In life, there is not much I love more than snuggling up in front of a crackling fire, with a cup of tea and a good book.
I'm sure that in heaven there are wood stoves and of course I won't even need to light the fire, it will burn on its own!
If you are lucky enough to have a wood stove or fireplace in your home, chances are you have wood ash.
Not sure what to do with all that ash that's piling up?
So here are 9 amazing ways to put those ashes to good use . Watch:
If you have a nasty oil stain in your garage, sprinkle some wood ash on it. It's magic, the ash will absorb the oil. Sweep away the ash and presto the oil stains are gone.
To discover: Finally, a Tip for Removing Oil Stains from Garage Floors.
A damp sponge or rag soaked in ash works wonders for cleaning windows. With the ashes you can easily remove soot residue. Ideal for cleaning the fireplace insert for example!
To discover: The Trick To Easily Clean The Glass Of A Fireplace Insert.
If you distribute the ashes evenly around your flower beds, they will repel slugs and snails that will not cross this natural barrier. Check out the trick here.
Do you have silver jewelry at home? Then you know they tarnish quickly. To restore their shine, simply polish them with ash. For this, make a paste by mixing ashes and water. Rub silver objects with it to restore their shine. It's quick to make and what's more, there is no toxic product in it, unlike specific products sold on the market.
To discover: The Tip To Easily Clean Your Silverware.
Algae grow very quickly in pools of water. As a result, the edges of the pools are all green and the water becomes cloudy. To prevent the algae from spreading, it is enough to put a small tablespoon of ashes for about 4,000 liters of water. The goal is to provide enough potassium to strengthen the other aquatic plants that live in the pond. The latter will thus be stronger to compete with the algae and will slow down their growth.
Wood ash scattered on snow-covered driveways and sidewalks provides better grip on the ground. Not only is it as effective as salt, but the wood ash does not damage the coatings.
To discover: How to Instantly Unlock a Spinning Car in the Snow.
Sprinkle a little ash in your garden or on your lawn to enrich the soil. Or, add some to your compost pile to make it richer. The secret is to add just a pinch to add calcium to the mix. Be aware that you should not put too much, at the risk of compromising the quality of the compost.
To discover: 5 Natural and Free Fertilizers For Super Healthy Plants.
Sometimes a dog has bad encounters like... coming across a stinky skunk. If this misadventure happened to Medor, rub his coat with ashes. They will absorb bad smells. Obviously it also works for any other smell!
To discover: 10 Simple and Effective Tips to Get Rid of Skunks.
Ash is a common ingredient in homemade soaps. You can even do laundry by immersing the ashes in water. Add animal fat to this lye, then boil to produce soap. When the mixture cools, add salt which hardens the soap. Discover the recipe here.
To discover: I Made My Wood Ash Detergent! My Opinion on Its Effectiveness.
And now, rather than throwing them in the trash, you now know how to use the ashes of your fireplace or your stove :-)
