There’s just something about springtime that gets you in the mood for change. Once the weather is nice, you want to spend more time outdoors, taking walks, grilling, or even just hanging out on the front porch. Sometimes the spring cleaning fever hits, as well; closets get emptied, attics get cleaned, garage get swept. It just feels good to get everything in order so that you can enjoy the long, lazy days of summer. One place you definitely don’t want to neglect is your chimney system. Although nothing can replace your annual sweeping and inspection from a qualified professional, there are some things that you can do to prepare your chimney for summer.
Cleaning You Can Do Yourself
In order to prepare for spring cleaning your fireplace, you must first assemble the tools. It’s a messy job, and you don’t want to quit in the middle of doing it. Some essential items you’ll need are the following: a fireplace broom, a fireplace shovel, a metal can, a stiff-bristled brush, and some plastic covering to put down in front of the fireplace. If you have a hand-held vacuum, this can come in handy as well.
First, clear out the ashes. Ashes can be fly-away, so a good trick is to sprinkle some used coffee grounds over the ashes to hold them down. Next, shovel the ashes in the metal can, then take them out of the house to dispose – use the broom or the vacuum to pick up remaining ashes. Then, remove the andirons and grate to take them outside with the stiff-bristled brush and scrub them down. You can even reach up into the chimney with the brush to scrub out any soot and grime – make sure to put some newspapers down to collect the falling debris!
Next, you’ll want to clean the bricks in the fireplace. This can be accomplished by either brushing them down or use the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. If there are tough spots that need extra cleaning, use a mixture of water and cream of tartar. Dab mixture on the spots, let it set a few minutes, and wash off with warm water. You can repeat those steps as many times as necessary.
Finally, clean the glass doors on your fireplace to cap off this job and leave the room looking fresh and clean. Because the grime on the doors is tougher than ordinary dirt, one trick is to use ashes to clean it. Get some old newspapers damp, dip them in ashes, and use this to scrub the glass. It may take a little elbow grease, but the end result is most definitely worth it!
Cleaning by Professionals
Of course, none of this should replace your annual chimney spring cleaning and inspection, performed by professionals. Give the professionals at Chim Cheroo Chimney Systems a call soon to get your sweeping out of the way early, and you can spend the rest of your summer days enjoying all the fun, warm weather activities!