The thing I loved the most about the new cabin I purchased was the fireplace. The thing is, I knew that the chimney had to be cleaned thoroughly. I actually tried cleaning the chimney myself but I came to realize that I didn’t have the tools or expertise to take care of it. I started with a metal rake grinding at the creosote buildup in the chimney, but all that dirt and ash was falling on me and getting my clothes all nasty. I immediately decided to give up and I decided to take a shower to get all that filth off of me. I realized I needed a professional to take care of this work because I didn’t know what I was doing. When I had an official chimney sweep come out, this guy was very knowledgeable when it came to maintaining fireplaces. He explained the tools he was using and how he would clean up afterwards. He said he prefers to start from the top of the chimney and work his way down to the flue. This way, all the debris will fall safely down to the fireplace and he will be able to clean everything out easily. I felt like a total idiot because I was standing in the fireplace trying to clean it all out from the bottom. He laughed when I told him that and said some people do it that way, but it’s advised that you wear all the protection needed such as goggles, gloves, and a specialized apron to protect your clothing underneath. His way seemed much easier. He even told me about neat tips like how to burn the wood properly in the fireplace. My fireplace was clean as a whistle afterwards and I gave that fireplace expert a good tip before he left.