Commercial Cleaning

How to Clean a Brick Fireplace: A Simple Guide

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Brick fireplaces like chimneys keep the place warm during extreme winters and offer protection from sudden illness. However, the question is, “How to clean a brick fireplace?” For expert tips for making your home warm and cozy, Lazy Susans Cleaning is here to assist you.

We provide quality cleaning services for homes, offices, and hospitals to ensure the place is maintained on hygiene standards. Similarly, cleaning fireplace brick is part of your service. We’ll use effective techniques to remove odors and keep the place clean.

Our cleaning services in NYC restore brick fireplaces effectively and make them look new. We follow the best way to clean a brick fireplace that’ll make your chimney free from germs and bacteria.

Here are some of our quick cleaning service tips that’ll guide you about maintaining your fireplace.

Why Should You Clean Your Brick Fireplace Regularly?

Cleaning brick fireplaces is essential because the constant use of fire leaves black marks behind. Those marks then get permanent on the bricks, which could ruin its structure. Furthermore, there’s another concern that most people don’t know how to clean a brick fireplace.

Worry not because here you’ll get tips for residential cleaning services and the importance of cleaning brick fireplaces. Let’s take a look at them.

The Hazards of Creosote and Soot Build-Up

Creosote and soot build-up are significant concerns for leaving it unclean as they pose certain health risks. It leaves a sticky residue behind that prevents the beauty of the bricks and causes breathing problems. If your sense of smell is sensitive, then it would be a problem.

For a solution, you can look for a fireplace cleaning near me and let professionals prevent the hazards of soot build-up.

Aesthetic Appeal of a Clean Fireplace

The aesthetic appeal of homes is essential as it makes your living space attractive and as per the hygiene standards. However, if your brick fireplace is not clean, it will reduce the beauty of your home. 

The uncolored bricks coated in black residues will make your living room look uncleaned and disorganized. So, hiring professional cleaning services can ensure the restoration of the aesthetic appeal of a clean fireplace.

Extend the Life of Your Fireplace

Contacting a professional for the best way to clean brick fireplace extends its lifespan. That’s because of using high-quality cleaning materials to remove black residues of fire and odors.

After experts are done cleaning your brick fireplaces, it will make them look new and fresh.

Essential Materials You’ll Need

Most people face challenges when looking for how to clean a brick fireplace without the required materials. Cleaning fireplaces with regular cleaning agents could be time-consuming. So, here are the materials required for cleaning fireplace brick.

Gather Your Supplies

The cleaning supplies required for brick fireplaces will save you time and offer quick solutions. Let’s check them out.

  • Bristled brush
  • Bucket
  • Microfiber cloth
  • Gloves
  • Plastic sheets 

Cleaning Agents for Fireplace Bricks

Adding some cleaning agents and the required fireplace cleaning supplies will offer you quality results. The reason could be the state of odors and residues, which requires a high-quality cleaning agent for the removal.

You can opt for:

  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar

This way, you can keep your fireplace brick clean and long-lasting.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Clean a Brick Fireplace

How to clean a brick fireplace requires a step-by-step guide to effectively remove the soot and creosote build-up. Furthermore, it’ll enhance the structure of your living room with a clean and organized fireplace.

So, let’s have a look at the steps for fireplace cleaning.

Step 1: Prepare the Area

The first step in cleaning a fireplace brick is preparation, like laying a plastic sheet on the floor and removing the nearby furniture. This way, when you remove the odors and black residues, there won’t be any damage.

Step 2: Dust and Vacuum

Before applying cleaning agents, dusting and vacuuming the brick fireplace to remove the visible soot and dirt particles. It’ll help you clean the entire space easily with high-quality materials.

Step 3: Choose Your Cleaning Solution

Choosing a cleaning solution might offer you multiple options, but using a mixture of dishwashing liquid and warm water would be adequate. It’ll remove mild stains in the fireplace and keep the space clean and hygienic.

Step 4: Scrub the Bricks

Take a soft-bristled brush and scrub the bricks gently instead of scrubbing to prevent damage. Applying extra pressure can ruin the texture of bricks, leading you to change them. Furthermore, brushing the bricks hard might set the stains even more.

Step 5: Rinse and Dry

In the final step, wipe the bricks with a clean cloth and gently apply it to the fireplace bricks to clean the stains. Once you’ve removed the stains after rinsing, leave the fireplace and let it dry naturally.

Homemade Brick Fireplace Cleaning Solutions

Homemade cleaning solutions for fireplaces are effective as they save you time and clean it quickly. Moreover, it’ll keep the bricks of your fireplace maintained and organized. 

So, here are some homemade solutions that’ll keep your fireplace clean.

Baking Soda and Dish Soap Paste

Baking soda and dish soap paste are suitable cleaning agents to help you clean the fireplace bricks effectively. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with a few drops of dish soap to prepare the solution. Apply it to the fireplace and leave the solution for 15 minutes before washing it.

White Vinegar Solution

White vinegar is another cleaning solution for fireplace brick that reduces the risk of damage and smoot growth. You can prepare the solution by mixing equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Apply it on the black areas of your fireplace and clean it with a microfiber cloth.

Cream of Tartar Paste

Tartar is another best way to clean brick fireplace and remove unnecessary smoot growing. Prepare the solution by mixing tartar with water and leave it for 15 minutes after applying it to the stains. Wash the bricks with water and let it dry naturally. This solution could be a perfect house-cleaning gift for people.

Maintaining a Clean Fireplace

Maintaining a clean fireplace is essential to keep it durable and long-lasting by regular maintenance and scheduling. For more details, you can check these points.

Regular Maintenance Tips

Regular maintenance tips help keep the fireplace maintained and clean every time. You can clean the fireplace by removing the ash and debris with a soft brush every week to keep the brick fireplace and prevent soot buildup.

Schedule Annual Inspections

Another tip for maintaining the fireplace bricks is scheduling annual inspections to prevent the stains. You can look for a professional and schedule weekly or monthly inspections to keep the fireplace clean and organized. It’ll be suitable for how to clean a brick fireplace.

Why Choose Lazy Susans Cleaning for Your Fireplace Cleaning Needs?

At Lazy Susans Cleaning, you’ll get one of the finest solutions for maintaining your fireplace. That’s because we know the materials required for how to clean a brick fireplace properly.

Furthermore, our turnaround time for the service prevents you from delays and hurdles. We offer flexible scheduling so you can book your slot based on your availability.

FAQs -  Cleaning Brick Fireplaces

What is the best method to clean fireplace brick?

The best method for cleaning a fireplace brick is to dust the place with a brush or vacuum. Moreover, you can apply a cleaning solution of warm water and dish soap to clean the bricks.

How do you make an old brick fireplace look new?

You can make an old brick fireplace look new by thorough cleaning, fixing the loose bricks, and installing a wooden mantel to upgrade the area. It’ll make your brick fireplace unrecognizable.

Should I lime wash my brick fireplace?

Limewashing the brick fireplace would be suitable for light washing only. If there are fewer stains, you can proceed with the process. It’ll prevent moisture in the area and enhance the versatile structure.

How do you restore brick fireplaces?

Restoring brick fireplaces requires inspecting the damage, cleaning the bricks to remove grime, and adding new mantels in the surroundings to make the place attractive.

Wrap Up!

Now that you have the details on how to clean a brick fireplace, there won’t be hurdles. You’ll be guided with the details of the required materials and things to avoid when restoring your brick fireplace. 

Furthermore, you can save time by following the steps for cleaning fireplace brick and enhancing the beauty of the place.

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