They are so warm and cozy in the winter and so miserable to clean in the spring. Foaming bathroom cleaner does a wonderful job on soot, but first saturate the bricks with an all-purpose cleaner and allow to soak a few minutes.
Thoroughly spray the bricks with the tub cleaner. Scrub with a stiff bristle brush dipped in Ivory and water. Reapply the bath cleaner as needed. If the soot refuses to budge, resort to TSP (trisodium phosphate) found in hardware stores. It is toxic and not highly recommended, but it cleans bricks. Keep the room well ventilated, wear gloves and a mask, protect your skin carpet and any furniture close by.
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