It is likely the brick around your cook top has absorb many cooking odours, oil and grease and this as well as other elements has stuck to it. To cut the grease and oil, buy some TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) and read the directions on the box. It is available in most supermarkets and paint stores etc. When you use mix it according to the direction but mix a strong solution but wear rubber gloves, long sleeves shirt, and protective eye wear when using it to clean the bricks. It will dry your skin and in a strong solution may burn a bit. Wet the brick down with the solution and after a few minutes use a stiff scrub brush on all the surfaces. Once you have scrubbed wipe the surface clean with fresh water. This may need to be repeated several times to remove the TSP, changing the water to minimize the amount of TSP remaining. You may need to repeat washing and scrubbing with TSP again as it removes and dissolves more oil and grease absorbed by the brick and follow this up with cleaning with fresh water. Allow the bricks to dry for a couple of days. Then apply a sealer to the bricks and cement so oils and grease are not absorbed. This will make cleaning in the future a much simpler process. Of course the rougher the surface of the brick the more difficult the whole process of cleaning and sealing will be.
Another vote for TSP, hardware and home stores also carry it. Some rolled up old terrycloth towels or other absorbent rags at the counter/cooktop level will help catch the drips off the wall too. And a spray bottle filled with clear water works great as a rinse applicator.
Better yet remove all the brick and use tile instead. Brick was a very poor choise for a back splace and will alway remain nearly imposable to keep clean.
joecaption
Posts: 11237 | Location: Halieford VA | Registered: Jan 31, 2004
