I've heard that Fels-Naptha bar soap or any other laundry bar and a good scrub brush works well on this.
By
09/29/2005
My uncle is a mason who does this all the time. He just replaced our old fireplace insert with a beautiful new wood stove. He cleaned the hearth before my eyes with "TSP". Just go to any Home Depot and ask for "TSP". It's actually trisodium phosphate. It is powdered and will come in a little bucket. We used 2 tablespoons in about a quart of warm water. Scrub with a brush (like a big shoe polishing brush) and have a clean bowl of water and a rag to rinse immediately. Works like a charm.