To make sure your brick or stone fireplace is ready for hot action at a moment's notice, surface-clean it in early fall, before the chill sets in, and in late spring, to buff away a season's worth of soot and creosote buildup. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Powdered Pumice
- Ammonia
- Window Cleaner
- Broom Or Duster
- Scrub Brush
- Small Brush Or Paintbrush
- Towel Or Dust-free Rag
- Vacuum With Small Brush Attachment
- Wire Brush
- Naphtha Soap
- Razor Blade
- Dustpan
- Lidded Metal Container
- Plastic Bucket
- Safety Goggles
- Dust Mask
- Razor blade
- Chimney brush, flue brush or stiff-bristle brush
Instructions
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1
Wait at least 24 hours after your last fire. Wearing safety goggles and a dust mask, clean up the fireplace with a broom or duster and dustpan, and place the ashes in a lidded metal container.
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2
Brush the flue (the pipe that runs between the fireplace and chimney) with a short chimney brush, flue brush or stiff-bristle brush to remove creosote buildup.
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3
Scrub the outside of the damper (the metal gate between the firebox and chimney) with a stiff-bristle brush to loosen creosote, soot and ash buildup. Open and close the damper several times to ensure it operates freely.
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4
Brush the firebox and hearth floor with a wire brush to remove creosote buildup.
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5
Create a cleaner by mixing a 4-oz. (125-g) shaved bar of naphtha soap in 1 qt. (32 fl oz/1 l) hot water in a plastic bucket until the soap is dissolved. Cool, then thoroughly mix in 1/2 lb. (250 g) powdered pumice and 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) ammonia. Apply the naphtha cleaner to the firebox and hearth floor with a small brush or paintbrush. Since drips or runs onto unclean surfaces may leave marks, start at the bottom and work up. Let it sit for 1 hour.
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Scrub with a scrub brush and warm water. Rinse clean. (Not all black or brown residue can be removed from porous brick.)
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7
Scrape heavy buildup from glass fireplace doors with a razor blade. Finish with a spritz of window cleaner, then buff dry with a towel or dust-free rag.
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8
Dust or vacuum the fireplace mantel and screen using a vacuum with the small brush attachment.
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Tips & Warnings
Check for loose bricks or mortar and cracks before each fireplace season.
Always wear safety goggles and a dust mask when cleaning soot and ashes.
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Comments
View all 10 Comments-
Karlstad
Oct 04, 2008
I just tried the above idea (wet newspaper dipped in ashes) since it sounded the easiest and it worked GREAT! It took literally 5 minutes to clean both doors of a winter's worth of gunk. Sadly, I waited until it was time to use it again before cleaning it because I thought it would be a pain in the butt. Knowing how easy this is, I'll plan on cleaning it throughout the winter even -- no need to procrastinate. ^_^ -
ntsph777
Nov 12, 2007
Zep oven and grill cleaner available in the cleaner aisle at Home Depot takes the soot and creasote off fireplace glass better than any thing I have ever tried. I guess any non self cleaning oven cleaner would work just as well. It takes less than five minutes to clean what would have taken over twenty scrubbing with any thing else.
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ntsph777
Nov 12, 2007
Zep oven and grill cleaner available in the cleaner aisle at Home Depot takes the soot and creasote off fireplace glass better than any thing I have ever tried. I guess any non self cleaning oven cleaner would work just as well. It takes less than five minutes to clean what would have taken over twenty scrubbing with any thing else.
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cpeay
Jan 13, 2007
The best way to get ashes out of the fireplace is to use a hard plastic dust pan, scoop toward the back of the fireplace and dump in the garbage. DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner - In fact our high-priced shop vac says not to use on fine dust and ash from fireplaces.
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cpeay
Jan 13, 2007
The best way to get ashes out of the fireplace is to use a hard plastic dust pan, scoop toward the back of the fireplace and dump in the garbage. DO NOT use a vacuum cleaner - In fact our high-priced shop vac says not to use on fine dust and ash from fireplaces.
