How to Minimize Dust From a Wood Fireplace

Install glass doors over the fireplace and keep them closed when a fire is burning. The doors will minimize dust and soot, as well as smoke, from entering your home. Open the door carefully to avoid burns.

Burn only well-seasoned, dry wood, which burns more efficiently and creates less creosote and dust. Knock the wood against the side of the wood bin before you bring it in the house to remove dirt and small pieces of bark and wood debris.

Place the wood carefully in the fireplace when starting and maintaining a fire. Avoid stirring up the ashes, which creates more dust.

Allow ashes to cool for at least four days before removing them. Vacuum them with a wet/dry shop vac to remove them. If you don't have a shop vac, sprinkle the ashes with damp coffee grounds. The moisture in the grounds helps settle the ashes, reducing the amount of dust produced. Scoop the ashes into a trash can with a shovel or large cup.

Vacuum the hearth at least weekly with the narrow vacuum attachment. Regular upkeep is the best way to keep hearth dust under control. Remove large chunks of bark or ash by hand, rather than by vacuuming them.

Clean the hearth with a scrub brush and gentle cleaner two to three times during the winter to remove soot and grime. Scrub gently and avoid over-wetting the surface.