Using a fire pit for an outdoor gathering often leaves a single problem that everyone must safely dispose. However, it is also common to find someone with no idea what to do with the fire pit ashes.
This article will focus on sharing the best ideas to find a solution over fire pit ashes. It seems that this ashes case is still related to outdoor activities.
Wood fire is the only one activities that most people do in the backyard, resulting ashes. Thus, let’s learn anything dealing with the wood fire and ashes as well as what to do with such thing.
What To Do with The Leftover Bonfire Ashes
Even bonfires or wood burning stoves can be a very useful additives to the compost heap. You can directly applied to fallow ground.
Bonfires contain a natural source of potassium and trace elements. Its liming effects can even remedy excessively acidic soil.
Here are the details of what to do with the leftover bonfire ashes you can expect to try:
Use It As Traditional Fertilizer
In the past, most gardeners and farmers were used to fertilize their garden with the leftover bonfire ashes. It is commonly used especially on acidic soils to help raise the pH and provide them with more alkaline.
Bonfire ashes is now considered as the vital element in providing plants of fruits and flowers with the healthy nutrients.
Thus, bonfires can be much of advantage for human life. See how we have too much of a good thing.
What To Do with Wood Fire Ash
There are definitely a plenty of ways that enable you to use wood fore ash. What and where will you use them for?
In general, wood fire ash can be used mainly as nutrients for plants in the garden. Wood fire ashes are offering much benefit in raising the pH levels in the soil.
Wood fire ash can also be poured around your home. For instance, you can use it to make pumice in order to clean glass. You can even use it to provide traction by sprinkling them onto the ice.
Here are the ideas you may adopt dealing with what to do with the fire pit ashes.
Add Wood Fire Ash to Compost
Adding wood fore ash to compost is best described as one of the most common ways to provide nutrients.
It is just easy to do it. Firstly, the wood ash must be broken down and make them into sprinkles. Next, add a sprinkle to each compost layer. Mix up them up and see the decomposition process is just started.
As time passes, the worm and other bug living in the compost will help the ash to break down. This way, the ash also help absorb the bed smells while it is producing the heap.
Later, this process of composting will also help remove the lye and salt out of the wood. Lye and salt ate considered the chemicals that can cause damage to plants if applied more than recommended.
Add Wood Fire Ash to Garden
If you want to add the wood fire ash to your garden, you don’t have to wait for the ash breaking down in the composting process. Instead, you can instantly add it to your garden through a few tips in doing it.
Here are the tips to follow.
First, scatter the ash lightly throughout the garden and mix it into compost. This is aimed to prevent the ash from blowing in the wind.
Keep in mind not to let the ashes to touch the plants instantly. This way, the ashes will be absorbed by the soil easily. As a result, you can use between one-and-a-half to three-quarter inches of ash.
Once you have distributed the ashes, water them as you need it.
In some cases, it is also possible if you want to combine the ashes with the water, allowing you to easily distribute them.
This way, you will need to use a pound of ashes for every ten gallons of water. For this mixture, you must gather a planet of ashes. Let the ashes to soak in the bucket for several days to extract the nutrients. Keep in mind, you don’t have to pick up much ashes since it can be a powerful beverage.
Add Wood Fire Ash to Grass
One of the things dealing with what to do with the fire pit ashes is adding them to grass. In this case, garden is not the only place that can take the advantage of wood fire pit ashes.
Believe it or not, sprinkling some water along with the ashes over the grass is a great way to boost the grass growth.
There are some reasons why adding wood fire ash to grass is recommended. It will beneficially raise the soil acidity. Truly, fertilizers for grass contain much nitrogen.
Adding ashes to the grass will definitely make the soil more acidic. This way, the ashes help absorb nutrients. Further, ashes contains lots of mineral to boost the grass grow.
They way to apply the ashes to the grass is just the same with the way you apply other fertilizers.
First, wet the soil and rake it over to make them mixed in the soil. Later, wet the grass once more. Next, let the grass absorb the ashes. Notice if there is any change in pH levels in a few days. Typically, a good proportion include 10 to 15 pounds per 1,000 square feet.
Once you are finished applying the ashes to the grass, you should wait for at least one month before applying fertilizers which are rich in nitrogen. Remember, adding wood fire ash to grass can be done every five years only.
Clean Glass
Do you know that wood fire ashes can also be used to clean glass? It is even perfect to clean the heavily stained glass.
To make this come true, you’ll firstly need to make an ash paste. Make sure you get the fine ash and out it into a glass jar. This way, you don’t have to use the large jar unless you want to create lots of paste.
When the jar is fully filled with the ashes, add water and stir thoroughly. This is aimed to mix everything, forming a paste.
When it is done, choose a damp cloth and dip it into the mixture. Rub it over the surface of the heavily stained glass. Notice if the stain is loss. Repeat the step until the glass is totally free from the stains.
Finally, when all the stains are gone, clean the glass finely. You will see the result that the glass will get its shine back. Luckily, wood fire ash can be used for most of the glass type in your house.
Believe it or not, some people say that this wood ash paste also works on removing stains on clothing. However, it would be better to test it on a small area of cloth first. It is aimed to make sure that the ash paste really works on.
Absorb Spills
Believe it or not, ashes can also be used to absorb spills. If you notice any spilled oil, you can simply sprinkle ashes on it and the ash will start sucking it up.
However, it would be too sticky, allowing you to sweep the ash afterward. As a result, the floor will look so clean. Therefore, ashes is said to be very useful for garage where the oil spills much and more.
Further, they are also good for the driveways. In this case, the black ash will blend with the asphalt. This letting you to clean up the spills without anyone knows.
Absorb Unpleasant Smells
It’s probably out of common thoughts that ashes can even absorb unpleasant smells.
It is very easy and simple to perform. Firstly, you just need to pour the ashes into a glass. Next, add it to your kitchen.
It will works better if you add some larger chunks of charcoal in the glass. That is due to the fact that the moisture will also be absorb by the ashes in order to provide protection against mold and other bacteria developed due to the humidity.
Provide Traction in the Snow
Another helpful and useful application for wood fire pit ashes is providing traction in the snow.
The way you apply them in the snow is just the same with the way you apply the gravel. This way, you just need to sprinkle them along the snowed path. This will allow you to provide traction, preventing you from slipping over the floor.
It seems that the step must be repeated as the ashes easily blow in the wind. Accordingly, you might need to put a small bucket of ash in your car. Whenever you drive on an icy street, you can easily sprinkle some ash around. This noticeably give you traction.
Use Ashes to Treat Wounds
If you are living with elders and you notice they treat wounds using ashes, well, that’s just common. There have been main uses for wood ashes, however, there are a few other uses that are possible for them.
In the past, many survivalists take ash to treat wounds. Sometimes, it is very useful to use it so you don’t have to go to the hospital to get wounds treatment. Truly, ash will be an anti-septic that is able to seal the wound off and prevent you from having infected.
Make Soap At Home
Basically, the first soap was formulated from homesteads by mixing the water and wood ash to create lye and necessary soap component. This is due to the high potassium contained in the ashes.
How To Dispose of Ashes from Fire Pit
In relation to what to do with the fire pit ashes, there are some safe ways of disposing of ashes from the fire pot though you would not probably like to use them.
First, cooling the ashes is the prior step of all. After that, collect them and put them into a bag. Finally, you can simply throw it into the trash.
However, considering that ashes are much of advantage, there might be someone else need them out there.
So, it would be possible to list the bag of wood ashes online. Who knows… you’ll find lots of people who are willing to pay for them. Here is how you take a benefit of something that is likely useless.
Can You Throw Ashes in the Garbage?
In fact, though ashes is considered a residue, you cannot throw them in the garbage. That is due to the fact that when the fireplace ashes cools, they can still start a fire again, creating an unsafe situation for all surroundings.
How To Clean Ashes Out Of Fire Pit
Remember, even when you haven’t had the fire for a few days, the ashes can still retain a heat.
Thus, you must carefully clean ashes out of the fire pit by collecting and cooling the, down. Later, put them in a metal container. Don’t forget to pick one with the sealable lid. Next, wear your gloves to handle the ashes container.
This way, you are better not to touch the ashes directly. Instead, use a shovel to handle the ashes.
When you are finished collecting the ashes, close the container lid and put the container into the water to let it cool down. Then, leave it for several days outside.
Final Words
All in all, if you are questioning what to do with the fire pit ashes, the answer must lead you to refer to how big benefits that the ashes offer.
If you have done your outdoor activities leaving some wood fire pit ashes, don’t just collect them and put them in the bag as well as throw in the trash in the end.
There are definitely many things to do with the ashes.
In ash, it can be mainly used as fertilizer for your gardens and flowers in the yard. Further, it can also be used help you deal with the daily problems such as spilled oil, stained glass, unpleasant smells and etc.