Once lit, a fire inevitably generates smoke and soot. In a fireplace, the fire is well contained by three brick or stone walls, a spark arrester at the front and ventilation provided by the chimney. However, the fire in a fireplace produces the same amount of smoke and soot as any other fire, and for this reason the fireplace must be cleaned from time to time. Follow the next steps to clean up your fireplace bricks.
Steps
Step 1. Fill a bucket with hot water and get a stiff brush
Step 2. Wet the bricks with hot water and use the brush to remove dirt
Step 3. See if the bricks are still stained
Step 4. Press against the stains of the children's modeling clay, then gently peel it off, being careful not to strip away the outermost layer of the brick
Step 5. Mix the water and baking soda until you have a paste that you can use to scrub the bricks that are stained
Step 6. Rinse with warm water to see if any stains are left
Step 7. If there are any stains left, scrub the bricks with sodium phosphate
Wear rubber gloves during the process, as this substance can burn the skin.
Step 8. Rinse with warm water to see if any stains are left
Step 9. If there are any stains left, use a commercial product for cleaning the chimney, diluting it in water according to the instructions for use
Step 10. Rub the bricks with the resulting solution to remove stubborn stains
Step 11. Rinse one last time with hot water
Advice
- Vinegar (as long as it has a concentration of acetic acid of at least 6%) is equally useful for removing stains, it should be applied directly on the bricks by rubbing.
- After using all of these methods, consider whether the bricks are clean enough for your taste. Sometimes, removing stains completely is impossible; you could then consider the idea of repainting the stained bricks. On the market there are special kits to carry out this type of operation, and the final result actually remembers the color of the authentic brick.
- The use of diluted muriatic acid allows you to clean the bricks without the need to scrub, but it is a dangerous substance that should only be handled by true professionals.
- You can also use an alkaline cleaner to remove stains.
- For stubborn stains, you can use a trichlorethylene based paste.
