Have you been saving your fireplace ashes all winter? Will your summer fires from the fire pit generate even more ashes? What could you do with all of these ashes from your fireplace and fire pit, you might ask? Most people throw them away, but there are so many useful way to put your old ashed to work around the house. Let’s walk through some ways we could use the ashes at your house.

Enrich your compost & keep pests away

If you’re a gardener, you can add ashes as nutrients for your plants. Ashes are rich in potassium, which is great for your flowering plants and fruits. They can also be added directly to the soil to bring pH levels in line for alkaline-loving plants. However, you should be super careful to keep ashes away from plants that prefer an acidic soil.

Don’t add more than six inches of ashes in your compost pile, as it could make the compost too basic for many plants. Because of their rough texture, ashes are perfect for keeping slimy garden pests such as slugs and snails away from your plants. All you have to do is sprinkle a ring of ashes around your plants to keep pests away.

Feed your lawn & fight algae growth

If you’re not a gardener, your ashes can still be useful for enriching your lawn! The nutrients from the ashes are very beneficial to your lawn. First, sprinkle ashes across your lawn, and then water your lawn to keep it from blowing away, which gives time for the ashes to permeate the soil completely. This simple and useful method will help nourish you lawn and provide luscious grass without spending too much money!

If you have a water feature in your yard, ashes can also help to keep algae at bay – thanks to its high calcium content! One tablespoon of ashes per 1,000 gallons of water encourages the growth of aquatic plants while fighting the growth of algae. When your desirable pond plants are healthy, they can keep algae from taking over your pond.

Clean sidewalk stains & other dull surfaces

Do you have unsightly stains on your sidewalks or driveways? Your ashes can actually help to clear up those stains! Sprinkle your ashes onto the unsightly stains and scrub it in. If it’s an oil stain, vigorously rub in the ashes to absorb the oil and then sweep it away.

Ashes make a wonderful all-purpose cleaner! They can be used to polish silver or scrub away stains on glass fireplace doors. You can mix old ashes with water and scrub surfaces with a cloth to revive any surfaces. You can also place bowls of ash in stinky places such as the back of your refrigerator to absorb foul odors, or scrub stinky surfaces with your ash paste to remove odors. If you love do-it-yourself projects, you can even find recipes online for converting your ashes into an all-natural soap!

Call us to learn more

There are so many ways to use your old ashes! You need to save your ashes next time and take advantage of them, rather than throwing them away! You can use them around your home and garden. However, if your indoor or outdoor fireplace or fire pit need attention this spring and summer, don’t hesitate to give Total Chimney Care a call to schedule an appointment today.