Is your rock fireplace in need of some TLC? A natural-stone fireplace may be an eye-catching focal point in any area because it is easy to maintain both inside and outside your home. Cleaning, sealing, and polishing your natural-stone fireplace are some of the greatest ways to keep it looking its best. If the damage isn’t taken care of right away, a stone-care specialist will be needed. Quick tip: if you need to clean your brick fireplace, clean your gas fireplace glass, clean your brick fireplace, clean your stone fireplace, we’ve got you covered, as well!
Contents
- What To Know Before Cleaning Your Rock Fireplace
- Indoor Or A Outdoor Stone Fireplaces
- Stone composition considerations
- Stain, Etch, And Other Damage Evaluation
- Common Types Of Stains On Natural-Stone Fireplaces
- Cleaning A Stone Fireplace: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Keep Chemical Cleaners Out of Your Home
- Make Your Own Cleaning Solution
- Get Your Cleaning Supplies Ready
- Rinse and scrub
- Do Deep Cleans on a Regular Basis
- Conclusion
What To Know Before Cleaning Your Rock Fireplace
Professional cleaning services may not be necessary for your home, but you’ll need a high-quality natural stone cleaner that has been developed especially for cleaning stone.
You’ll also need to be familiar with the steps required to complete the work. Before you begin cleaning your wood burning fireplace, there are a few things you can do to make the process go more quickly.
Indoor Or A Outdoor Stone Fireplaces
Cleaning natural-stone fireplaces, both indoor and outdoor, is similar, although they face varying environmental conditions and may be subject to different types of damage.
In outdoor stone fireplaces that are exposed to the outdoors, photochemical processes such as fading can occur. The accumulation of soot and other debris in a fireplace can be accelerated if it is often used. Your lifestyle and usage habits will play a role in this, of course. However, both types of fireplaces require regular maintenance. Sweeping the fireplace on a regular basis is the first step in care for natural stone.
Outdoor fireplaces may include biological waste in addition to the usual soot and ash buildup. Using a cloth, wipe off any natural stone fireplace that has come into touch with liquids or candle wax. Any substance that doesn’t have a pH of 7 or higher has the potential to permanently discolor your natural stone. Remember, you can always update your stone fireplace to make it look more modern!
Stone composition considerations
Cleaning a stone fireplace requires specific knowledge of the stone’s properties. If you have a natural-stone fireplace, chances are you already know how to take care of it, as well as your mantle and flooring.
Outdoor fireplaces often use natural stone such as bluestone, slate, or flagstone. Granite Gold can be used on a variety of natural stone fireplaces, including granite, marble, sandstone, and more. Depending on the type of material, such as quartz, the cleaning process may differ from that of a natural stone fireplace.
Rather than using a separate stone polishing solution, Granite Gold Quartz Brite is a two-in-one composition that cleans and shines quartz.
It’s conceivable, but not guaranteed, that stone care experts can assist you in identifying the type of stone used in your fireplace. Alternately, you may run an acid-sensitivity test on the stone, but this is not something we recommend because it could damage the material and wouldn’t work on newly sealed stones.
Stain, Etch, And Other Damage Evaluation
Is the stone free of blemishes? What happened? Is the stone cracked or scratched? A thorough visual investigation of the fireplace and the area around it can provide the answers to all of these questions. If you don’t clean your fireplace on a regular basis, you run the risk of permanent stains and etching. You may anticipate your natural stone fireplace to be more resistant to stains and other damage if you maintain regular cleaning and sealing.
Common Types Of Stains On Natural-Stone Fireplaces
Natural stone surfaces, such as countertops and fireplaces, are susceptible to staining; nevertheless, we see these concerns on fireplaces more frequently: The most common type of damage to older natural stone fireplaces is fire and smoke damage. Smoke and fire damage often appear smoky and sooty to the naked eye.
Salt deposits, either crystalline or granular, are the most common symptom. Organic things such as leaves and bark, as well as bird droppings and bug excrement, can all leave a pinkish-brown stain. It is easy to see the stain once the item has been taken from the container.
However, organic stains are more common inside due to the presence of bacteria, mold, fungi, and algae. To remove a stain without leaving an imprint is impossible.
Stains including paint stains, ink stains, water buildup, and beverage spills are more likely to appear on natural stone flooring and counters than on fireplaces, which are more likely to show etch marks and etch markings.
Cleaning A Stone Fireplace: A Step-by-Step Guide
Keep Chemical Cleaners Out of Your Home
As a first step, stay away from strong chemical cleaners. Chemical cleaners can harm stone fireplaces because their acidity damages the stone’s natural composition. Citrus components, which are naturally acidic, should be avoided in cleaning products since they can damage stone surfaces. Additionally, some chemical cleaners may leave a thin, flammable film on the surface of your fireplace, so you should be mindful of this.
Make Your Own Cleaning Solution
You can make your own cleaners if you want to avoid using harsh chemicals. Trisodium phosphate with 12 to 1 cup of boiling water is a frequent combination. When it comes to cleaning your stone or other surfaces, you may easily discover a specialized formula online. A stone enzyme cleanser is an option if you don’t feel like making your own cleaning product.
Get Your Cleaning Supplies Ready
The next step is to gather your cleaning supplies. In addition to water and cleaning solution, you’ll also require a few rags and a sponge or another gentle cleaning tool. The use of cleaning goods with stiff bristles will leave microscopic scratches in your stone. It is also advisable to use gloves and goggles while cleaning.
Cleaning chemicals and other irritants are kept away from your skin because of their effectiveness in preventing skin irritation. Cleaning solutions can be harmful and cause headaches, therefore you should open a window or make sure there is some kind of ventilation.
Rinse and scrub
A bucket of warm water and the cleaning agent of your choice should be filled halfway. You may need to apply more cleaning solution if your fireplace is really filthy. Your device should be used to scrub your fireplace’s stone with the soapy solution. After you’ve scrubbed away all the filth and grime, rinse the bucket with clean, warm water. A soft towel can be used to wipe the stone dry and remove any leftover wetness.
Do Deep Cleans on a Regular Basis
There are times when you’ll need to do a complete cleaning of your fireplace stone, and this cleaning program can help with that. It all comes down to how often you use your fireplace and how much soot it looks to build.
Conclusion
To learn more about stone fireplace care, you can start the process of building a stone fireplace in your house at any time. One of the many benefits of having a stone fireplace is that it takes very little maintenance. Your fireplace design will benefit greatly from the expertise of our stonemasons. Check out our website to learn more about what we do and the materials we use for our stone fireplaces!
Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.
