If you have a wood fireplace, then you also have a lot of wood ash that you most likely throw out when the time comes to clean. However, next time you may want to save that ash to see if it can help streamline some regular chores in your life. Here are a couple ways to use ash around the home and garden:
Neutralize your soil. If your soil is too acidic for your plants, mix in some wood ash. It will balance out the pH and create a better environment for your garden to flourish.
Fertilize your lawn. Trade out the store-bought fertilizer and go with a more organic route. Wood ash will add lots of nutrients like calcium to help promote lawn growth.
Polish your jewelry or silverware. Wood ash has just enough of an abrasive texture to polish metal items that may be tarnished or dull.
Absorb odors. Instead of baking soda, use wood ash when trying to get rid of odors in places like your trash can.
Enhance your compost. Add wood ash in moderation to enhance the nutrients of your compost pile. Adding large amounts at once could raise the pH level too much.
Melt ice. Instead of spreading out salt that’s more harmful to the environment, use wood ash to melt ice on your driveway and sidewalks.
As you can see, there’s a lot of ways wood ash can benefit your daily life! When removing the ash from your fireplace, be sure to have the right tools on hand to safely and expertly complete the job. You should always wait at least 24 hours after the last fire burned and stop your removal if you see live embers. Store your ashes away from anything combustible, and instead of throwing them out, use them for any of the above ideas! It can save you money on supplies like fertilizer, ice salt, and metal polish.