• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
go to homepage

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

go to homepage

How To Clean Stuff.net

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

Home / Cleaning Guides / House / Household Appliances and Fixtures / How to Clean a Stone Fireplace

How to Clean a Stone Fireplace

Table of Contents:
  1. You Will Need
  2. Steps to Clean the Stone
  3. Additional Tips and Advice

Reba asked: How do I clean my stone fireplace? It is different sizes of stone and mortar and has never been cleaned.

If you don’t want to hire a professional chimney sweep to clean your stone fireplace, the following method should work well for the do-it-yourselfer. Keep in mind that stone is a porous material, and cleaning it may require quite a bit of physical scrubbing to reach all of those nooks and crannies!

You Will Need:

  • Hand broom and dustpan or vacuum
  • Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) heavy duty cleaner – available at most hardware stores.
  • Bleach
  • Warm water
  • Bucket
  • Sponge
  • Stiff bristled brush
  • Old blankets or towels
  • Plastic tarp
  • Duct tape
  • Rubber gloves
  • Eye protection

Steps to Clean the Stone:

  1. Wear rubber gloves and eye protection at all times.
  2. Sweep of vacuum up as much dust as possible from outside the fireplace.
  3. Mix a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate) in warm water in the bucket according to package directions. The dirtier your fireplace, the stronger you want to make your solution.
  4. Add 2-3 ounces of bleach per gallon of solution.
  5. Lay the plastic over or around the hearth to protect the underlying floor. Seal around the edges with duct tape to prevent leaks.
  6. Pile blankets and/or towels around the area to catch runs, drips, and overflow as you scrub.
  7. If the fireplace is heavily soiled, wet it down with the solution using a sponge to allow the detergent to begin working before you start to scrub.
  8. Next, attack with the scrub brush. Deep, hard scrubbing will be required on porous stone. Eye protection is very important here, as the scrubbing process will send droplets flying! You may want to keep your mouth shut as well.
  9. If stains are persistent, make a paste of water and TSP and apply directly to the stone. Scrub liberally.
  10. Finish by sponging clean water over the stone, from top to bottom, as a rinse.
  11. Once you’re satisfied with the cleanliness of the stone, allow it to air dry before removing the blankets, towels, and plastic.

Additional Tips and Advice

  • Never attempt to clean a stone or brick fireplace with a flammable liquid. It will be impossible to remove it, and the residue left so close to an open flame is a serious fire hazard.
  • Bleach may fade stone, so use it carefully and sparingly.
  • If streaking occurs, you need to use more water. The cleaner spots are those which were wetter where the water ran down from higher points on the stone.
  • It’s always a good idea to test any cleaning solution in an inconspicuous spot before beginning the project.  Wait 24 hours, or at least until the test spot dries, before taking on the rest of the project.
  • Work on a cold fireplace. Do not attempt to clean a heated fireplace or one in use.
  • To avoid a bigger mess, scoop out all ash and fire debris before cleaning the face of the fireplace.

Cleaning Guides, Household Appliances and Fixtures

Was This Guide Helpful?

+80
-2
Rating: 98%. From 82 votes.
Please wait...

Related Posts

  • How to Clean Marker Off of a Rock Fireplace
  • How to Clean a Gas Fireplace
  • How to Clean Glass Fireplace Doors
  • How to Clean 1920s Ceramic Fireplace Tile
  • How to Clean a Brick Fireplace
  • How to Clean Clothes Covered in Stone Dust

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, conse ctetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit sed diam.


Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

About the Author

Avatar photo

Susan

I'm a stay-at-home mom who used to run a small housecleaning business. These days I consider myself more or a mad cleaning-scientist. I do most of the testing for our articles - as well as helping Mark & Melanie write them.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Helpful comments include feedback on the recipe or changes you made.

show comments +

Comments

  1. Donna says

    January 24, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    I removed a foam bumper from my brick fireplace hearth. How do I remove the sticky adhesive residue left behind?

    Reply
    • Chantal says

      July 11, 2016 at 2:29 pm

      To remove adhesive, use baby oil or mineral spirits.

      Reply
  2. Sandy says

    August 12, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    I have the same problem. The bumper was protection for my young children! Now I have marks from the sticky squares to hold it on. Did you ever find an answer on how to remove these? Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Carmen says

    August 19, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    I have a brand new cast cement fireplace (electric), and it has two dirty finger marks on it. The person that sold it to me told me to use soap and water, but that made it worse! Can anyone help me with a cleaning tip?

    Reply
  4. Charlene says

    March 3, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    Our stone mason did not clean the mortar off the stone and now they look cloudy. I need to clean it. The only thing I’ve heard of was muriatic acid and I’m scared of that. Can anyone help?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoMelanie says

      March 5, 2013 at 1:52 pm

      Charlene,
      You can try using dish soap and water, and scrubbing the stone with a scrub brush.
      You can also try scrubbing the mortar with sugar water.
      Vinegar is acidic and can be used to clean mortar off of stone. Make a 1:10 mix of vinegar in water, spray the solution on the mortar and allow the vinegar water to sit for several minutes before scrubbing.

      Source: eHow – How to Remove Mortar Smears From Manufactured Stone
      Source: eHow – How to Clean Mortar Residue Off of Flagstone
      Source: eHow – How to Clean Dried Mortar from Tile

      Reply
  5. Kevin says

    November 28, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Try “Goo Gone.” Haven’t tried it on stone, but it works on everything else for removing adhesive.

    Reply
    • June says

      January 18, 2017 at 11:02 am

      Goo Gone has an oil base and may stain stone.

      Reply
  6. Mel says

    June 7, 2014 at 4:51 pm

    How do you get soot marks off of the stone surround? It is not granite; could be limestone. It is in a 1960’s multi-level house. Have already tried TSP and peroxide. Maybe not scrubbing enough? Anything else we should try? The soot marks above the firebox really make the stone look dingy.
    Thanks.

    Reply
  7. Connie says

    September 9, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    I use Scrubbing Bubbles and let sit for a few minutes, then scrub well with a scrub brush. For VERY HEAVY marks, I have had to do it twice (like soot at the top of the opening of the fireplace).

    Reply
  8. Marina says

    July 8, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    I have a couple of additions to the directions. I have a heavy rock fireplace and found that using a sprayer bottle to apply the solution and a firm toothbrush to get at the grout in between the rocks helps. The sprayer also works well to rinse.

    Reply
  9. Anne says

    November 22, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Help!
    My red Yankee candle just fell off of my precast stone fireplace, crashing onto the precast base and living room carpet. I scraped the red wax off, but don’t know where to begin to clean the stain. It looks as if someone had thrown up on it. Is it better to call a professional? If so, who would know how to clean precast.
    I’m desperate! Thank you!

    Check it out! We’ve answered your question! Yay!

    Reply
  10. Lissa says

    December 31, 2015 at 8:11 am

    To clean a fireplace, I use clean soft water and scrub, and little dishwasher detergent because it can work on stubborn soot and dirt. Well, I try to follow the process mentioned above.

    Reply
  11. Zoe says

    June 22, 2016 at 6:22 am

    How do I remove a stain which looks like paint remover (spirit)?

    Reply
    • Avatar photoMelanie says

      June 25, 2016 at 12:19 am

      Zoe,
      This article might help: How to Remove Methylated Spirits (Denatured Alcohol) from Terracotta Tiles.

      Reply
  12. Benny says

    June 26, 2016 at 7:35 pm

    I have an Arkansas field stone fireplace. I want to clean it and not let the mortar joints get the residue from the field stone. Then I would like to seal it. Anybody have suggestions?

    Reply
  13. Barb says

    August 16, 2017 at 5:37 am

    Can I polyurethane my stone fireplace to make it shine? The stone is dull!

    Reply
    • Avatar photoMelanie says

      August 16, 2017 at 1:02 pm

      Barb,
      Yes, polyurethane can be used on stone fireplaces. However, it is always best to ask a specialist (or at least someone working at a hardware store) for the best sealant for your specific type of stone and intended results (finish). Good luck!
      Source: Hunker – What to Use for a Rock Fireplace With a Wet Look Finish

      Reply
  14. News says

    October 15, 2017 at 6:48 pm

    IMHO it helps to start off by removing the dust with a shop vac or a crevice tool and a standard vacuum cleaner, otherwise you are driving the dust and grime further into the porous surface just as soon as water/cleaner hits it. Vinegar and a large bristle brush is probably the gentlest way to clean after using the vacuum approach. Conceivably, one could add baking soda to vinegar for the foaming action, which might help to remove stains — but beware that the baking soda itself may leave behind a chalky residue if it isn’t rinsed off well.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Featured Guides

How to Clean a Hairbrush

How to Clean a Microwave Oven With ZERO Chemicals

How to Clean Every Dental Retainer

How to Clean your Macbook’s Screen

Join our mailing list.
Be the first to know about new arrivals, sales, and special events.
Thank you for subscribing!

Footer

Browse by Category

  • Automotive
  • Clothing & Fabrics
  • Floors & Carpets
  • Housecleaning
  • Kitchen & Bath
  • Outdoors
  • People & Pets
  • Household Stuff

Contact

  • Ask Us Your Cleaning Questions
  • Contact Form

Follow us on Social Media

Site Information

  • Cookie Policy
  • Guest Post Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • XML Sitemap

Copyright © 2023 · HowToCleanStuff.net · All Rights Reserved · Website by Anchored Design