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Cleaning Fireplace Brick

House Doctor | Gary Dymski

December 13, 2001

Q. We're replacing an old fireplace screen. Over the years, some of the bricks around the frame of the screen have become blackened with soot. What can I use to clean the brick? Also, I was told that the glass doors on the new screen are made of tempered glass. What difference does it make, considering the fire will be burning with the doors open?-Mary and Leo

A. There are several formulas for cleaning blackened brick, stone and concrete around fireplaces. Here are a couple:

Mix an ounce of liquid soap and an ounce of table salt with enough water to make a cream or paste. Rub the mixture into the brick surface with a cloth. Allow it to dry for 10 minutes, then remove it with a stiff brush.

Mix a half-cup of trisodium phosphate substitute or Spic & Span in a gallon of water. Scrub the brick with a stiff brush. Rinse with warm water and repeat several times if needed. If it's an especially dirty surface, use up to a cup of detergent per gallon of water. Avoid spilling the cleaning solution on carpets, and use rubber gloves and eye protection when applying it to the brick.

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As for tempered glass, it is safety glass. When it breaks, it fractures into small, harmless fragments. This makes it much safer to use on doors, appliance shelves and any item exposed to high traffic and high heat. When ordinary or "annealed" glass breaks, it can almost explode into jagged shards. Tempered glass is heated and then cooled under a high-pressure application called quenching. This heating and cooling gives the glass its resistance to heat and alters its breakage properties.