By Daisy Luther
Do you heat your house with wood? What to do with the ashes is a question for most. Obviously, you want to take great care to dispose of them in a way that won’t start a fire, but did you know that the ashes have all sorts of uses?
Here’s an article from Lizzie Bennett of Underground Medic, where this was originally published.
18 Uses For Wood Ash
Wood ash is suitable for much more than the compost heap.
Wood ash is composed of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium but also contains trace amounts of iron, manganese, sodium, boron, zinc, copper, and molybdenum. As it’s alkaline, handle it with care, especially when it’s wet! And never mix it with nitrate-based fertilizers unless you actually intend to produce ammonia gas!!
Did you know that:
- Putting wood ash on an ants nest forces them to relocate…the ash seems to cause them problems so they pack and leave.
- A pan of ash in the corner of a basement or other dark area will deter mice and roaches…not tried that one but assured by a friend it works.
- Decent-sized lumps of wood charcoal will filter impurities out of water.
- Wood ash in a metal or ceramic container will dehumidify a damp space very well.
- Putting ash on a fire will snuff the flames instantly. We actually keep a decorative bucket of it near the fireplace just in case an ember hits the carpet.
- Neutralise acidic soil by adding wood ash, never use around tender young plants though as it’s too strong and will kill them off.
- Sprinkling wood ash around the edge of a young plant bed will deter slugs and snails from having a midnight feast. If they don’t like its drying effect on their undersides, re-apply after rain.
- At up to 70% calcium carbonate, wood ash can replace lime in a pinch.
- If you keep chickens ash mixed with sand makes a great dust bath for the birds.
- Make soap. Here’s a recipe
- Ash on paths and driveways prevents slipping and melts snow and ice. It is messy as hell, so make sure you have a mat so boots can be wiped before coming indoors. A bag of ash in the trunk is great for giving some grip if you get into a wheels spinning but going nowhere situation.
- The mildly abrasive nature of ash makes it excellent for cleaning up dull silver, metals, and cloudy glassware. Make a thick paste and rub lightly. leave a few minutes and then polish off. Always wear gloves…it’s caustic.
- Wood ash neutralizes bad smells. Great for home gyms, sheds, garages, etc; replace with fresh ash every few days.
- Blot up oil stains on drives and floors. Put the ask on the stain, stomp it in, leave for a few minutes, and brush up.
- If your four-legged friend got too close to a skunk, help is at hand. Rub ash into the dog’s coat and let him run around a while, and then brush him. No more Eau de Skunk.
- Control algae in your pond. 1 tablespoon of ash per 1000 gallons of water improves the robustness of aquatic plants and inhibits algae growth.
- Clean glass on oven and wood stove doors. Make a thick paste, slap it on and wait a while. Scrape off the excess and then polish.
- Clean your teeth with pure wood ash…not ash from painted, varnished or treated wood. Clean your teeth with a dab of ash on the brush, rinse well, and feel how clean they are.
Learn more
Check out 20 Uses For Banana Peels for more ideas on using something that other folks would throw away.
