Aside from providing beauty to the room, the fireplace is very useful in providing warmth during winter. But just like the rest of the entire house, you need to clean and make it ready for use as well.
 
You can begin by cleaning the chimney from up all the way down. This part is usually done by professionals. Nevertheless, you can do it yourself too. You just have to make sure that you are doing it the right way. Or else, you could damage your chimney and your whole fireplace. You could even cause a hazard in your own home.
 
The first step is to seal the fireplace using plastic and duct tape so dirt will not spread as you brush the creosote and other residue off the walls of the chimney from the top to the bottom of the chimney.
 
The main fireplace would need cleaning too. You should take out all ashes and other particles. And then, vacuum the rest of the residue. You can use a stiff brush to clean the firebox. However, be gentle when doing this as bricks easily crumble and linings get bent as well. Abrasive cleaners should not be used as they leave flammable residue.
 
This procedure should be done at least once a year to make sure that you have a fine working fireplace. This is also a way for you to make sure that you and your family will not be breathing contaminated air inside your home. 
 

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