How to Clean an Electric Fireplace | A Complete Step by Step Guide – 2024

Everybody wants to know how to clean an electric fireplace? An electric fireplace is a great addition to any room, and it does require maintenance to look as good as new.

If you’ve never cleaned an electric fireplace before, this guide will walk you through the process step by step and help keep your unit clean and functional for years.

Supplies required for cleaning

• Vacuum cleaner with brush attachment
• Soft scrub brush
• Wet or dry vacuum cleaning solution (all time choice)
• Microfiber cloth (My personal favorite)

How to clean an electric fireplace – step by step complete guide

Step 1: Turn off and unplug your electric fireplace.

First, turn off your electric fireplace by flipping the power switch on the unit’s control panel to the off position. Disconnect all of your power cords from their corresponding electrical outlets as well. You’ll need to leave the unit unplugged for several hours before you start cleaning it.

Read out: how to install an electric fireplace

Step 2: Remove the front tempered glass.

Next, remove the exposed tempered glass from your unit. Be careful not to touch any of its exposed hot metal corners or sharp edges with your fingers as this could cause burns on your hands. You can clean them by simply wiping them down with a damp microfiber cloth.

Step 3: Vacuum inside the unit.

Now that the glass has been removed, insert your microfiber cloth underneath it and vacuum out any remaining debris that might still be stuck inside of your unit. Next, take your other cloth and clean away any dust or other particles on the interior walls of the unit by wiping them down thoroughly. If you have a firebox feature on your electric fireplace, wipe down its walls as well.

Step 4: Remove buttons and knobs.

Now that you’ve cleaned all of the surfaces inside your unit, it’s time to move on to cleaning any additional hardware pieces found on your unit’s control panel. First, remove each button located underneath the glass by using a flathead screwdriver to pry them out. Next, use your microfiber cloth to wipe down the surrounding plastic areas of each button, as well as any other knobs or dials that you have on your unit’s control panel.

Step 5: Remove your fireplace vent.

Now that you’ve cleaned around all of your controls and hardware pieces, it’s time to remove your fireplace vent. First, carefully pull it off of the unit by grabbing hold of its corners with both hands. You can clean its exposed surface areas by wiping them down with a damp microfiber cloth.

Step 6: Vacuum away dust and debris from the vent’s interior panel.

Now that your vent is removed, it’s time to clean out any lingering dust or debris inside of its interior panel. Take your microfiber cloth and insert one corner of it into the vent’s opening in order to reach the deep crevices found within. Be sure that you don’t forget about the front grill area on this panel, as well.

Step 7: Vacuum the fireplace glass.

 

Once you’ve removed all of the dust and debris from your vent’s interior panel, it’s time to vacuum away any particles that might still be stuck on the tempered glass itself. Be sure to vacuum with a brush attachment in order to reach areas of the glass that are hard to clean with just a microfiber cloth.

Step 8: Wipe your fireplace glass with a damp cloth.

Now that you’ve removed all of the dust and debris from your tempered glass, take your microfiber cloth and wipe away any remaining particles on its surface by running it gently around in circles for several seconds. If there’s still some tough residue left over, soak it with a little bit of water and let it sit for another minute before wiping the glass down again.

Step 9: Insert your tempered glass back into its panel.

Once you’ve wiped your tempered glass clean, use both hands to gently return it back to its original position inside of the unit’s control panel. Be sure to line up all four of its corners correctly before pressing down onto it.

Step 10: Reinstall the buttons.

Finally, you’ll need to reinsert each button back into its corresponding holes in order to fully restore your unit’s control panel back to its original format. Be sure that they are latched down securely so that no dust or particles can fall back into the holes.

Step 11: Place your vent back onto the unit.

Now that you’ve cleaned all of the buttons and hardware pieces on your fireplace control panel, it’s time to place your vent back onto its corresponding opening in the unit. Be sure to snap it securely into place so no particles can fly inside of it.

Step 12: Replace your fireplace glass and vent.

Now that you’ve put all of your hardware pieces back where they belong, it’s time to put the glass panel and vent back onto your unit as well. Start by inserting the bottom edge of the glass into its corresponding slot on the bottom of the control panel first. Once it’s in place, slowly rotate the top edge of the glass down over the top of each control. Do this gently so that it stays level with its surrounding panels.

Step 13: Clean out your fireplace’s ventilation tube.

Now that you’ve cleaned around all of your hardware pieces and inside of your unit, it’s time to clean out your fireplace’s ventilation tube. This is a good time to break out the can of compressed air once again.

Step 14: Return the fireplace screen back in place.

Now that all of your hardware pieces and ventilation system have been cleaned, it’s time to return your fireplace screen back in place over top of them. Be sure that it is latched securely in place so that no dust or particles can slip under it.

Step 15: Vacuum away any remaining debris.

Finally, you’ll need to take your vacuum cleaner out again and carefully remove any remaining dust or debris from inside of your unit’s body cavity. Just be sure to use a brush attachment once more in order to reach the areas that are hard to clean with your regular vacuum. You can also lightly vacuum the top of the unit’s surface for good measure.

Benefits of cleaning an electric fireplace

Increased Air Circulation

One of the major benefits to cleaning your electric fireplace is that you’ll be able to increase air circulation within your home in general. It’s quite common for homeowners to forget about their electric fireplaces until the winter chill begins to set in, which can cause it to collect dust and debris rather quickly. By maintaining your unit throughout the year, you’ll be able to keep your fireplace performing at its best.

Decreased Stains

Another benefit of electric fireplace cleaning is that you’ll be able to decrease stains on its glass surface over time. Since most homeowners have their fireplaces running for several months out of the year, they tend to accumulate a lot of dust and grime which can have an adverse effect on its overall appearance. Maintenance throughout the year will reduce the likelihood that your fireplace will be outfitted with noticeable stains over time.

Increased Life Span

Cleaning your electric fireplace regularly is also important because it can extend its life span significantly. When you let too much dirt and debris build up, you run the risk of damaging your fireplace’s internal components. This is especially common for homeowners who neglect to clean their fireplaces until the winter months roll around once again. If you wait too long to clean it out, it could cause your unit to start malfunctioning in the near future.

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you’ll be able to clean your electric fireplace with minimal effort. You will also be capable of explaining others, how to clean an electric fireplace. Just remember that by cleaning electric fireplace and keeping it maintained throughout the year, you’ll not only save yourself from a lot of manual labor, but you’ll also reduce the likelihood that your unit will break down over time. Electric fireplaces are great additions to any home, so be sure to care for them accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) How often should I clean my electric fireplace?

You should plan on cleaning your electric fireplace at least every 6 months in order to keep it looking like new and free from dust or debris that

2) How to clean inside glass of an electric fireplace?

First you will need to unplug your unit and remove the front of it. Then vacuum up any debris or dust using a soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner.

After that use some warm soapy water with a microfiber cloth to wipe away any smudges or fingerprints from the glass, then dry it off completely with a clean dry cloth. Lastly you will need to use some glass cleaner on a clean dry cloth to wipe it down completely, then let the glass air dry for at least 10 minutes before returning your unit back together. So, this is how to clean inside glass of an electric fireplace.

3) How to clean a fireplace screen?

You will need to remove the fireplace glass and place the control panel in a plastic bag, then use compressed air to blow out any dust or particles from inside of it.

4) How to clean an electric fireplace vent?

First you will need to unplug your unit and remove the front of it. Then remove all of the vent covers and place them in a plastic bag, then use compressed air to blow out any dust or particles from inside of them.

Finally you will need to vacuum up any debris or dust that is remaining with a soft brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner, then wipe each vent cover down with warm soapy water and dry.

5) Why should I clean my electric fireplace?

Electric fireplace cleaning is a good way to remove debris and dust from it that can throw off the heat output of your unit, or prevent it from working properly at all. It’s also a great way to make your fireplace look like new once again, especially if you have pets or children who tend to make a big mess around it on a regular basis.