$B_4C$ ceramics were fabricated by a hot-press sintering method and their sintering behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated. Relative density of $B_4C$ ceramics were obtained by a hot-press sintering method reached as high as 99% without any sintering additives. The mechanical properties of $B_4C$ ceramics was improved by a methanol washing process which can remove $B_2O_3$ phase from a $B_4C$ powder surface. This improvement results from the formation of homogeneous microstructure because the grain coarsening was suppressed by the elimination of $B_2O_3$ phase. Particularly, mechanical properties of the sintered specimen using a methanol washed powder improved compared with the specimen using an as-received commercial powder.