How do you clean soot off of bricks?


Quick Answer

Clean soot off of bricks using a mixture of soap and salt and some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Ammonia might be needed for tougher stains.

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How do you clean soot off of bricks?
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Full Answer

A traditional brick fireplace is an attractive living room feature. Burning wood means that soot builds up over time, leaving ugly black marks and stains. This is not an easy mess to clean, but it is possible.

First, mix equal parts of dish soap and salt with enough water to form a paste. Use a cloth to rub it into the bricks, and then let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub the mixture away with a scrub brush, and then rinse the area with a damp cloth.

If stains persist, a harsher mixture may be needed. If this is the case, use the method described above, but use a mixture of soap, pumice and a small amount of ammonia in place of the salt and soap mixture.

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