Tips for Cleaning Your Fireplace Effectively and Safely

A clean fireplace is more than just a visual upgrade. It’s essential for safe and effective wood burning. Over time, soot, ash, and creosote buildup can create fire hazards and reduce airflow, increasing the risk of smoke or chimney fires.

In this article, we help you prepare for the winter season by teaching you the proper techniques for safely cleaning your fireplace.

Before You Start: Fireplace Safety

Fireplaces can be quite hazardous. Take the following precautionary steps before you start cleaning.

1. Wait 24 hours before you touch the fireplace. Handling hot, burning wood is a risky endeavor. Make sure the fireplace is completely cooled and there are no active embers.
2. Turn off gas valves. Even the slightest leak can result in a dangerous explosion.
3. Open windows and let in fresh air. Good airflow is important when using harsh chemicals to clean the fireplace.

Cleaning Tools & Materials

Here is a detailed list of all the cleaning supplies you will need for this job. Some tools are optional and only useful for certain scenarios. Pick the ones that are most suited to your fireplace design.

1. Dust Pan & Brush (or Small Shovel)
2. Metal Bucket
3. Facemask, Goggles & Rubber Gloves
4. Tarp or Newspaper
5. Scrubbing Brush
6. Cleaning Solution (Commercial or DIY)
7. Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
8. Disposable Cloths or Paper Towels
9. Microfiber Towel
10. Vacuum Cleaner with Hose Attachment (Optional)
11. Glass Cleaner (Optional)
12. Scrubbing Sponge (Optional)
13. Wire Brush (Optional)
14. Spray Bottle (Optional)

You can use any commercially available fireplace cleaning solution. Get a mild cleaner and avoid harsh chemicals like bleach and ammonia. They can damage your walls and cause respiratory issues.

For DIYcleaning solutions, you can use some combination of dish soap, baking soda, vinegar, or lemon. We discuss homemade cleaners in detail later in the article. As you go through the cleaning steps below, you will get a better idea of the optional cleaning equipment.

How to Clean Your Wood-Burning Fireplace?

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to cleaning your wood-burning fireplace. We cover gas fireplaces in the latter half of this article.

Step 0: Wear Your Essential PPE

Put on your personal protective equipment PPE before you start cleaning. Ideally, you will need three items to keep yourself safe.

1. Mask: Get a good particle mask that will keep you from breathing in the soot dust.
2. Goggles: Protect your eyes with glasses or goggles. Soot and cleaning chemicals can cause irritation and damage to your sight.
3. Gloves: Keep your hands clean with rubber gloves. They are also useful when cleaning with harsh chemicals.

Step 1: Disassemble the Fireplace

Now start by disassembling your fireplace. Take out the unburnt firewood, andirons, and grates from your fireplace so you can scrub them later with dish soap and warm water. If you have a removable flue damper, now would be the time to remove it so you can clean it separately.

Some fireplaces have glass doors that open to the side. We recommend grabbing a screwdriver and detaching them completely. This reduces the risk of damaging the glass and also makes glass cleaning easier.

Step 2: Remove the Ash

Grab your dustpan and carefully start dumping the piles of wood ash and debris into a nearby bucket. A slight disturbance will cause the wood ash to go airborne and stain your entire house. You can optionally lightly mist the inside with a water spray bottle to prevent dust from flying around.

Be sure to sweep the ground and pick up as much ash as possible. A short handle broom can be useful here if it fits inside your hearth.

Step 3: Brush the Fireplace Walls

Place a tarp or some newspapers on the floor. Now, use a dry brush and scrub the walls of the fireplace. Start from the top and move your way to the bottom. The newspaper will catch all of the soot.

Afterward, pick up the newspaper and dump the soot into the bucket. Again, be careful so you don’t drop the soot on your carpets.

Step 4: Prepare the Cleaning Solution

We recommend commercial fireplace cleaners. A basic cleaning solution should have about a gallon of warm water and a half cup of heavy-duty fireplace cleaner. You can also create a homemade fireplace cleaner, just replace the commercial solution with a mix of half a cup of dish soap and two tablespoons of baking soda.

You can use trisodium phosphate, a powerful cleaning agent for deep cleaning. This method is more dangerous and can irritate the skin and cause respiratory issues. So always use proper safety equipment.

Step 5: Scrub Your Fireplace

Take a hard-bristle brush, dip it into your cleaning solution, and start scrubbing the inside of the fireplace. Plastic brushes will remove most of the dirt from the interior. But if you have a particularly dirty fireplace, consider using a metal wire brush.

Step 6: Wipe Clean with Microfiber Cloth

After scrubbing, wipe off the excess soap with a damp cloth. We recommend microfiber towelsbecause of their high water absorption and lint-free design. After wiping down the fireplace, look for stains and grime spots. Repeat the process until you’re satisfied with the cleanup job.

After cleaning the interior. Rinse the fireplace with clean water and let it dry before adding the grate and andirons.

Step 7: Clean the Fireplace Glass Doors

To clean the glass doors, use a damp cloth or newspaper dipped in wood ashes and wipe the windows. The wood ash will act as a soft abrasive that will clean the glass surface without the risk of scratching.

You can also use any generic window cleaner for a similar effect. Once you’re done, wipe the window with a disposable cloth.

Step 8: Scrub the Metal Fixtures

Your fireplace has lots of metal fixtures. From the grates that hold up the wood logs, to the metal frame of the glass doors, metal surfaces will be stained with wood ash.

Use a plastic brush to scrub the visual elements and prevent scratches. For andirons and grates, you can use a wire brush.

Step 9: Dry Everything with a Microfiber Towel

Lastly, after cleaning the fireplace, rinse everything with clean water and let it dry before you put the grates back. We recommend re-purposing an old microfiber bath or car wash towel to dry the fireplace.

How to Clean a Gas Fireplace?

Let’s move on to gas fireplaces. They have recently gained popularity as a maintenance-free heating solution. The cleaning steps are roughly the same as those for wood-burning fireplaces, with a few changes.

Step 0: Test Before You Disassemble

Check the gas ignitor and burner to ensure everything is working correctly. Now disconnect the gas connection and then disassemble the fireplace. You don’t want to risk a gas leak at any point.

Step 1: Tools for Disassembly

Most gas fireplaces have a tool-less design. You can disassemble them using clips, but some parts may require a screwdriver. Check your product’s manual just to be safe.

Step 2-9: Deep Cleaning

Follow the same steps as the wood fireplace. You can skip the ash removal step. Additionally, if you have lava rocks, store them in a bag for safekeeping while you clean.

Be sure to dry everything with a cotton or microfiber towel to prevent water stains.

Step 10: Inspect Your Gas Ignitor

Before you close up the fireplace, examine the pilot light and the burner. Dirt and fine dust can block the small nozzles. Lastly, test your fireplace before putting all the stuff back inside.

Now rest in front of your newly cleaned fireplace and enjoy the warmth of the fire with a cup of hot chocolate.

6 Tips for Fireplace Cleaning & Maintenance

Cleaning and maintaining a clean fireplace requires some basic knowledge and a whole lot of elbow grease. Here are six simple but effective tips for cleaning your fireplace.

1. Use Seasoned Wood: Seasoned fireplace logs have a less than 20% moisture content and minimize creosote formation.
2. Professional Chimney Cleaning: Chimneys are much harder to clean by yourself. You need specialized cleaning tools and roof access, which can be dangerous. It’s always better to let a professional inspect and clean your chimney.
3. Annual Fireplace Inspection: Just before the winter season starts, give your fireplace a quick inspection and a light cleaning if necessary. The Chimney Institute of America recommends cleaning your fireplace if there is a 1/8 inch thick layer of soot buildup.
4. Monthly Maintenance: Regular fireplace use means ash and creosote buildup. Clean your wood fireplace every month to prevent ash accumulation, which can reduce indoor air quality.
5. Avoid Plastic Buckets: Wood ashes should be placed in a metal bucket or can with a lid, in case of missed embers.
6. Put on Rubber Gloves: Protect your hands from harsh chemicals when cleaning the fireplace. Gloves also prevent your fingers from being stained by the fine soot dust.

Conclusion

Fireplace cleaning and maintenance are essential to keeping your home safe and warm during winter. Cleaning a wood-burning fireplace is simpler but requires more effort. Contrarily, cleaning a gas fireplace is more complex but takes considerably less time. Regardless of your circumstances. You can use the information from this quick guide to easily and safely clean your fireplace.

Get Fireplace Cleaning Supplies from Manywell!

Manywell is a leading manufacturer of high-quality fireplace cleaning supplies. We specialize in microfiber cloths and towels that are ideal for cleaning fireplace glass doors. You can also check out our extensive range of disposable cleaning cloths, scrubbing sponges, and microfiber mops.

All Manywell products are 100% customizable and come with our satisfaction guarantee. Contact us now!