Most folks in Jacksonville, FL, NE Florida, and SE Georgia don't know how a chimney sweep does a chimney cleaning.  That's probably because in  
Jacksonville, FL, NE Florida and SE Georgia we only think about our fireplace a few months out of the year.  First thing the chimney sweep does is to place a drop cloth in front of your fireplace.  When the chimney sweep cleans a chimney the chimney sweep uses a brush at the end of a chimney rod.  Then as the chimney sweep brushes to the top of that section of chimney the chimney sweep adds another rod to the end and continues to work up the chimney until he gets to the top cleaning as he goes and then back down.  It sounds simple, but as chimney sweep professionals we are able to do this without letting soot from your chimney dust your house.  For really dirty chimneys we also have a chimney vacuum.  The chimney vacuum isn't so much to sweep ashes out of your firebox, but to clean soot particles out of the air.  The chimney vacuum with HEPA filter can clean the air in just a few seconds.  When the chimney sweep is done cleaning the chimney flue he uses either the chimney vacuum or a small broom and pan to remove the soot from the firebox.  Of course every time a chimney sweep cleans a chimney he also does a thorough chimney inspection to make sure you are safe in your Jacksonville, FL, NE Florida or SE Georgia home.  A chimney sweep should clean and inspect your chimney once a year, or more depending on use.