How to Clean Brick (Indoor or Outdoor)

Keep brick walls, floors and fireplaces clean and inviting with
simple tips from DIY experts.
Brick is built to last, but it does need care and cleaning.
Whether you’re cleaning the bricks on the exterior wall of
your house or the bricks around your fireplace, these simple
tips will help you learn how to clean brick.
I N T E R I O R
Brick can be used on floors, fireplaces and interior
walls. The first step to cleaning it is removing
surface dirt or, from a fireplace, soot. Use a brush
or vacuum to remove loose dirt before wet cleaning.
You can use natural cleaners that you mix up
yourself. They’re more affordable than commercially
prepared cleaners and are safer. Natural cleaner
one: Make a thin paste out of 2 tablespoons of
cream of tartar and a little bit of water. Apply to
brick and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm
water and wipe off with a soft cloth. This method is
best for cleaning small areas, like the brick trim
around a fireplace. For larger areas like a floor or
wall, go with natural cleaner two, vinegar. Mix
equal parts vinegar and water and pour into a
spray bottle. Spray on the bricks and let is sit for a
few minutes. Use a sponge mop to clean the bricks. If
the bricks are very dirty, use a nylon-bristled scrub
brush and put some elbow grease into the
scrubbing. Natural cleaner three is baking soda and
dish detergent. Make a thin paste by mixing 3
tablespoons of dish soap to ½ cup baking soda.
Spread it on brick, let sit for 10 minutes and then
scrub off with a brush. Rinse with warm water.