How to Clean Your Electric Fireplace 

Compared to other types of fireplaces like gas and wood-burning fireplaces, electric fireplaces do not typically need much cleaning to keep them running safely. After all, they don’t burn fuel or produce fire, meaning there are no harmful byproducts like smoke or ash. 

However, it’s important to clean your electric fireplace from time to time. This will help you get rid of any dust that has accumulated within the heater’s outlet and inlet, keeping your unit running as safely and effectively as possible. 

But how do you go about it? Well, here is a comprehensive guide on how to clean your electric fireplace! 

Step-by-step guide on how to clean an electric fireplace.

Step 1: Turn off your electric fireplace and unplug it from the outlet.

Like with any other electrical appliance, you should always turn off your electric fireplace before cleaning or any maintenance. In addition, you should disconnect it from the power source to avoid accidental electrical shocks while cleaning it. 

For instance, if you’ve got a plug-in electric fireplace, you just need to switch it off at the outlet and unplug it completely. And if the electric fireplace is hard-wired into your home’s electrical system, you should isolate it in the fuse box. 

After disconnecting the fireplace from your home’s electrical system, give it some time to cool down fully before you try to clean it. 

Step 2: Clean your fireplace’s exterior.

Cleaning the exterior of your electric fireplace is essential for safety and aesthetic reasons. Apart from helping your fireplace look better, it prevents the build-up of dust and other debris that can block the vent, causing a potential fire hazard. 

That said, here are some of the important exterior components on your electric fireplace you should clean; 

• Ember bed 

Dust tends to accumulate on the bed of coal or faux coal (ember bed) on an electric fireplace. Although this will not cause any problem with your electric fireplace works, it’s important to keep the ember clean for aesthetic reasons. 

To start, soak a cloth in warm water, wring it out, and use it to wipe down the ember bed. However, if the ember bed is too dusty, use a vacuum to get rid of the excess dust before you wipe it down. 

• Heater inlet & outlet 

The outlet and inlet vents on the heating element are other parts of an electric fireplace that may accumulate dust. Unfortunately, if these parts become blocked with debris and dust build-up, the heating element of your electric fireplace may overheat. For that, it’s important to keep the inlet and outlet vents clean to keep the fireplace running safely. 

In most cases, the heating outlet and inlet vents are either located on the base, back, or front of the electric fireplace. Once you locate the outlet or inlet vent, wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove all visible dust. 

• Glass screen 

Some electric fireplaces have a glass screen that may get marked or dusty over time. If that’s the case with your electric fireplace, use a damp cloth to clean off the inside and outside of the glass screen. In some instances, you may need to remove the screen from the fireplace to clean both sides properly, but that will depend on the model. 

However, you should avoid abrasive materials like scouring pads or steel wool as they may scratch the glass surface. Instead, mix a solution of equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the glass screen, let it sit for a few minutes, and then wipe it clean with a soft cloth/ paper towel. Use a separate clean cloth to thoroughly dry the glass. 

Step 3: Clean the interior of your electric fireplace 

Generally, it’s not recommended to clean the electric fireplace’s interior because of the electrical components housed within it. However, if you’ve noticed an excessive dust build-up or experienced problems with the fireplace, cleaning the interior may be the only option. More importantly, you should always use a vacuum or dry cloth when cleaning the fireplace’s interior, instead of a damp cloth. 

With that in mind, here are some of the components inside your electric fireplace you should clean; 

• Blower 

Electric fireplaces that are equipped with a fan-forced heater have a blower as one of their internal components. To clean the blower, use a small vacuum or dry microfiber cloth to get rid of all the visible dust & debris. However, you need to be very careful while doing so to avoid damaging the components of the electrical components. 

• Heating element 

Similar to the blower, use a vacuum to get rid of any dust on the heating element. Next, use a dry, lint-free cloth to remove any remaining debris and other unwanted particles on the heating element to restore your heater’s performance. 

• Flame-effect generating components

In addition to the heating element, electric fireplaces are equipped with flame-effect-generating components like LED strips, bulbs, and mirrors. Use a dry, lint-free cloth to carefully clean these components and get rid of all visible dust. 

Conclusion 

Now that the cleaning process is complete, plug your electric fireplace back into the outlet and check its performance. As you have seen, learning how to clean our electric fireplace is a pretty straightforward task that doesn’t need much hassle. However, you need to be very careful, especially when cleaning the internal parts of the device to avoid damaging its electrical components.