After an enjoyable evening around the fire, you’re left with a pile of ashes to dispose of. Sure, you can let them cool completely and toss them into the trash bin. But did you know there are a number of ways to use wood ash around your home and garden?
Check out the list below to see just how useful firepit ashes can be around your home.
Be sure to avoid using wood ashes from painted, chemically treated, or stained wood as they can contain harmful substances. Stick to untreated, natural wood that has not been processed or chemically treated.
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Add to Compost Pile
Compost is a gold mine of nutrition for your garden. Add a thin sprinkle of wood ash to boost the potassium level of your compost and reap the rewards of hearty plant growth when you spread that compost next planting season.
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Raise pH of Acidic Soil
Because wood ash is about 70 percent calcium carbonate, it can raise the pH of acidic soil quickly due to its small particle size. Use the ash in moderation to avoid raising the pH too much, and test your soil’s levels regularly.
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Absorb Odors
Like baking soda, wood ash is alkaline, meaning it will absorb moisture and odors. Place a small bowl in a musty room or in the fridge to freshen the space. And if Fido ever has a run-in with a skunk, just rub ashes into your pet’s fur to absorb the smell.
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Clean Oil Stains from Driveway
If you have an asphalt or concrete driveway, sprinkle wood ash on top of oil stains and let sit for several hours. Once it’s had time to absorb the oil, sweep the ash away with a broom.
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Pest Control
If ants are taking over your lawn, sprinkle a layer of wood ash over ant hills to force those tiny creatures to relocate. You can also keep slugs and snails from your garden beds. Because wood ash is a natural desiccant, slugs and snails are reluctant to cross it because of their high water content.
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Make an All-Natural Soap
Mixing wood ash with water produces lye – a common ingredient in traditional soap-making. Add in some fat, boiling water, and stir, and you’ve got homemade soap. Or use the lye by itself as a natural bleaching agent. Add a cupful to a load of laundry to get your whites brighter than ever.
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Polish Silver and Metal
Because wood ash is a mild abrasive, you can mix it with a little water to form a paste perfect for polishing silver and metal. Simply dip a soft sponge into the ash and water mixture, then rub the paste on the item, then wipe off with a clean cloth.
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Control Humidity
As mentioned earlier, wood ash is a natural desiccant (like baking soda). Have a damp or musty area of your home? Place a small tray of wood ash in the corner to help draw the humidity out of the room.
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Put Out Fires
Wood ash can smother a small fire in a jiffy. Keep a bucket of cooled ash close to your fire pit in case you need to extinguish any wayward embers.
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Repel Rodents
Mice and other rodents don’t like the abrasive texture of wood ash. Sprinkle a thin layer around the outside perimeter of your home, especially near entry points like doors and windows to keep critters away.
What if your home smells of must and mold and no amount of firepit ash, baking soda, or other DIY method can get rid of it? The source might be your heating or cooling system. To find out and make the problem disappear for good, contact Optimum Air today for our HVAC cleaning and inspection service. It does much more than eliminate unpleasant odors and control humidity. It will help your HVAC system run better, last longer, and reduce your energy costs.