You might be unsure of what to do with fireplace ashes if you often use a wood-burning fireplace.
Visiting this guide means you have encountered fireplace ashes after putting down the fireplace, and then you are left with the ashes.
Sometimes you’re just out there asking yourself what to do with fireplace ashes, but Warmthpedia experts are here to make sure you’re not left out empty without ideas.
In this WarmthPedia article, you’ll find 11 fantastic uses for fireplace ashes despite the fact that many people see it as a negative byproduct of burning wood.
What Are Fireplace Ashes?
Wood ash is the powdery byproduct of burning wood, whether in a fireplace, a bonfire, or an industrial power plant.
It’s mainly composed of calcium compounds, along with other non-combustible trace elements that can be found in the wood. It has been used for many different things throughout history.
However, you’re not always left with the same types or amount of ashes every time, so you’ll have to asses what type and amount of ashes you’re dealing with.
Why? Because having such information ready will help you decide what to do with fireplace ashes in a more productive manner.
What to Do with Fireplace Ashes?
Wondering what to do with fireplace ashes? There are a lot of things you can do with the ashes besides throwing them in the garbage. WarmthPedia provided the following 11 suggestions for dealing with fireplace ashes in your house and garden:
1. Empty the Jars of any Sticky Residue
Ash from the fireplace is one of several homemade cleaners you may use around the house.
To gently scrape away sticky label residue from jars, use a microfiber cloth and a paste made by mixing water and wood ash.
2. Neutralize Odors
There’s nothing worse than a refrigerator or trash can that smells bad. You are probably aware that adding baking soda to potentially smelly places helps neutralize scents. Alkaline fireplace ash can be treated using the same method.
Simply add a small bowl of ash to your refrigerator or put some in the bottom of your garbage bag to prevent foul odor from entering your kitchen. You can also combine a few cups of fireplace ash with the litter box to prevent bad odors.
3. Clean Your Fireplace Glass
Fortunately, utilizing leftover wood ash makes it very simple to remove all the bothersome soot off glass fireplace doors, which can often become dirty.
Once the glass has completely cooled, scrape the surface with a cotton towel or sponge after applying ash and water pester.
4. Repel Pests
There’re many different products and remedies that may be used to keep outdoor pests from getting inside your house. One of the easiest chemical-free methods for keeping insects and bugs out is to line the damaged walls and corners with fireplace ash.
You can also use the solution on its own or in conjunction with the advice of your pest control specialist.
5. Eliminate Oil Leaks
Using wood ash to stop oil leaks from your car is the best and easiest method.
After letting the ash absorb the oil for a few hours, sweep it up and throw it away.
6. Avoid Mold
As it does with your driveway, wood ash also may collect moisture from the surrounding air. Therefore, if you have a particularly damp area in your house, such as a basement or garage, fill some tin cans or jars with fireplace ashes and put them in the corner of a moisture-prone area.
You can add a few pieces of charcoal to the mixture to improve its efficiency.
7. Brighten Your Whites
If bleach is not available or you prefer not to use it, use fireplace ash in your next load of clothes. Lye water is an ingredient created by mixing water and wood ash. It’s a common component of soap.
Lye water, which acts as a bleaching agent, can be added to your laundry to produce brighter clothes.
8. Keep Your Grill Clean
Grill cleaning may be difficult to clean, but wood ash may make the process much easier. Put on gloves, coat the grates with a thick paste of ash and water, and then scrape the easily accumulated burnt-on particles and grime using an abrasive sponge.
Then, give everything a good rinse with water.
9. Feed Your Garden
If you want to feed your soil, consider utilizing wood ash rather than purchasing a bag of commercial fertilizer.
The pH of your soil can be raised by adding 5 gallons of wood ash per 1,000 square feet of garden space, providing all the nutrients required for healthy plants.
10. Unclog Your Drains
Before calling a plumber, try pouring fireplace ash down a clogged drain. Pour a cup of warm water and a cup of dry wood ash down the clogged drain, then wait a few hours before running more water through the mixture.
For your own safety, it’s recommended to use finer, dry white or gray ash; don’t combine ash with any other chemicals or cleaning agents.
11. Polish Silverware
If your silverware outlived its usefulness, you can polish it once more with fireplace ash and even remove tarnish.
Simply make a paste of water and wood ash, and wipe silver or other dull metal with a microfiber cloth. Then carefully rinse and dry the metal after polishing it.
Here is a video of what to do with fireplaces ashes.
Summary
Imagine turning a problem into a solution, that’s what this guide has helped you do, and not only one solution but 11 distinguished ones.
This WarmthPedia article has also helped you understand what electric fireplace ashes would be, and answered the commonly asked question regarding what to do with fireplace ashes.
Do you still have any concerns regarding what to do with fireplace ashes? If so, leave your questions in the WarmthPedia comments box below, and we’ll answer them as soon as we can.