Follow these tips to keep your fireplace clean to reduce your home fire risks.

Sitting around your fireplace is one of the best ways to stay warm and cozy during the winter. Unfortunately, it can also lead to potential danger if you don't take the proper steps to stay safe! Keep these home fire safety tips in mind to keep your fireplace clean and your home safe this season!

• Gear up - always wear a dust mask, goggles, and rubber gloves when cleaning your fireplace. Place a plastic tarp around the hearth of your fireplace to reduce the amount of clean up that you will have to deal with. Sprinkling some coffee grounds over the dust will help to reduce the amount of ashes that you breathe in.
• Take your grates outside - cleaning your grates outside will help to reduce the amount of clean up in your house. Use a nylon brush to scrub off all debris and soot from the grates. Wipe them dry before putting them back into your fireplace.
• Get rid of ashes - use a broom and dustpan to get rid of the ashes in your fireplace. Put the ashes in a metal bin to dispose of them safely.
• Scrub the walls - with the same brush that you cleaned the grates with, scrub down all the walls in your fireplace. Work from the top down. Lining the bottom of your fireplace with newspaper will help to cut down on the cleanup.
• Clean the hearth - vacuum up any dust or soot that is remaining around the hearth of your fireplace. Use water to clean up any extra sooty areas, and start enjoying your clean fireplace!

Before you start cleaning out your fireplace, take the time to look over your homeowners insurance policy to ensure you have plenty of coverage in case of a home fire. Contact Bell Black Insurance in Rexburg, Idaho for all of your home insurance coverage needs.