how to clean fireplace hearth

Any excess moisture left on the slate may cause water stains. It’s messy, but it usually does the trick. Mine was not a wood burning fireplace so I chose to clean with TSP and water and rinse. This article was co-authored by Michelle Driscoll, MPH. Teak oil also helps hide scratches on your hearth, making it easier to seal. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. A homemade cleaning recipe for stone that works well is to mix 1/2 to 1 cup of trisodium phosphate (TSP) with one gallon of hot water. Seal the slate with stone and tile sealer to help protect it against moisture and stains. Disassemble the Fireplace. This method is best for cleaning small areas, like the brick trim around a fireplace. Test any cleaning material in an inconspicuous spot. How to Clean a Limestone Hearth. Here’s how to clean a fireplace using these ingredients: Combine 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar with a little water to make a paste. This will stop liquid (and dirt from non-electric fires) from falling onto the floor. Use a vacuum cleaner to simplify your task, and make sure you remove dust from the grout and other hard-to-reach places as well. Scrub thoroughly on the grout, which typically accumulates the most dirt. Fill the spray bottle with water to spritz the walls and floor of the cement fireplace hearth thoroughly. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Some “do’s” and some “don’ts”. Next, pick up a stiff-bristled brush (metal-bristled brushes are best) and start scrubbing. Place the blotting paper over the wax and then place the iron on top of the paper, keep moving the paper until no more signs of wax appear. First, try household ammonia, which contains five to 10% ammonia and is an effective all-purpose cleaner. Start by preparing the area around the fireplace. Dip a scrub brush in the mixture, then use it to clean the stones. The process of cleaning a stone fireplace is fairly simple. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to clean your slate hearth, as long as you have some ordinary household cleaning supplies and a few specialty items from a home improvement store. This has got to be the fastest, easiest way in the world to clean fireplace brick without a ton of hassle. Wet a cloth with the cleaning mixture and wring out the excess water. Apply the solution, then follow through step three. To clean the fireplace grate and/or andirons (rails used to support logs), remove the grate/andirons from the firebox, then dunk a scrub brush in the TSP solution and gently scrub … Mix 2 tablespoons of high-alkaline cleaner into a bucket of water. This method is particularly useful if the stains on your slate were caused by smoke or soot. Copyright© Michelle Driscoll is the Owner of Mulberry Maids based in northern Colorado. Try and get the slate as dry as possible. If you have a slate hearth around your fireplace and it’s been there for more than 2 months, it’s probably a little dirty. submitted to our "DoItYourself.com Community Forums". This article has been viewed 37,059 times. Mix equal parts vinegar and water and pour into a spray bottle. By using our site, you agree to our. Avoid spraying this mixture near any colored grout, since the bleach in the mixture can discolor your grout. Pour this vinegar directly from a bottle or use a spray bottle to get into crevices. Wipe down hearth with clean water, ensuring no soapy residue is left behind. If your fireplace is old and crumbling, cleaning fireplace brick may cause damage. Cleaning Your Fireplace with Ordinary Household Items 1 Use baking soda and soap for a convenient cleaning method. Is cleaning a fireplace chimney the same as cleaning a wood stove chimney? These impurities could affect the surface of the marble, so the purer the water, the better. Replace the soapy water with new water when it becomes too dark and dirty to use. Use a sponge mop to clean the bricks. home improvement and repair website. Protect the floor space around the hearth with old newspapers or a dropcloth. Leave to dry overnight. If your fireplace is very dirty, apply the cleaning solution with a sponge and let it sit for a few minutes. How to Clean Fireplace Bricks With Detergent and Salt This is the mildest cleaning method and should be tried first before moving on to more harsh chemicals. You can also use a mixture of equal parts of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to provide stronger cleaning power. You will want to clean your stone fireplace hearth with a solution of table salt and detergent. Clean the hearth with pH balanced liquid dish soap and water. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Clean-a-Slate-Hearth-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-a-Slate-Hearth-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Clean-a-Slate-Hearth-Step-1.jpg\/aid10808973-v4-728px-Clean-a-Slate-Hearth-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"