Cleaning tour open fire

[mypropertea]

How do you clean your open fire? Mine has been full of ash since Christmas, I just swept it... What now?

In my defence, we only had it 5 years

[wowfudge]

When was the chimney last swept and was the fire used much after that? Do you need to polish a cast iron surround? I'd clean out the ash and set it up for the next fire, but not if it will be ages before you plan to light one.

[mypropertea]

It has been used about 10 times since sweeping. It is cast iron. I guess I want to know if it needs any special treatment?

[wowfudge]

Zebo grate polish? You can buy it in the supermarket or ironmongers. It's black grate polish in a tube.

[squiggletea]

There won't be much in the way of soot but there could be nests or other debris dropped in the top.

(We didn't sweep ours out until July ;-) )