Keeping a Clean Fireplace

Fall is a great time to get your wood-burning fireplace ready for winter. You can start with the relatively easy task of cleaning the fireplace, the lower part of the chimney and the masonry. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

• Use a plastic drop cloth for the floor surrounding the fireplace; put on some old clothes perfect for cleaning; and place a large trash can next to you to collect the debris and soot.
• Remove the andirons and grate and scrape them with a wire brush. If they are brass, consider a special brass cleaner.
• After checking that all the ashes are cool (if you have recently used it), use a shovel or ash vacuum to clear all debris from the firebox.
• Brush it out. Line the bottom of the firebox with newspapers and starting from the top and moving down, loosen soot and creosote from the walls of the firebox and damper area using a wire brush. When done, bundle up and discard the newspapers.
• Making sure you're wearing rubber gloves and goggles, create a cleaning solutions with washing soda, vinegar or tri sodium phosphate (TSP) mixed with warm water. Do not mix vinegar with bleach or ammonia to avoid toxic gas. Also TSP can cause skin or eyes irritations, so make sure to follow label directions.
• Using a stiff nylon brush and the cleaning solution, scrub the firebox from top to bottom.
• Close up the damper and let the firebox dry out. Replace the freshly cleaned andirons and grate and enjoy a newly cleaned fireplace.

A clean firebox and damper can make the fireplace look new again, and help make your fireplace safer to use. Removing debris like carbon-based soot and highly combustible creosote will decrease your chances of fire caused by masonry fireplace. For a complete cleaning that includes the flue, consider looking into a chimney sweep service that will remove any remaining debris from the fireplace flue.