DIY Fireplace Cleaning

The warm glow of a fireplace is one of the greatest gifts of winter. To keep things safe, be sure to clean the fireplace regularly and know that it is in good repair and safe to operate. It's always a good idea to have a professional inspect the fireplace, especially if buying a previously lived-in house, but if you’re feeling particularly brave and industrious this winter season - we’ve got a guide to help you clean your fireplace yourself.

When the chimney is professionally cleaned by a technician they will lay down a drop cloth, place lights, plug in a vacuum system, and will typically have a truck full of job-specific tools to help them. But, if you’re tackling this project DIY - you probably won’t have all those tools on hand.

Before cleaning, put on a respirator because it's unhealthy to have continued exposure to creosote dust.

Creosote is unhealthy for the chimney as well since it's a combustible material up in the venting portion of the chimney. In that part of the chimney, everything above the damper is designed for hot gasses but not actual combustion. If a combustible substance overheats and catches fire, it can cause serious damage to those areas.


For cleaning, you will need:
- A plastic tarp or painters drop cloth to protect the floor around the fireplace.
- Thick plastic sheeting and duct tape to isolate the fireplace from the room its in
- Goggles
- Respirator
- Chimney brushes
- A decent vacuum
- Flashlight
- Experience doing roof work

Step 1 - Spread tarp / cloth to protect floor surrounding your fireplace. Clear the ash and any leftover bits of wood from the firebox. Make sure you wait at least 24 hours from your last fire to begin cleaning or else you risk burning yourself / stirring up embers.

Step 2 - Isolate the fireplace from the rest of the room its in. Use thick plastic sheets and strong tape. Seal the front of the fireplace completely and make sure that the tape has created a complete and strong seal. Otherwise, you risk coating your entire house with fine white / black dust.

Step 3 - Put on all your safety gear, and climb up to roof. Warning though, if you do not have any experience doing roof work, now is NOT the time to learn.
Remove any hardware restricting your access to the top of your chimney. Whether it be a chimney cap or animal guard, you will be full access to begin brushing it.

Step 4 - Brush from the top down, working your way toward the smoke shelf—the flat area located in the “crook” behind the damper. Take your time and do a thorough job. When you’re done sweeping the flue, replace the hardware you removed, ensuring that all fasteners are properly secured. Make your way safely down the ladder.

Step 5 - Wait a while for the dust you’ve upset to settle into the firebox. Once you think it has settled, peel apart a small opening in the taped seal you positioned over the firebox. Using a smaller-diameter chimney brush, reach through the opening and scrub as far up into the chimney as the brush can reach. When you’re finished, cover up the fireplace again, and let any additional dust fall onto the floor of the firebox.

Step 6 - When you peel back the plastic sheeting, do so slowly and methodically. Stirring up the soot now would make a mess that’s even larger than the one already awaiting you. Another word to the wise: Be sure that no one opens any exterior doors, which would allow a sudden draft to send dust and ashes all over your living room carpet and furniture. The simple act of opening a door would defeat the purpose of having so painstakingly confined the dust and debris behind a plastic membrane. Move the sheeting carefully out of the way, then use a shop vacuum to clear the firebox. You may need to empty the vacuum midway through the job, depending on the machine’s capacity. The ashes and creosote can be sprinkled on flower beds since they are a source of calcium and other nutrients. With the vacuum running, a stiff brush is used to clean the fireplace walls. The damper ledge should always be cleaned since creosote dust builds up there as well.

Check out these tips for signs that indicate your fireplace may need maintentance: KEEPING AN EYE ON YOUR FIREPLACE

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