Whether you use a fireplace in the winter or a firepit in the summer, fires generate a lot of ash. If you’ve been discarding the ash in your trash or are unsure what to do with it, read these helpful tips for alternative ways to use the ashy remnants of seasoned firewood.

5 Ways to Reuse Firewood Ash

1. Enrich Compost

If you’re already composting plant-based trash, such as fruit and vegetable peelings and yard waste, add in the ash from last night’s cozy fire. The remains of seasoned firewood will enrich your compost with phosphorous, potassium, and calcium, which are particularly beneficial for alkaline soils.

2. Deodorize Pets

If your pets have been sprayed by a skunk or are smelling a little ripe, ash is a natural deodorizer and traditional folk remedy. It’s proven to absorb bad smells as well as neutralize a skunk’s spray. Wait until ash particles are cool before you massage them into your pet’s fur. You can also deodorize their beds with a sprinkling of ash. 

3. Shine Silverware

Wood ash restores the shine of heirloom silverware. It can also remove tarnish from jewelry and other metals. Create a thick paste of baking soda, ash, and water. Rub it gently into your jewelry, silverware, or silver plate, and watch the tarnish disappear.

4. Control Pond Algae

Ash from burnt seasoned firewood can control the growth of algae in garden ponds. A sprinkle of one tablespoon of wood ash per 1,000 gallons of water is a safe alternative to chemical treatments. The added potassium from the ash helps water plants keep algae from taking over your pond.

5. Beef Up Your Garden

Ash from your seasoned firewood used as a garden fertilizer helps tomatoes thrive and combats blossom rot. Tomatoes are calcium-loving plants. A dusting of ash when transplanting seedlings and as your plants mature should increase your yield.

Need to replenish your stockpile of seasoned firewood? Contact Jay’s Firewood & Mulch in Perryville, MO. They have been delivering mulch and firewood to the St. Louis area for more than 17 years. Call and talk to one of their friendly customer service agents today at (877) 492-2970, or visit them on Facebook to learn more about their services and firewoods.