This homeowner asked me if I knew of a cleaning method to get the black soot off of her fireplace. It seems to have penetrated the brick somewhat. It really bothers her and she wants it to be clean before the staging is finished, and the house is put on market.
She mentioned "Scrubbing Bubbles", I've never tried this, my fireplace is not brick, so there's no build-up.
Has anyone had success in cleaning brick fireplaces?
Thanks for any help you can give!
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Cindy: My grandmother's fireplace soap recipe should do just the trick:
FIREPLACE SOAP
1 1/4 cup tallow or lard
1/3 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup glycerine
3/4 cup distilled or Spring water
4 tbsp. lye (not Drano)
1-1 1/2 cups vodka or isopropyl alcohol(70 percent)
1 1/2 cups table sugar(not powdered)
Grease molds liberally with 1/4 cup of the lard. Melt tallow or lard and coconut oil until the fats register 90 degrees. Stir lye into water until dissolved. Cool until water mixture registers 90 degrees.
Pour lye into fats, stirring until thick and creamy. Add glycerine and stir until well mixed. Pour into mould and cover until set hard (3 days). Grate into a large stainless steel bowl. Be sure soap is grated finely and any large pieces are regrated or cup up into smaller pieces. You are looking for uniform sized pieces so they melt at the same rate.
Add Alcohol to soap stirring to moisten. Using alcohol alone will sometime create a cloudy glycerine soap, the sugar will help with this problem. Make a simple syrup by mixing the sugar with 1 cup water in a separate pan, making sure the sugar completely dissolves. Be sure and wash down the sugar crystals from the sides of the pans. Add sugar solution to the soap mixture, stirring until thoroughly mixed. At this time add coloring to the soap. Place bowl over a pan of gently boiling water.
Be very careful at this stage. Keep alcohol away from the flame, as to not ignite it. Stir constantly until the soap melts. The alcohol will evaporate. Continue stirring until the soap is actually clear. When a ropy thread forms as the spoon is lifted from the liquid, the soap is almost ready. Remove the bowl from the heat for a minute or two. If a skin begins to form, the soap is ready, if not, return back to the heat.
Pour into molds. When the soap is hard, you may grate, melt, and add herbs, dried flowers, fragrance and other additives.
Let cure for 2-3 weeks minimum.
Cindy, Great question. I've bookmarked your post, I want to see what advice others have. I also bookmarked the site Terrylynn gave, that looks like a great solution.
Cindy, Check this out: Removing black soot from a brick fireplace
Cindy I've cleaned several of my own fireplaces before painting, I don't care for brick, and I've always started with TSP. Tri-sodium phosphate. It's will not harm the brick. I did have to use a tooth brush and scrub brush to get into the brick surface because the soot really penetrates. It has taken several applications. Just make sure that all other surfaces are covered with a plastic drop cloth and that you use rubber gloves.
We use bathtub cleaning foam, like scrubbing bubbles (I buy generic). Works fast. You have to scrub with a stiff bristled brush and wipe up the mess with a sponge, Saw the tip on HGTV and w've used it with success.
~Michelle
Cindy: Great topic! I have always recommended painting black - now I have a few other choices to recommend.
Matt-That sounds like quite the process.
Terrylynn-Wow!, that is quite the difference, much better.
Donna-It sounds like some great advise already
George-Leave it to you to make it sound so simple...thanks!
Ginger-I've heard of TSP for driveways, so I could see where that might work.
Michelle-I think I would try that first and see what happens.
Kristina-Hope this helps us all!