Spring Fireplace Maintenance Tips

Spring is the time for refreshment. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, and flowers come to bloom to show the earth is renewed.

With this season of renewal and refreshment, comes a time of change. For many, this change comes in the form of spring-cleaning. For a better spring cleaning experience, check out these helpful tips:

Proper Attire

You probably don’t want to wear a white suit while cleaning your chimney, so make sure you have the right clothes ready to take on the task. These items may include a mask for covering your face from ash, gloves, and old clothes that you don’t care about anymore. If that is not enough, place newspaper around the area to keep ah from getting on the floor.

Remove the Debris

First, remove all logs and tinder from the hearth. Then, take off your grate and irons if your fireplace has them, and set them outside to clean. You can use a hearth cleaner or metal polish, and you can either do this now or after you clean your fireplace.

Scrub, Scrub, Scrub

With a stiff cleaning bristle brush in hand, scrub the walls of our chimney. Don’t be shy or modest about it, really get some force behind your scrubbing and get that chimney looking almost new again. You’re not only cleaning off the soot, but also the build-up of creosote. Creosote is the dark residue on the inside of your chimney and is essentially tar.

Prepare your Cleaning Solution

If your chimney is not up to snuff, you might need to try this little trick. A quality cleaning solution would be to fill a spray bottle with 50% warm water and 50% white vinegar. Spray the mixture all over the inside of your fireplace and let the solution sit for about five to ten minutes. Spray again as needed and h start scrubbing with your scrub bush again. Do this until you are satisfied with the cleanliness.

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