You have just cleaned your fireplace, which is already ready to heat the apartment for the Christmas holidays and provide a cozy andcozy atmosphereto accomplish? Then all you have to do is light the fire and let the Christmas magic do the rest. But this idyll can be ruined because of all the ashes that the cozy fire leaves behind. Before you throw the next batch of them in the trash, it is practical and interesting to know what you can do with the ash that has been mistakenly classified as useless.What can you use wood ash for?use? In this article, we list 10 ways to use ash for your home and garden.
1. Use wood ash as a de-icing agent
This can happen especially in winterAshes from the fireplaceprove to be very helpful. Wood ash contains potassium salts that are very effective at de-icing your driveway, sidewalk, etc. It's also not a bad idea to keep a container of it in the trunk of the car during winter as it can prove to be a powerful weapon to improve tire traction on snow and ice.
2. Absorb odors and moisture
Like baking soda, wood ash is alkaline, meaning it absorbs moisture and odors. Put a small amount of it in a bowl and put it in your fridge. The ash will absorb unpleasant odors and make the air fresh again. You can also use them in damp rooms, such as a basement or a poorly ventilated bathroom. Even a small container of wood ash in the corner can helpTo remove moisture from the room.
3. Cleaning with wood ash – Is it effective?
The answer is yes! Wood ash is an effective solution, for example to clean the fireplace glass naturally. If you want to know more about it, take a lookour article with practical tips for cleaning fireplace glass, including the use of cold ash.
Furthermore, wood ash works like a mild scouring agent because it is very grease-dissolving. You can still use the ash to clean stainless steel pots, sinks and worktops. Before you use wood ash to clean smooth surfaces, it is important that you first sieve the ash through a fine sieve so that no large particles remain in it. Then use a damp rag dipped in the wood ash and rub the abrasive into the impurities. Finally, rinse thoroughly with water and the surfaces will shine again.
4. Clean and polish silver to make it shine again
Did you know that you can use wood ash toClean silver? It is a good alternative to expensive silver polishing products and ultrasonic cleaning. So wood ash works like a mild abrasive. Mix a small amount of it with water to form a paste and you can use it to polish silver and other metals.
5. What is wood ash good for in the garden? Improve garden soil with ash
If the soil in your garden is acidic, you can amend it with wood ash to increase the pH. Since ash contains about 70% calcium carbonate, it willhave the same effect as limeand even faster due to the microscopic size of the particles that compose it. Nevertheless, it is a fantastic fertilizer for calcium-loving tomatoes and contains a good amount of the mineral.
6. Make a repellent against snails and slugs
DieUsing baking soda in the gardenis not new, but it turns out that wood ash is a worthy competitor for it. The grayish powder is said to effectively combat snails and slugs in your vegetable beds. Since the mollusks' bodies consist largely of water, they shy away from wood ash, which naturally has a drying effect. So sprinkle some around your plants to keep these pests away.
7. Remove stains from the garden path
You can remove grease stains from your concrete driveway using the wood ash you collected from your fireplace. Simply sprinkle a small amount of it on the stain to be treated and leave it on for several hours. The ash will absorb the grease and you can then simply wipe it away with a broom.
8. Add wood ash to garden compost
Adding wood ash to your compost is an excellent way to reuse this residue while increasing the potassium content of your garden soil. Such enriched compost is referred to as “black gold” by gardeners because it provides a nutrient-rich agent for plants.
9. Use wood ash to combat algae
Although wood ash doesn't actually kill algae, it can help control invasive aquatic plants. As explained, ash is very high in potassium, so sprinkling a lot of it into a pond will encourage other plants to grow, competing with the algae, thereby keeping it under control.
10. Put out fires
Just like sand, fine wood ash can smother a small fire. Keep a bucket of ashes near the fireplace or fire pit in case you need to put out a stubborn flame.
