When you make a wood or fireplace fire, there is a little pile of ashes at the end.
And often, we don't really know what to do with it.
Yet this ash can be used for many things.
Why ? Because it contains potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
This ash is for example perfect for the garden as fertilizer or against bad odors at home.
We have selected for you the 25 best uses of wood ash for the whole house . Watch:
All gardeners know the evils of slugs and snails that devour plants at nightfall. Fortunately, wood ashes are a good natural alternative against these critters. Spread them around the plants, or make them a barrier that will surround the whole garden. However, avoid direct contact with plants and remember to reapply after each rainy episode. Wood ash does not have a pleasant texture for gastropods which will avoid venturing on it. In addition, as it absorbs moisture, it deters slugs and snails from approaching it. Ash is also known to repel aphids and cabbage worms.
To have a good compost, it must be balanced. You can increase the potassium level by adding wood ash. But be careful, too much ash will damage your compost, because it is alkaline:use ashes in moderation.
To neutralize acidic soils with a pH below 6, use ash at the rate of no more than 12 kg per 100 m2.
Plants need calcium to grow. No need to use chemical fertilizers:you can replace them with crushed eggshells or wood ash. Lightly dust plants that need it, for example:potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, beans, lettuce, celery, peas, cabbage and garlic. Even apple trees and fruit trees need it when they are young trees.
Add a layer of ash to your plants in late fall to protect them from frost damage.
Store ungerminated seeds in a stoneware or clay pot and cover them with ashes. This will prevent insects from eating the seeds and protect them from moisture.
If you have too much fruit to keep in the fridge, dig a hole in the ground and fill it with wood ashes. Put your fruits and vegetables in the hole, leaving enough space between each of them so that they do not touch each other. Cover the top of the hole with a piece of wood. With this trick, your fruit will keep for days or even weeks.
Mix water and wood ash and use this mixture to shell corn. This process not only makes it easier to shell the corn, but also increases the taste and nutritional quality of the corn.
Putting 1 tablespoon per 3,000 liters of water helps fertilize the soil, promote algae growth and improve their health. It also helps to control their growth so that they don't invade everything.
Mix wood ash and sand to create an ideal dust bath for chickens. They love to roll in the dust to stay clean. At the same time they get rid of lice, mites and other parasites.
Wood ash is rich in calcium. We can therefore add a little wood ash in their food (1% ash in the food). Thanks to this trick, your hens will lay more frequently and over a longer period. And it can also help absorb ammonia from their droppings and reduce fumes.
Ash was used to remove hair from animal skins. To do this, wood ash was mixed with hot water and soaked in the skins of freshly killed animals. This removed the majority of hair from the skin. No need to scratch the skin dozens of times to remove them.
Use wood ash to melt the ice instead of salt. Wood ash contains potassium carbonate or potash which is less harmful to plants and the planet than salt. Salt is toxic to groundwater, plants and pets. It also damages concrete or metal surfaces.
Sprinkle your lawn with ash, then water it thoroughly to prevent the ash from being blown away. This trick helps to make lawns greener.
You can quickly smother a fire you're having trouble putting out by covering it with wood ashes.
If a vehicle is stuck in ice or snow, sprinkle ashes around the tires. This fills in the ruts and you can get out easily.
Pour the ashes directly into the ant colony. Ants hate ashes and strangely can't move them. They will have to move. It also works against cockroaches, but also mice or rats. To do this, line the areas where they pass or hide with ashes. As long as the ashes are there, insects and rodents stay away.
Remove fleas, ticks and lice from pets and chickens by mixing ashes and white vinegar. Make a thick paste and run it through the animal's fur or feathers and rinse if necessary.
Sprinkle ashes on clothes before putting them away. This will keep moths at bay. Just shake your clothes out when you want to put them back on.
To make natural lye, mix wood ash with animal fat and water in a jar. Be careful, because this ash detergent can be very caustic. Check out the trick here.
To remove fresh paint or grease splatters, use wood ash. This absorbs liquids and can be used to clean up wet paint or grease spills. It can also be used to remove stains from cement, asphalt and other porous surfaces. To do this, lightly sprinkle the ash on the stain, let it sit and then sweep up later with a broom.
Dampen a piece of newspaper and dip it in wood ash. Then, clean the windows, the glass doors of the hearth of the fireplace or even the silverware.
Wood ash removes all bad smells. To do this, sprinkle ash in the bottom of the cat's litter box to reduce urine odors. Put ashes in a container to remove damp smells in a room, or in a dish against bad smells in the fridge. Replace the ash regularly until the odors disappear.
Immediately sprinkle the still fresh stain with a little ash. Wait 4-5 minutes, then rub the stain with breadcrumbs.
The Egyptians used wood ash to clean their wounds, kill bacteria and speed healing. Birch ash diluted in milk was used to treat liver disease. Rowan ash in water treated anemia and combated depression and fatigue. Oak ash diluted in boiled, filtered water was used to treat eye pressure, and aspen ash was effective in relieving swollen limbs or an irritated colon.
- Wood ash lye is quite toxic. Be careful not to let it come into contact with food, your skin or certain pets.
- Only use ashes from untreated wood. Do not burn stained or painted wood, commercial "logs" or chemically treated pallets.
- Hardwood ash contains 5 times more nutrients than softwood. So choose your essences carefully.
- Store ashes in a metal container placed on a concrete surface to avoid fires. Embers buried in ash may still be hot even after days or weeks.
- Wood ash particles are extremely light, fine and volatile. When handling wood ash, always wear protective goggles, thick gloves and, for prolonged work, a dust mask.
- Be aware that there is salt in wood ash which can damage young plants or seedlings.
- If you use wood ash in the garden, do not mix it with urea or nitrogen fertilizers. This could lead to the production of ammonia gas harmful to the garden.
