Cleaning a Mesh Fireplace Screen

A fireplace screen and door can be a nice touch for your fireplace. The fireplace is a great focal point in your house and you want to make sure it looks good. Plenty of residues from burning wood collect on your fireplace screen. For a few reasons, it is important to keep this screen clean. The fireplace screen keeps the fire inside of the fireplace and a build-up of residue can become a safety hazard. This is not a fun job, but it is one that needs to be done periodically. If done correctly it can be done relatively easily.

Step 1 – Prep your Fireplace

A good way to help keep your fireplace screen clean is to keep your fireplace clean. So you will clean out your fireplace first and remove the soot. First you must make sure all of the ash is out of the fireplace. Keep a trashcan nearby. Use a fireplace shovel to remove the ash and dump it into the trashcan. You can lay a rag down to protect your knees from the brick, since you will be working for a little while.

Step 2 – Remove the Soot

Wear your gloves. Remove the screen and door. You can use newspaper or plastic to catch the soot. Line it on the bottom of the fireplace. Use a wire scrub brush to scrape it off the walls and anything else that is caked with soot. Scrub it all. After you are done, you can pick up your dirt catcher and dump it into the trashcan that you have handy.

Step 3 – Cleaning Solution

Now it is time to wear your safety goggles. The cleaning solution can burn your eyes and skin. TSP is a powerful chemical. Pour a gallon of water into a bucket, then add six tablespoons of TSP. Pour in one cup of bleach. Again, do not get this in your eyes or on your skin. Be careful not to splash it.

Step 4 – Scrub Fireplace

Use your gloves and wire scrub brush. Scrub the walls with the TSP solution. Scrub the floor as well. Use wet rags to wipe the walls and floor clean. Be sure to remove as much of the TSP as possible. Some old fireplaces will always have some black remaining. Do not worry if some spots are still black. This will be expected.

Step 5 – Fireplace Screen

Use a dry rag to wipe the soot. Scrub the soot off of both sides of the screen. Keep a newspaper underneath it, to catch the char. Clean off your rag. Soak it and put some detergent on it. Scrub both sides of your fireplace screen, until it is clean. Now put it under a sink to wash away the dirt and soap or take it outside and spray it clean with the garden hose. Put the clean fireplace screen back into your fireplace.