A do-it-yourself method consists in lowering from the top, from the chimney, a mop that scratches the soot making it fall down. Therefore, first close the doors of the fireplace or close the opening with a piece of plywood or cardboard firmly fixed and fixed with tape, also cover the furniture and the floor to prevent them from getting dirty.
To make the do-it-yourself mop, wrap barbed wire around a stone to create a heavy ball that is slightly smaller than the size of the chimney; to adapt it to the shape of the latter, beat it with a hammer. Then, hook the brush to a steel cable, like the one used for drying clothes, a little longer than the chimney.
Once you get on the roof, make the mop go up and down in order to scrape the walls of the chimney, even if it has curves: repeat the operation until you cover it all. Eventually, you can help yourself with a pulley system. In any case, you have to anchor the wire and be careful that you don’t slip off your hands.
But don’t forget to clean even the lower part, the one closest to the fireplace, with a steel brush, but in safety with respect to the harmful dust using the Automatic Floor Mop. On the other hand, on the market you will find specific products and kits such as those with the brush and extensions. The toothbrush, then, will be useful for smaller fissures. Once the solution is distributed, let it work for about a quarter of an hour, then pass a cloth soaked in water. And let it dry
The operation requires a certain agility and attention given that you go up to the roof, where you can also find nests, so move in absolute safety; in-depth maintenance may be needed. So consider using a chimney sweep and Automatic Floor Mop.
In the choice for cleaning the chimney, consider the national and local standards, the specific UNI standard (currently the 10847), the news and the instructions of your fireplace. In the case of fireplaces with glass firewall: over time the glass tends to become opaque due to soot. The product previously reported was tested by us on refractory bricks but, in reality, it was born to clean the chimney glass.
In addition, we point out a remedy from the grandmother: for cleaning the glass it would be enough to take a wet sponge and sprinkle it with cold ash and pass it on the glass. How to clean the fireplace, cleaning at the end of winter. Eliminating all traces of ash from the chimney is therefore a necessary operation if the cold season has come to an end and a clean up is required.
