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So, you’ve got a clean a stone fireplace in your home and are excited about spending more time by the fire. That will be great, right? Not so much. A new fireplace will bring a lot of dirt and greasepaint residue from the previous homeowner. Cleaning a stone fireplace might not seem like that big of an issue, but it can hinder the appearance of your home if not taken care of regularly. Luckily, with just a little knowledge and essential tools, cleaning a stone fireplace shouldn’t be too much of an ordeal. Read on for our complete guide on how to clean a stone fireplace:
Keep in mind before you start.
If you’re a newbie when it comes to cleaning a stone fireplace, the first thing you should do is ask yourself why you’re cleaning in the first place. Is the fireplace too dirty to enjoy? Do you want to keep it tidy, or is there another reason? Is it something you want to do regularly? If you can answer these questions with an “I don’t know,” you’ll be better positioned to clean your fireplace regularly. If you know why you want to clean the fireplace, you can better plan your cleaning routine and ensure you’re prepared for each step. By providing that you’re prepared and have a cleaning routine, you should be able to clean a stone fireplace much easier and more regularly.
What You’ll Need
Now that you’ve got a couple of answers to the “what” you’ll be cleaning, it’s time to talk about “what you’ll need.” Here are some of the basics you’ll need whenever you’re cleaning your stone fireplace. -Vacuum – You can’t clean your fireplace or around it if it’s covered in dust, so get a vacuum for your stone fireplace. -Vinegar – You can’t clean your fireplace with just water and soap. You’ll need something to clean with, so pick up some white vinegar and have it at it. -Baking Soda – We’ll be using some abrasive to clean the fireplace hearth, so we’ll need something to scrub and wipe. Baking soda is an inexpensive and effective abrasive that’s safe to use around your fireplace. -Mop – If you’re moping, you’re mopping, so you’ll need a mop to wipe away the vinegar and water. And if you’re not cleaning the stone hearth, you can also use it to clean your floors. -Dust Cloth – If you’re wiping the hearth dry rather than mopping it, you’ll need a cloth to clean and wipe it dry.
So, why is a stone fireplace so dirty?
The easiest way to explain why a stone fireplace is so dirty is by the previous owners. If your fireplace is covered in dirt and grime, the last person to use it didn’t clean it often enough. New homeowners often don’t realize that a fireplace will cover in dirt and debris. You can’t avoid it if you don’t use the fireplace. But you can keep it clean. The fireplace is the central source of heat in a home, and the heat from the fireplace is what keeps you warm while you’re inside. So, it’s essential to ensure you don’t let dust build up.
The Basics: Things You Should Always Do When Cleaning a Fireplace
Before cleaning your stone fireplace, do a few things to ensure your cleaning goes smoothly. Here are a few of the most important: – Clean the hearth. If you’re only cleaning the mantel and not the home, you’re only cleaning about half of the surface. Make sure you clean the place before you clean the mantel. – Clean the chimney. If you’re going to be cleaning your chimney, you might clean the fireplace as well. So, clean your fireplace first and then clean the chimney. – Clean the fireplace surround. While this might not be the first thing on your mind if you’re only cleaning the fireplace hearth, it’s worth noting. You’ll not get the full benefit of your cleaning routine if it’s not clean.
Step 1: Vacuum and mop
Once your essential cleaning gear is ready, you can move on to mopping the hearth and wiping it dry with a dust cloth. -Vacuum – You can’t clean your fireplace or vacuum the surrounding area if it’s covered in dust, so get a vacuum for your stone fireplace. -Mop – If you’re moping, you’re moping, so you can use it to wipe the hearth dry. -Dust Cloth – If you’re wiping the hearth dry rather than mopping it, you’ll need a dust cloth to clean and wipe it dry.
Step 2: Brush the fireplace hearth or ground
Now that you’ve vacuumed and moped the hearth and the surrounding area, you can brush the hearth and ground. -Brush – You can use a stiff boar’s hair brush to scrub the hearth clean. Boar’s hairbrushes are best for hard surfaces and removing dirt and debris from the fireplace hearth. -Ground – You can use an old trowel or shovel to dig up the ground around your fireplace, so it’s nice and clean. That is an essential step because it’ll make the rest of your cleaning process much more manageable.
Step 3: Soak and wipe dry
Next, you can soak the hearth and ground it in a bucket of water for about an hour. Afterwards, you can use a clean cloth to wipe the hearth and ground. -Soak – You can use a mop to soak the hearth and ground in a bucket of water. That will help loosen any dirt and debris stuck to the stone. -Wipe – After you’ve rinsed and wiped the hearth and ground clean, you can use a dry cloth to buff it out. Buffing will help remove any excess water from your fireplace and make it look new.
Conclusion
Cleaning a stone fireplace might seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. Cleaning a stone fireplace shouldn’t be too much of an ordeal with just a little knowledge and a few essential tools. Follow these steps, and you should be able to clean a stone fireplace in no time.
