Tackling soot in your fireplace is a really messy, hands-on job. Though it might be tempting to use a powerful commercial cleanser to get the job done quickly, think about trying one of these all-natural options first; they are safe and just as effective as most commercial cleansers.
Before you do any scrubbing, remove all ashes with a shovel or dustpan and place them in a sturdy bag. Sweep out any remaining debris and follow up with the brush attachment on your vacuum (and don’t forget to clean the brush attachment afterwards —you don’t want to spread soot around the rest of your home!).
A kneeling board or folded up towel will come in very handy while working on this project. And it’s a good idea to put on gloves, a face mask, and protective eyewear to keep the soot from irritating your lungs and skin.
I tested three different natural cleansers on my very old fireplace and have to say that I was most impressed with a simple paste made with water and cream of tartar. The vinegar and water spray did the job, but didn’t yield as great a result as I would have liked, and took the most scrubbing on my part. The baking soda and dish detergent paste worked just about as well, but again took a lot of scrubbing on my part.
How to Clean a Fireplace With Cream of Tartar
This method works best when used on smaller, concentrated areas like the surround or on the hearth. It yielded the best results when compared to the other two methods, but unless you have access to large, bulk quantities of cream of tartar, you might stick with baking soda or vinegar for the interior of your fireplace.
How to Clean a Fireplace With Vinegar
First, a warning: If your fireplace is older than 20 years, you may want to opt for a less abrasive cleaner and steer clear of the vinegar solution.
How to Clean a Fireplace With Baking Soda and Dish Detergent
Is there anything baking soda can’t clean?
After the side walls of the fireplace have been cleaned, finish up by washing the bottom of the fireplace and the hearth. Keep old rags on hand to soak up any dirty water that has run off from scrubbing the walls, then apply your cleanser, scrub, rinse, and repeat until clean.
Read more:
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Clever Ways to Finally Upgrade An Old Worn Down or Dated Fireplace
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