Cleaning up

Keeping a fireplace clean is important to promote safety and to keep it in good condition so minimize potential repair costs. The different places fireplaces need to be cleaned are the screens and if there are some, glass doors. Also, the firebox itself needs to be cleaned as well as the wood grate in side of the firebox.

Before cleaning up the fireplace after a fire, one has to wait until the ashes cool down. It takes quite a while for ashes to cool enough to be put into a can and taken away, so planning to clean the day after a fire is the best idea. If for some reason this isn't possible, one can put water in the ashes to make sure no fire is started as a result of remaining hot ash. The ash can and the scoop can remove most of the ash and then the hand broom can be used to thoroughly clean the rest of the firebox out.

When cleaning the mantle of the fireplace that is particularly old, vacuuming the brick face is sufficient for cleaning. For younger mantles, regular household cleaner used according to how dirty the brick face is can work well. The same household cleaner can be used to clean the mesh curtain that keeps the ashes in the fireplace while the fire is burning.

The glass doors in front of the mesh can be cleaned by first soaking the doors with the cleaner of choice, wither a regular household cleaner or very hot water and a strong cleaning agent. Fireplace soot that is resistant to coming clean can be scrubbed using a soft sponge and a circular motion. Avoid rough edges as they can scratch the glass.