The best brick cleaner is a woman with a damp J cloth. My wife wipes the hearth down every morning. You can see how its cleaned up the top of the brick on edge compared to the rest of the fireplace. View media item 7878You could try a mixture of linseed oil and turps to improve the looks of the bricks once they are cleaned. This is very good on certain types of brick.
The joints will be lime mortar, so you could use a 1/2/9 cement/lime/sand mix for a whiter colour. White cement is also available.
The joints will be lime mortar, so you could use a 1/2/9 cement/lime/sand mix for a whiter colour. White cement is also available.