IF YOUR FIREPLACE HAS A SLATE HEARTH and facings, wash them with a detergent or soap, using a mild abrasive if necessary. Rinse the slate and wipe it dry. For an added beauty treatment rub the dry slate with a soft cloth dipped in lemon oil furniture polish. With a fresh cloth wipe off any excess oil and then buff the stone. This makes the slates uniformly dark and glossy. Wax, recommended for slate floors, is not desirable here because heat from the fire affects it.

FOR MARBLE MANTELS AND FACINGS follow the directions for marble floors and marble furniture.

FOR PAINTED MANTELS follow the cleaning directions given for painted walls and woodwork.

BRASS ANDIRONS AND FIRE TOOLS are not difficult to keep bright if they are polished regularly. Use a polish made for brass (metal polishes differ in their abrasive qualities) and rub until the tarnish is gone. Polish the brass with a piece of soft flannel or chamois leather. Burned-in resins from wood can be removed with steel wool but fine emery cloth, which can be bought at a hardware store, is better and easier to handle. Rub in one direction and use your polish afterwards.

LACQUERED BRASS needs only to be dusted or washed with tepid suds. If the lacquer begins to crack and peel, or has become blackened from the fire, the tools should be redone. To do them yourself, first remove the old lacquer with acetone (drugstore), then polish them. Wipe them again with acetone to be sure that every trace of the polish is removed, then brush or spray them with a transparent metal lacquer.

CLEAN IRON FIRE TOOLS with a brush or duster and rub them occasionally with a cloth moistened with kerosene. This will keep them black and prevents rust. Or they can be painted with a special, fire-resistant andiron paint, available in dull or glossy finish. If the horizontal bar of an andiron snaps, a welder will repair it for you at little cost, or put on a new piece.

FIRE SCREENS should be dusted frequently. If they become gummy or soiled, clean them with kerosene on a cloth, or scrub them with hot water and a good detergent.

FIRE PREVENTION. So much for your fireplace, except for a final note of caution. Never retire at night, or leave your home untended, while a fire still blazes on the hearth. If you can't wait for it to burn out bank it thickly with ashes. Fire screens are a must for untended fires. They should always be in place if there are small children about.

For fireplace which has slate hearth, using the mild soap or detergent to wash them. You can polish the brass andirons and fire tools to keep them bright. Clean iron fire tools with brush or duster and rub occasionally with kerosene.