How to clean textured brick fireplace?

Question

The brick around our fireplace looks dingy. The fireplace used to be wood burning but was converted to gas by the previous owner about 10 years ago (i think).

I would like to clean it. The problem is that the brick is textured. Everything that I've found so far (every video or article) cleans smooth brick. The general solutions I'm finding are dish soap, borax, salt, baking soda, ammonia ... etc with a stiff nylon brush.

How do clean the nooks and crannies of the textured brick without using a pressure washer indoors?

Answer 1

I have white terrazzo floor. It is very hard to clean. I tried straight bleach on it on a corner, and believe it or not it helped alot. I never tried on brick, but maybe you can try in a hidden spot, and see how it works. I just put the bleach on straight, and aired out the room. I did it like 3 separate times. Got great results though.

On my walls in my house, I use degreaser in a spray pump bottle. If the area was dirty I sprayed with degreaser, and it seemed to clean all areas of my house pretty well. Again, never tried on brick, but could try on a hidden spot, and see if it helps.

Answer 2

I have smooth brick but I used rags and a free changes of the warm water bucket. I Used paste of cream of tartar and water and then let that dry and cleaned it off with rags, a scrub brush and warm water.

Answer 3

A trick I've used is a paint brush to get into the cracks and groves. And use it in a certain way. The idea is that each bristle is flexible poke stick, stiff enough to chip stuff off and flexible enough to get around corners and into grooves. So use it more with a pushing or jabbing action, so that you chisel the dirt off. Don't paint it like a rag, though you can for some situations. Then use your favorite cleaner appropriate for the task.

Answer 4

Small power washer or small sandblaster