What should be cleaned off a fireplace?
Creosote: these are brown or black residue which are on the inner surfaces of the flue liner. It should be cleaned because it is highly combustible material that can reach temperatures exceeding 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the cause of most chimney fires.

Soot: It can build up and make your whole home dirty.

So, how do you clean a fireplace?
The first step toward maintaining and cleaning your fireplace is to check it for damage, buildup, and wear on hardware.

Clean the flue. The flue is the pipe that runs between your fireplace and your chimney. Clean the flue with a hard bristled, chimney, or specially made flue brush. You will want to do long strokes followed by short, and use a vacuum with a hose to suck up the debris you clean off as you go.

Next, you want to clean the damper. The damper is located in the throat of the chimney area, above the actual fireplace. It controls and regulates the air allowed inside the fireplace and chimney, and often gets dirty which makes your fireplace less efficient and unsafe. To clean open and close the damper several times. Use a chimney or fireplace brush and wipe it clean. Use a flashlight to check around the damper area for cracks or rusted sections of metal. When cleaning this area you want to be very thorough as this is a place where many chimney fires start because of left on debris.

Clean the glass doors. Cleaning the glass doors helps improve heat transfer and prevent weakening and damage. Use a weak mixture of vinegar and water to clean, then rinse thoroughly. You can do this between each use, and if it is really bad you will want to use something stronger, and possibly a degreaser, but recognize that detergents, when burned emit an unpleasant odor.

When cleaning look for danger signs such as cracks in the mortar of the chimney, loose bricks on the fireplace, and debris that could be flammable and problematic. If you see any get them fixed immediately to keep your fireplace as safe as possible.

Take safety measures when cleaning, wear safety goggles, and a dust mask.

Vacuum the surrounding floor around the fireplace thoroughly, making sure to remove all flammable objects as you go. This way you do not start your house on fire the next time you light a fire because you left soot and debris near the open flame.

If you need to clean your chimney you can use a chimney brush, which can be purchased at almost any home improvement store.

If you have a gas fireplace cleaning instructions will be different, you will want to consult the owner's manual, or the instructions before attempting to clean, and you will want to be sure to shut off the gas to the fireplace before doing any sort of cleaning.