Who doesn't love a warm, cozy fire? But the maintenance and clean-up that goes with hit? Not so much. And while chimney cleaning needs to be contracted out to certified professional (more on that ...

Q. I tried to wash bricks above a fireplace with soap and water, but I got an uneven result. How can I do a better job? A. If you didn’t saturate the bricks with water before you applied the cleaning ...

Clean brick fireplaces with a vinegar-and-water mix, avoiding harsh chemicals that can damage porous brick. Vacuum, scrub gently in small sections, and finish with a brick sealer once dry. Keep it ...

Brick fireplaces may be cozy and charming, but they also blacken easily. Smoke and ash penetrate the brick during every fire and leave behind dark stains. Cleaning brick can be very challenging ...

It’s the time of year when folks start migrating towards their fireplace in the evening, if they’re lucky enough to have one. There is something deep in us that finds warmth and comfort, not just in ...

My brick house was built in 1921. The bricks are a mixture of brown, various shades of red, beige and black. I had some deteriorating mortar replaced, and the handyman smeared the mortar on the brick.