Cleaning the Brick Hearth

[WarmGuy]

Any tricks for cleaning my brick hearth? I put the water and cleaning solution on, and the dirt just sinks into the indentations in the brick.

And I was wondering: if I ever get it clean, perhaps I should seal it somehow.(?)

 

[Shane]

There are acidic cleaners from masonry yards etc. First I'd try speedy white or rutland brick and stone cleaner. You'll have to soak the brick and sponge it several times but you will start to see a difference. Hearths are supposed to be dirty though so your efforts may be futile.

 

[fossil]

Masons use the acid wash to clean up the excess mortar after building the thing. You really shouldn't ever have to use that kind of solution again, I wouldn't think. All I ever do to my brick hearths is sweep them and vacuum them, that's it. Rick

 

[Thomask9590]

When i was growing up my father put in his own hearth. We just swept and Vacuumed and it stayed clean. He never acid washed or anything. Be careful with some of those cleaners.

 

[WarmGuy]

This is what it looks like after scrubbing.

 

[Thomask9590]

It looks like cutting the bricks in half may have exposed the un-glazed brick. You may not be able to get that out.

 

[billb3]

I think you have scrubbed much too hard.
Half the brick is gone.

 

[fossil]

If what I'm seeing is the cut side of all the bricks that form the top surface of the hearth, then I'd say they were laid upside down. No problem cutting brick, but the exposed face should be the original (uncut) surface. That's gonna be tough, I think, to get looking nice. Some sort of sealer might help to some degree. So would a nice layer of tile. Good luck, and let us know what you decide/how it works out. Rick