How to Clean Fireplace Bricks

Fireplace brick can discolor over time from exposure to soot, smoke and ashes. To get it looking like new takes some time and elbow grease, but the results are worth it.
Brick is porous, so the chances are that some of the gray or brown shadowing you're seeing is in the brick and not just on it. An effective approach to getting the area clean is to use ingredients, such as soap, salt and baking soda, that will draw the soot out of the brick and remove a very thin layer of the permanently discolored surface material to expose the clean area underneath.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Plastic tarp Newspaper Gloves Eye protection Dishwashing liquid Salt Baking soda Stiff bristle brush Trisodium phosphate (for heavy-duty jobs)

Get Prepared to Clean the Fireplace

1. Put down a layer of plastic sheeting and then cover that with newsprint.

2. Clean the inside of the fireplace and remove any ashes.

3. Remove the fireplace screen, andirons and any other decorative objects.

4. Cover nearby carpeting, furniture and draperies. Brushing can spray specks of soot long distances.

5. Open the windows and fireplace flue to make sure that the area is well ventilated.

Scrub Brick With Mild Abrasives

6. Make a mixture of equal parts dishwashing liquid and baking soda or salt.

7. Rub the paste onto the discolored brick surface with a cloth, making sure to get it onto the mortar and in all the crevices. Be generous.

8. Allow the mixture to dry completely to give it time to draw out some of the soot.

9. Brush it off in long strokes that blend into the surrounding brick. Consider this as a first and last step. The baking soda will help neutralize any acidic cleansers you may have to use.

10. Rinse with warm water.

Scrub with TSP

11. Mix trisodium phosphate (TSP) cleanser with water according to the manufacturer's instructions. TSP can be caustic; it's a powerful cleaner, so wear gloves and eye gear.

12. Brush TSP on the brick and scrub with a stiff brush.

13. Allow the area to dry between applications.

14. Evaluate any remaining discoloration. You can apply TSP more than once and increase the concentration if you have to.

15. Clean the spot thoroughly with water.

Tips & Warnings

• In addition to the above preparations, there are also fireplace-cleaning solutions such as Brick-Anew that can get out stubborn spots. For a multitasking solution, use oven cleaner to get spots off your brick fireplace surround. It works in the oven to remove the same type of buildup. If soap and a mild abrasive are getting most, but not all of the discoloration off, try again but add a little ammonia to the mix.
• Matching the brick surfaces around the discolored spots is your objective, so take it easy and keep that in mind as you scrub. The methods suggested here go from the least to the most aggressive, and you should always use the least aggressive solution that will still do the job. Before cleaning your brick fireplace surround, test a small, inconspicuous area to be sure it will give you the results you want. Strong cleaners can discolor mortar and even change the shading of the brick itself.

Resources

• How to Take Care of a Fireplace