Cleaning Your Fireplace - Stay Warm and Breathe Easy

A wood-burning fireplace can be an awesome way to stay warm and calm the mind. The gentle sound of the flames, the intermittent crackling of the wood, and the beautiful sight of the dancing fire always make me feel better after a stressful week. Although a wood-burning fireplace is a great way to stay warm, especially in rural environments where gas lines aren't common, there is one major downside compared to gas and electric fireplaces: Cleanup. Woodburning fireplaces create ash and a dusty compound called Creosote as they burn wood, and prolonged use without proper maintenance can create fire hazards and reduce the surrounding air quality. In this short, easy-to-follow article, I'll walk you through step-by-step how you can clean your own wood-burning fireplace for a warm and safe season!

To clean your fireplace, you will need:

1. Broom and Dustpan
2. Vaccum Cleaner
3. Clean Towel
4. Vinegar and Water
5. Windex (for fireplaces with glass doors)
6. Wire Brush
7. Gloves and Dust Mask

Before we begin, you want to make sure that both you and the surrounding environment are protected. For working with fine ash, wear a dust mask (any COVID mask will work) and gloves to prevent skin irritation. Place a towel or old blanket in front of the fireplace to make cleanup easy and to protect the tile or carpet from the soot.

Before the hearth can be deep-cleaned, we need to remove the bulk of the ash and charred wood. Position the dustpan at the front of the hearth, and using the broom, sweep around the log grate and collect as much ash and debris as you can. This will remove all the larger pieces of burned logs.

Next, we can remove the Creosote buildup from the hearth and walls of the fireplace. Using the wire brush, begin scrubbing the log grate in a back-and-forth motion, working your way up each individual section. If your fireplace has a removable log grate, it is much easier to take it out of the hearth and brush it down outside.

Continuing with the wire brush, scrub the walls of the hearth starting from the top down. A circular scrubbing motion works best. If there are areas with particularly stubborn creosote and soot buildup, apply a small amount of water mixed with vinegar, and let it soak for 5 minutes to soften the deposits. After, wipe clean with the towel.

There really isn't much use to an awesomely clean fireplace if you can't even see it, so let's clean those doors!

For Glass Pane Doors - Spray down each side of each door with Windex, and using a clean towel, wipe down from top to bottom. If there are stubborn soot or creosote deposits on the glass or handles, use the water and vinegar method from step four

For Metal Chain Doors - Some fireplaces have metal chainlink doors instead of glass, which can be a little trickier to clean. Start by using a damp towel to brush along the pattern of the chain from top to bottom, where the majority of the soot lands in the groves. If it has been a long time since your fireplace was last cleaned, and there is soot on the inside of the links, scrub with the wire brush and then wipe down with a damp towel.

Most people know that when wood burns in a fireplace, the smoke created exits up through the chimney. But most people don't understand the dangers of leaving your chimney unmaintained. Debris such as bird nests, leaves, and creosote deposits can block smoke from exiting the chimney, and when that happens the smoke has nowhere to go except for out of the fireplace into your living space. Inspect your chimney with a flashlight to ensure that it is unblocked and free of substantial debris, or call a chimney cleaning expert for assistance. In general, chimneys need cleaning about once per year, but you'll know pretty quickly if smoke is not escaping properly, odors are coming from your fireplace, or fires don't burn well and are easily put out.

The damper is the movable plate inside of your fireplace near the top that can be moved around to control airflow. Dampers should be free of soot and creosote, and able to be easily opened and closed. Wipe it down with a damp towel, and then ensure that it can move its full range of motion.

We're almost done, now it's time for the final cleanup! Using the narrow attachment on your vacuum, remove any remaining soot, creosote, and debris left in the cracks of the hearth or under the log grate if it's not removable. Replace the log grate if you removed it.

That's it! From dirty and dusty to clean and cozy, you are all ready to enjoy your fireplace this season! Now sitting by the fire and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, you can breathe easy, literally!