Brick fireplaces may be cozy and charming, but they also blacken easily. Smoke and ash penetrate the brick during every fire and leave behind dark stains. Cleaning brick can be very challenging ...

Q. I tried to wash bricks above a fireplace with soap and water, but I got an uneven result. How can I do a better job? A. If you didn’t saturate the bricks with water before you applied the cleaning ...

It’s the time of year when folks start migrating towards their fireplace in the evening, if they’re lucky enough to have one. There is something deep in us that finds warmth and comfort, not just in ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Who doesn't love a warm, cozy fire? But the maintenance and clean-up that goes with hit? Not so much. And while chimney cleaning ...

My brick house was built in 1921. The bricks are a mixture of brown, various shades of red, beige and black. I had some deteriorating mortar replaced, and the handyman smeared the mortar on the brick.

Lindsey Ellefson is Lifehacker’s Features Editor. She currently covers study and productivity hacks, as well as household and digital decluttering, and oversees the freelancers on the sex and ...

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Jeanne Huber, Special to The Washington Post Q: I tried to wash bricks above a fireplace with soap and water, but I got an uneven result. How can I do a ...

Q: I tried to clean bricks above a fireplace with soap and water, but I got an uneven result. How can I do a better job? Bethesda A: If you didn't saturate the bricks with water before you applied the ...