Burn, baby burn! Don’t just toss the ash from your fireplace. Here are some helpful ways to use it.
Wood ash is something many of us have an abundance of this time of year, but there are some really neat ways you can repurpose the ash so it doesn’t go to waste.
WHY WOOD ASH IS BENEFICIAL
The majority of wood ash composition is calcium carbonate. This is a type of liming agent that increases alkalinity in things like soil (which is why it has numerous plant benefits).
Due to the size of wood ash, it also reacts quickly in soil or compost. It doesn’t need much breakdown time with the powder substance. This texture also makes it helpful for absorption and fine scrubbing (more on that below).
Because wood ash contains calcium carbonate, you can use it on tarnished metal. Not only does it clean off debris and rust, but you can follow up with a cloth like microfiber and buff it out.
The texture of wood ash is really good for fine scrubbing, so it makes a great substance on metal.
DETER BUGS
Wood ash works well at deterring bugs from plants. Slugs, snails and even ants will stay away from wood ash.
You can sprinkle soil or pots with a little ash to keep bugs away, and a little goes a long way!
A light sprinkle of ash every couple of weeks should to do the trick. I like to reapply the ash after it rains.
SPRINKLE ON THE LAWN
Grasses react well with lime and potassium, so you can sprinkle wood ash around your lawn during the winter.
This will nourish the soil and get grass ready for growth in the spring.
There isn’t much scientific studies on this particular tip, but I used to sprinkle wood ash in my backyard in the winter. My grass in the backyard always looked greener and healthier when spring arrived.
Here are some other ways you can use it around your home. Be sure to head to our original blog post to get even more hacks on using wood ash.
Alexis Rochester is an investigative chemist, blogger and founder of Chemistry Cachet. She shares science-based skin care, cleaning, gardening and health tips.
She was diagnosed with RA at age 10, so she has a passion for pain management tips and research, along with sharing her journey through this disease. When she’s not writing for Chemistry Cachet, she is taking Pilates or Barre classes, and also received her Barre teaching certification this year! She grew up in Stephenville and recently moved back with her daughter, husband and bulldog. You can find her posting pictures and fun stories daily on Instagram. Also look for Chemistry Cachet on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn.
