Regain Your Cool: Hold your hand over the ashes to check for residual warmth. If the fire was a large one, probe through the ashes with a poker or fireplace shovel. Pick up the fireplace grate or andirons and take them outside for cleaning later. Slowly shovel the ashes into a metal bucket or use a shop vacuum.

Inspection: Using a torch, look up the chimney. Look up all the way to the flue, which usually looks like a small metal door near the chimney top. The flue is often controlled by a metal pull, give that a pull and if the little door moves you know you are looking at the flue. This will need to be open until you have finished the cleaning. You will almost certainly see soot, brown or black powdery residue. That is easily disposed of. Check if you can see material that is dry and crackling to the touch, in thick and flaky layers or shiny hardened black deposits. This means you have creosote, and the time to get rid of this is right NOW.

Start Scraping: The best brush to get rid of Creosote and soot is a circular metal chimney brush. The brushes vary between eight to ten inches in diameter. The size you buy should be a inch larger than the flue to your fire. You will also need a flexible pole or two to help get that brush all the way to the flue and be able to spin it around. Brushes and poles are available at most hard ware stores.