You don’t have to throw out wood ash that you have burned in your fireplace. These tips will show you how to use them in your home or garden.

Cleaning out the wood ashes from the hearth used to be a daily chore back when fireplaces were used to heat homes. After a warm winter fire or using a backyard fire pit, it is possible to collect wood ash more easily and put it to good use.

Use wood ash only when it is completely cool. You should keep ash in a metal container with a tight seal.

What’s Wood Ash Good for?

Although we may not use as much firewood, ash is still an excellent raw resource with many benefits and uses. Here are 8 ways to use fireplace ashes in your garden and home.

Enhancing your Lawn and amending the soil

Wood ash can be used quickly to increase the pH of your Lawn’s soil. It is faster than limestone because it is more water-soluble. To determine the pH of your lawn or garden soil, you should first test it. The pH range between 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal for most lawns and garden soil. It’s alkaline if it is higher than 7. It’s acidic if it falls below 6. You don’t need to alter the pH if your soil is already between 6-7.

Some plants, including vegetables and flowers, thrive in different soil pH levels. Tomato plants, for example, require a lot of calcium and potassium. To achieve this, they need soil amendments rich in these nutrients. Wood ash can deliver these nutrients quickly because it is naturally rich in both these nutrients and is water-soluble. To promote healthy vegetable production, amend your garden if it is too acidic. This is because plant roots do not absorb calcium from the soil.

Are Ashes Good For Plants?

Wood ash also contains other nutrients in lower amounts, such as aluminum, magnesium and phosphorus. Alfalfa, corn, and hay can remove nutrients from the soil. Amendments or crop rotations can be used to reintroduce these nutrients. If necessary, wood ash can replenish those nutrients.

Before adding wood ash to your property, make sure you know what your plants and soil requirements are. Some acid-loving plants, such as blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons, won’t appreciate having their soil alkaline. It is not a good idea to add wood ash in one place.

Note – Do not apply ashes to the leaves or stems of plants. Rinse off after application if necessary. Choose a day when there is no wind to prevent misapplication. Ensure that you use adequate eye, skin, and face protection when applying ashes.

Make your compost ashier

You can add a few wood ashes to your indoor or outdoor compost pile as part of your household waste. You can add a small amount to each layer of compost to increase the nutrients in the final soil, or “compost tea”.

Making your wood-ash tea is also possible. Simply soak the ashes in water for about 4-5 days and apply that product to the soil as necessary. Three pounds of wood ash can be steeped in water and then strained. This will provide some benefits to plants throughout the growing season. Use sparingly; a little goes a very long way. Make sure to research your plants’ alkalinity requirements before you apply.

Wood Ashes for Cleaning

Are you looking for an inexpensive cleaner for metal and glass? Mixing wood ashes with some water to make a paste can clean glass and metal. Apply the paste using a cotton cloth and gloves to protect your skin. You can first apply it to a small area to test the results.

Make soap at home

Homesteads were the first to create soaps. Lye was made by mixing water and wood ash. Because they are rich in potassium, the ashes of burned hardwoods, such as ash, beech, and hickory, can be used to make soap.

Making soap can be made from scrap materials. However, it will take a little more work than buying a bar or a bottle of soap. If you decide to make your soap, be sure to follow the instructions and wear protective gear to prevent burns.

Keep harmful bugs away.

Wood ashes can be used for repelling ants and deterring pests such as snails and slugs. After the rain has dried the ash, sprinkle a little or ring the affected plants with the ashes and reapply.

Slippery Walkways can be made more slippery with added friction.

Wood ash, similar to gravel for snow-covered streets, can be used underfoot to add traction. To help you get out of slippery spots, keep some wood ash in your truck or car in a sealed metal container. You should be careful not to bring the ash back into your home on your soles.

Take Care of Driveway Spills

How to change the oil in your car Perhaps you have spilled something that could stain. To absorb the spillage, use wood ash. The driveway’s asphalt color will hide the ash, and the ash’s absorbent properties will allow you to clean up the spillage.

Fire Control

You’ve probably “smothered” a campfire by spreading ashes over hot coals.

When a fire extinguisher or soil is not available, wood ashes can put out the fire. Make sure to extinguish the fire completely. Also, make sure that no embers remain smoldering. They could ignite. You can also check for hot spots by hovering your hand over any wet embers to ensure you don’t get a fire going again.