Don't forget to vacuum thoroughly afterward. Wipe down the entire area with vinegar or lemon juice; both will do wonders for removing hard water stains.
After applying acetone or denatured alcohol to a microfiber cloth, wipe down the surface with it. Do not use steel wool for this job because tiny flakes of rust will be created and you don't want that in your firebox.
Finish off by applying denatured alcohol to a hard bristled brush and scrubbing it into each crevice. When you're done and after the denatured alcohol has dried remove all loose hair, dust, or debris using a vacuum. Speaking of marble, there are many people that use this material for kitchen countertops as well. In that case, they often wonder how difficult it is to clean. The truth is that a marble kitchen countertop can be beautiful — but it is prone to stains and scratches.
Wipe up spills immediately, and do not expose your marble countertop to heat; this will shorten its lifespan considerably. The best way to protect a beautiful stone surface like marble or granite is to use a cutting board over it — that way all those soggy or messy foods can be disposed of easily and nothing endangers the look of your stone countertop.
Clean tiles should always be free of grime, cracks, or other problems. One problem that a lot of people have in front of their brick fireplaces is the amount of dirt and debris that accumulates between the tiles. Do you have smoke-stained bricks where you had your fireplace before? Well, it could be very easy for you to clean them. Just take some water mixed with vinegar and put some baking soda on it.
Then mix all these things in a spray bottle and just start applying them into the bricks. After only a few minutes, wipe down the brick with cold water using a sponge or wet cloth until they are completely dry again — and there will be no more smoke stains anymore.
If you have lime stains on your fireplace bricks, then this is a sign that there was some water in contact with the bricks for a long time and caused corrosion. This happened because of an improper sealing job. You can remove these stains by scrubbing them with cream of tartar mixed with water using a toothbrush or any other small brush.
The mixture will react with the lime and cause it to become powdery — just wipe off the residue and your problem should be gone. The chimney comes with a lot of dirt and debris inside it; so you have to clean the inside of your fireplace at least once a year. You can do it by yourself without any help, but just keep in mind that the process is not an easy one — you should be very careful because brick fireplaces can get very hot.
To start, remove all decorative elements from the area above your fireplace like mantels, shelves, etc. Now cover all surfaces around it with drop cloths or old sheets so that no mess gets on them. Brush away as much loose ash as possible using an extension pole with a stiff brush on the end — this will reduce the amount of cleaning later on. The last step would be removing ashes and embers, so most likely you will have to clean them too.
If you're cleaning your fireplace with a damp sponge or cloth, then you should know that this can lead to some serious problems. Bricks are porous and absorb water quite easily — so using a moist cloth on them will cause them to expand and they will lose their original structural integrity in the long run. Depending on how much use your brick fireplaces get, it is recommended for you to clean them more than once every year. You might think that this is too often, but you have to realize that bricks take up moisture from the air, and if they're not cleaned enough — then there's nothing that keeps out harmful pollutants from building up inside their pores.
It is very important to remove all the dirt, dust, and debris from the interior of your brick fireplace before you start cleaning it.
Be aware of the age of your bricks though. If you have older bricks 20 years or older , vinegar might not be your go-to method. To get started with the vinegar cleaning power, you'll:. Sometimes it takes a bit of a harsher method to get your bricks inside the fireplace clean. For newer bricks, you can bust out the ammonia. Ammonia is strong and potent, so open all of your windows and doors within the general vicinity before trying this method.
You also might want to break out the rubber gloves and goggles, just to be safe. Scrubbing Bubbles weren't just made for the bathroom. They can do wonders on your bricks too! Just grab your bottle and follow these instructions. When it comes to easily and effectively cleaning your brick fireplace, it is nice to have a method that is just spray and go. Unfortunately, all the soot and creosote is going to take a bit of elbow grease. However, these tips and tricks can work to lighten your load.
Cleaning your fireplace brick is never fun. However, your fireplace must be cleaned thoroughly at least a couple of times a year for optimal performance and tip-top appearance. Is it time to get cleaning?
Removing Ash and Soot You love your fireplace, but you've noticed lately that it is starting to look dingy. Attach the brush to the vacuum cleaner and brush up all the soot.
Supplies for Cleaning Fireplaces Once all the loose stuff is gone, you'll need to grab your materials. Mix equal parts Dawn dish soap and table salt or baking soda approximately one ounce each with enough water to cause the mixture to blend into a cream.
Be sure to not add too much water! Then, with a cloth or dish towel, cover the bricks with the aforementioned mixture. Let it soak for about 10 minutes. Use a bristle brush and scrub in a circular motion, working from the top down. Spray water on to the solution to get a bit more scrubbing action. Rinse and wipe. Repeat if you need to. Getting Fireplace Bricks Clean With Borax When baking soda and salt aren't cutting it, you might want to break out the borax. In a spray bottle combine 2 tablespoons of borax and a squirt of Dawn with 4 cups of hot water.
Give it a good shake and coat the bricks. Grab your bristle brush and use a circular motion. It is quite a time and labor-intensive, though. If you do it yourself, you might spend a few hours a day on the project for an entire week.
Of course, this depends on the size of your fireplace. Make sure your fireplace bricks are completely clean before painting them. Properly seal your masonry first with an all-purpose white primer. After that, apply a single coat of white latex paint. After that is dry, you can use the color of your choice. Spray Nine and Quick N Brite are the best fireplace brick cleaners on the market.
Spray Nine has the most convenient format, as the product is housed in a spray bottle. If you want something biodegradable and environmentally friendly, however, you should go with Quick N Brite. Both cleaners are highly effective at removing dirt and stains from fireplace bricks. Vinegar can be harmful to bricks that are older than 20 years old.
If you have an old fireplace that was built more than two decades ago, avoid vinegar. It can be corrosive and cause damage to your brick. This sealant will not only make your fireplace polished but will also give your bricks the necessary protection. Do you want to use an oil-based high-gloss sealant? If so, make sure to have a bit of paint thinner on hand. If you accidentally spill any oil-based sealant, you will need paint thinner to remove it.
Fireplaces get too hot inside the firebox. Use a broom, wire brush, and water to get rid of as much dirt on the bricks as you can. Use a fireplace brick cleaner and rinse thoroughly. Give the bricks time to completely dry. Use either a paint roller or a concrete sprayer to apply your high-gloss sealant.
The concrete sprayer is necessary for large areas. As you apply the sealant, ensure it goes on evenly and that the whole surface is fully saturated. After making sure that the first coat is completely dry, proceed with the second coat. Make the strokes go in the opposite direction to what you did in the first coast. Give your bricks a minimum of seven days to dry before putting anything on them.
Your high-gloss sealant will harden or cure. Once your sealant has thoroughly dried, you will have a shiny brick fireplace. This look can genuinely upgrade the look of a room, making the fireplace appear higher-end and more impressive.
Yes, it is best to seal your brick fireplace. Remember that brick is porous. That means if you leave it unsealed, it will get incredibly dirty. Also, if bricks are unsealed, the liquid will be immediately absorbed.
So if anything is ever spilled on your fireplace bricks, the stain may be impossible to remove. Even more importantly, an unsealed brick fireplace is vulnerable to water damage. This damage is especially likely to happen over a long period of time.
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