Bonjour all.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what best to use to clean our fire canopy and the two metal chains (I think they’re iron) on the fire structure? Photos attached. Many thanks.
I’d use Zebraline for the chains, it’s principally for re-blackening cast iron stoves and is available from hardware stores. Seem to remember the UK equivalent was Zebrite.
A little goes a long way; apply, then polish (and wear disposable gloves).
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Thanks for that Mark 
With all my steelwork such as your chains, both internal and external, I would wire brush them, then apply by brush Hammerite Smooth (from the UK). I’m a fan of Satin Black rather than Gloss, (though the latter looks great when sprayed onto air-cooled motorcycle barrel finning).
What material is your canopy made of?
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Hammerite’s great stuff, but not for painting old cast ironwork, unless you want it to look like repro; whereas Zebraline gives a more subtle professional finish and also happens to be a lot cheaper.
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That’s a very impressive fireplace!
For the chains, I’d recommend cleaning with an electric drill fitted with a rotary wire brush. Start with a fairly coarse one, then medium, then fine. When you’re happy with the look you’ve achieved, apply a light coat of a good wax - microcrystalline by preference. Let it dry then buff it to a suitable shine. The wax will dramatically slow down further oxidation.
Do you know what material the canopy is made from? It looks fairly delicate but I’d try a brass rotary brush on the inside to see what effect it has.
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If all you wish to do is to remove the build up of dirt you could use Sugar Soap, CocaCola, Laundry Detergent, or WD40. Each is very effective in its own way at removing different types of muck. Just remember to start at the bottom and work UP to avoid streaking.
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(Pedantmode) Chain links are forged, not cast 
(/Pedantmode)
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Finally a use for the wretched stuff. 
Been doing that all my life but still enjoy a good streak 
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Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone. I don’t know what the canopy is made of. Really I just want to get rid of the build up of dirt/soot from winter fires.
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Identifying what the canopy is made of… has got to be a good start.
Perhaps your chimney sweep will have an answer ??? might be worth asking during the next visit.
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Washing up liquid in warm water and a microfibre cloth. Plenty of changes of liquid and buff it dry with a clean dry cloth as a final step.
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Looks a bit like beaten steel, a magnet might help to see if its ferrous. WD 40 is good for loosening grime and then as Brian said soapy water.
It’s also very good at removing diesel from car seats.
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It’s the same old chestnut of trading-off the inevitable compromises.
This week I’ve been hammeriting some external 100 year old wrought iron railings, and it certainly hasn’t made them look repro.
I once Zebrited an Edwardian cast iron fireplace insert and it was quick to do, and the finish was great, giving it a soft mellow lustre. The downside is that it continues to smudge years later, and provides little rust protection. Perhaps I applied it to thickly, but I now regret using it.
For similar reasons, I use a thin coat high temperature matt paint for freshening up the woodburner in the Hovel.
I doubt that your chain is made of cast iron - more likely wrought iron if it is an old one, and steel if it is modern, so there are no flat surfaces and the grain much less pronounced, and that’s where Zebrite really comes into it’s own. Beware of the smudging though.
[quote=“Jim24, post:15, topic:53184”]
This week I’ve been hammeriting some external 100 year old wrought iron railings, and it certainly hasn’t made them look repro.
However, outdoor iron railings were usually painted, for obvious reasons.
[quote=“Jim24, post:15, topic:53184”]
I once Zebrited an Edwardian cast iron fireplace insert and it was quick to do, and the finish was great, giving it a soft mellow lustre. The downside is that it continues to smudge years later, and provides little rust protection.
[/quote][/quote]
Think you must have applied it much too generously, one tube should last for many years. I re-blacken our wood-burner every Spring when it’s no longer needed and that’s only a few minutes’ work. We’ve also got a lot of much older hand-forged ironwork indoors that gets a new coat of beeswax every decade or so.
I still have the tube under the sink, and there’s loads left. I sometimes wonder if I’m steadily developing a Peasant mentality?
I wouldn’t Zebrite any indoor railings if I had them either - it’s the smudging. I too have some internal ironwork in my Hovel, such as on the doors, and I wont be using Zebrite for the same reason.
Beeswax is the normal treatment for that, doesn’t stain or smudge, but prevents rusting.
That’s a new one for me and a great idea Mark, and I’ll give it a try at some point, as within reason I am partial to a good patina.
The original walls are solid stone walls so without any DPC of course, so naturally the Hovel is damper than a modern construction. As I only spend 4-5 months per year in residence (in a good year) the airing is not as regular as it should be, but I’m working on that.
I’ve recently learnt how to solder guttering up (while avoiding inhaling the resulting fumes), so that should help longer term, as there has never previously been any. One of my full-time builder friends generously allows me to borrow the expensive kit to do this, and it’s very rewarding to learn how. I only use the wider section guttering, and avoid the newer design galvanised clips for the downpipes as they don’t look right to my mind.
Similarly I’ve only ever painted the internal walls with a lime solution, using lime-flour supplied gratis from one of the many small local quarries, and while that too has many redeeming features, I don’t like the smudging, so I’ve rarely repeated it over the decades. You could say that the walls have a pronounced patina all of their own.
I take some solace from the fact that many holidaying Brits are prepared to pay a fortune to experience up close such authenticity. I should really be seeking advice about alternative breathable wall paints - there’s plenty advertised, lots of manufacturers claims, and they range from expensive to super-expensive.
What should an aspiring Peasant do?
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Perhaps consider damp proof interior insulation of the outside walls ?