Is Vinegar The Key To Restoring Your Dull Fireplace Bricks?

Fireplaces add a special touch to any home — they're not only aesthetically striking but also allow you to set a cozy ambiance for when your family wants to gather and unwind together. However, what many consider to be a statement piece in the living room can quickly begin to look dingy and unkempt if you don't take care of the brick surround. If you have a log fire, soot and creosote can travel outside the firebox and embed in the surrounding brick, making it appear black and dirty. However, you don't have to live with that marred appearance. All you need is a little bit of vinegar to clean it up.

Vinegar is a versatile cleaning tool that can tackle everything from hard water buildup in showers to germs on surfaces. But if dirty brick is your issue, it can aid in the fight against grime and soot buildup. Here is how to utilize the all-natural cleaner to get your fireplace back into tip-top shape. With some vinegar and elbow grease, you won't have to use expensive specialty cleaners to get the job done.

To properly clean the fireplace, all you will need is vinegar, a spray bottle, and a stiff-bristle brush. Simply pour the vinegar into your spray bottle and dilute it with water to create a 1-to-1 ratio. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients, and then spray it onto the dingy bricks. Work in small sections — 1 foot by 1 foot at a time. Allow the vinegar to sit for 15 minutes to soften and break down the dirt, then, take the stiff-bristle brush to scrub the stains. 

You want to use a stiff bristle brush rather than a soft one in order to aggressively get into the nooks and crannies of the textured brick. However, don't use a wire one since that can scratch the surface. Once done, use a damp cloth or brush to wipe down the brick thoroughly, removing any leftover traces of the vinegar.

When using vinegar to clean the fireplace, make sure only to use distilled white vinegar. Red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar might discolor the brick or marr it due to the acidity, so it's best to only stick with distilled white vinegar for this cleaning hack. You will also want to skip this hack if your fireplace brick is painted or stained. The vinegar might eat away at the pigment, leaving behind splotches or discoloration.

If the soot is extra stubborn, you can add half a teaspoon of dish soap into the mix to give it more cleaning power. This will help make the process a little more effective. However, keep in mind that soot and creosote stains are relatively difficult to remove, especially if you have years of buildup. While vinegar is effective and recommended by cleaning companies and brick experts alike, it will take some time and effort. Expect to scrub the same spot several times before the discoloration is completely lifted.