Cleaning the fireplace or firepit has never been our favorite chore. And to be honest, we’ve never considered doing anything with all of that wood ash other than throwing it away as quickly as possible.
But as it turns out, it’s useful stuff, both inside and outside of your home!
Here are just 10 of the many uses we found – and you can find a video with more at the bottom of this list!
1. Fending off ant invasions
It’s clear that ants really hate wood ash, yet it’s not toxic enough to kill them. If you have a troublesome anthill in your yard, sprinkle a pile of wood ash on it. The ants should evacuate and move on to another location.
2. Melting ice
If your driveway and sidewalks get slippery in the winter, don’t worry. Wood ash can help with that. Spreading it over icy surfaces will go a long way towards melting the ice. You just have to be careful not to accidentally track any ash inside afterward.
3. Making compost
]If you live in a rural area, a common problem is that animals such as bears can show up to check out your compost pile. Sprinkling wood ash on top of it will help to reduce the possibility of any unwanted visitors while also increasing the quality of the compost.
4. Managing oil spills
If your car leaks oil on your driveway or garage floor, don’t fret. A little bit of wood ash can help to soak some of it up. It will absorb the oil before it permanently stains the concrete.
5. Insect repellant
Wood ash spread around the dark corners and cracks of a home can help keep the cockroaches out.
Just be careful that your pets don’t stick their noses in it.
6. Increasing soil pH
If the soil in your garden is too acidic, wood ash can work to change its properties. It’s an alkaline substance, so sprinkling it on the soil will help to balance things out.
7. Cleaning glass
A wood ash scrub has a little more texture to it than traditional glass cleaners such as Windex. It is perfect for cleaning the glass door of a fireplace or even the dirty headlights on a car. Just don’t try it on your delicate crystal.
8. Wound cleaning
Wood ash is a good antiseptic and if spread on a wound, it can disinfect it.
There are also studies that show it can speed up tissue repair and healing time, so it is definitely a useful thing to have in your toolkit!
9. Saving seeds
Storing seeds in wood ash works to prevent fungus and insects from arriving. It will keep them viable for a very long time. In the old days of agriculture, saving seeds every year was crucial if you wanted to stay alive.
10. Making cheese
Cheesemaking is an art form and something all cheese-makers understand is how beneficial wood ash is. Many kinds of cheese don’t grow well in acidic environments. A layer of wood ash prevents the growth of unwanted organisms and off-flavors.
***
We’ll certainly be saving our wood ash from now on. How about you?
Remember to scroll down below to learn even more ways to use it.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
