Having a fire pit at home is a great thing, be it for the looks of it or for practical reasons. Because you will never know when you will need to cook something on a fire or just want some warmth and coziness after a long day at work. But fires also create ashes – not everyone likes them around, especially when you don’t need them. And not everyone knows what to do with ashes from fire pit or how to dispose of ashes from fire pit.
After proper use of fire it in your backyard, you will end up with ashes, So if you’re looking for some ideas of what to do with ashes just keep reading. Not all ashes are the same so this whole article is more like a guideline. They usually consist of charcoal and ash, but other elements might be included as well.
So let’s start!
What to do with ashes from fire pit
Here are few methods from which you can got you answer of what to do with ashes from a fire pit. Choose any one of them to deal with ashes.
1- Use ashes to fertilize your plants
This is probably the best idea. And the easiest one too, actually. Because all you need to do is take some ashes and scatter them around your plants. Of course, this will only work if your fire pit doesn’t produce very hot flames, but it’s really useful!
You can also use ashes to make your soil more fertile, which will definitely help you out.
How to use ashes as fertilizers is a matter of debate among scientists, but the results are generally positive. However, some think that it’s better to mix them with compost.
So if you’re not sure what type of fertilizer suits your plants the best just do some research and decide by yourself.
2- Create a weed barrier among your plants
If you’re anything like me, weeds will always find their way to grow at the most inconvenient places and time. And if you also have fire pit ashes lying around, this tip should come in handy.
All you need to do is lay down some ashes between your plants. It will protect them from weeds and also make the soil more fertile. You can use this method to plant flowers or vegetables as well, but be careful not to put too much ash between your plants because it might dry your soil out.
If you don’t want something permanent there is another temporary solution – just spread some ashes around the base of your plants and weeds won’t be able to grow around them.
You can even use ashes as weed barrier on paths or steps if you don’t want the ashes to stay there permanently either.
Just spread some of them around and you’ll get rid of weeds for a really long time, depending on how often it rains where you live.
3- Use ashes to make soap
You can use ashes from your fire pit to make some homemade soap. This is a really popular trend these days, and for good reason. Not only you will be able to get rid of some extra ashes, but also create something useful while doing it. All you have to do is add some water and you will get a natural soap.
You can also add essential oils to make your soap smell better and even use it as scented one. There are so many recipes for homemade soaps you can find online, so if this is something that interests you just type “homemade soap recipe” in Google and you should be able to find lots of useful tips.
4- Use ashes to make lye
If you want to go even further and you know how to make soap, try making lye with the help of some fire pit ashes. Lye is one of the ingredients used for creating your soap.
It’s not as complicated as it might sound at first, so just give it a chance.
Just take some ashes and put them into water, then strain the liquid. This mixture is called lye (sodium hydroxide) and you can use it to make soap. Or even better – get your hands on real lye instead of ash because it’s less hazardous for your health.
It will take some time to separate the liquid so don’t worry if you won’t be able to do it right away. Just keep adding ashes and rinsing with water until you get rid of all impurities.
5- Clean your fire pit for good
If you want to clean your fire pit, just use ash mixed with water. Some people use vinegar instead, but it’s really not necessary.
You can also lay some ashes on the fire pit while you’re not using it and remove them when you finally want to start a fire. It will slowly turn into ash again which will stop rusting, so this is another good way to prevent corrosion.
And just a heads-up – if you want to prevent ashes from being stolen, just keep them in a closed container.
6- Use ashes instead of sand to get rid of slugs and snails
Slugs and snails can become a real problem for some people especially because not only they destroy your plants but also carry various diseases.
They love moist conditions so if you have ash around your yard it’s a good idea to use it as barriers. Just lay some ashes wherever you usually spot them and It will kill them or at least make their life much harder.
You can also mix ashes with water and pour the mixture into small plant saucers for extra protection.
7- Use ashes to clean your tools
You can use ashes to clean your garden tools as well. Just sprinkle some of them on the metal surface and use a soft brush to scrub it. You will remove all dirt, you’ll be able to easily get rid of rust too, so this method is very efficient .
8- Remove the smell from plastic toys
Plastic toys are usually very difficult to clean because of the numerous nooks and crannies they have. Even if you manage to remove all dirt, there is still a chance that your child will get sick after playing with it. The reasons for this are bacteria called pseudomonas fluoresces which can accumulate in these hard-to-reach places.
Luckily, there is a way to kill all of them with the help of ashes, so this problem will be gone once and for all.
Just mix some ashes with water, spray it on your toy, wait 5 minutes and then rinse with water afterwards. Absorb any excess moisture with paper towel. You are now free to let your child play without worrying that he/she will get sick.
9- Remove grease from baking sheets
It’s not the easiest task in the world to clean greasy baking sheets and pans because you usually end up ruining your dishwashing sponge. But there is a way to make this job easier, so all you have to do is sprinkle some ashes on the sheet and wait for a few minutes. After that you can easily wipe it with a paper towel, and the results will amaze you!
10- Use ashes from your fireplace to disinfect your home
In case you have a fireplace in your house or any other pet which is constantly sick after going outside, there is a simple way how to deal with this problem. Moreover, you don’t even have to spend money on pricey disinfectants because ashes from your fireplace can solve this problem as well!
Just put some of them into a jar add water and leave the mixture overnight. In the morning all impurities should be settled at the bottom of the jar, so you just need to pour out clean water. Use this liquid to clean anything – from your floor and furniture to shoes and dirty laundry. There is no need for you to buy expensive cleaners anymore!
11- Removes grease stains from fabric
It’s not the easiest task in the world to remove grease stains from fabric, especially if it’s dry. But there is a method of doing it without ruining clothes in the process.
All you have to do is add water and ashes, wait a few minutes and then wash it in the washing machine as usual. The grease should be gone by now, but if there are still stains left, apply vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and then laundry detergent on them and finally wash it again. You’ll get rid of any stains that way.
12- Prevent diaper rash
Diaper rash is a common problem among babies and toddlers who wear diapers, but it’s also very unpleasant for parents. You can prevent this uncomfortable skin condition by sprinkling some ashes on baby’s butt. It will not only soothe the area and get rid of any itchiness, but also prevent future rashes from occurring.
13- Use ashes to remove stains from upholstery
Another not very pleasant problem that parents usually have with their kids is trying to clean stains off of furniture. There are certain substances which can ruin the fabric, so you’re not supposed to use them on upholstered items, especially if it’s expensive.
Luckily, there is a simple way how to make stains go away without ruining upholstery in the process – just use ashes! Just sprinkle them on the stain, wait for a few minutes and then wipe it with a wet sponge. The results may surprise you.
14- Remove labels from glass bottles
Don’t throw any empty glass bottles out because this is what you can do with them. All you have to do is soak it in ash and hot water, wait for a few minutes and then remove labels by hand.
15- Prevent rust
If you want to prevent any rust from forming on metal objects, all you need to do is sprinkle some ashes on them before putting them away. This way there won’t be any rust to ruin the object. It’s as simple as that.
16- Turn ashes into chalk
How about making your own chalk out of ashes? You’ll be surprised by how good this idea is and there won’t be any need for you to spend money on store-bought chalk ever again.
Just take a glass jar and fill it with some ash. Add a few drops of water. Leave the jar overnight and in the morning you will have your own chalk!
17- Cleaning glass
You can easily clean glass surfaces with fireplace ashes: by applying a mixture of ashes and water to the surface of the glass and by hand. The ash is naturally abrasive and removes sticky soot, but it’s not hard enough to scratch the glass. Instead, it acts as a buffer, increasing the shine of the glass. You can mix the ash with water to make a cleaner, but you should avoid attempting to use the lye on glass.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of ways how to use ashes from fire pit and they all have one thing in common – they allow you to finally get rid of nasty stains.
You won’t ever ruin anything or harm yourself because ashes are completely safe to use around the house. They will always come in handy so don’t be afraid to put your fireplace to some other use than just keeping you warm.
FAQs:
Q: What if I don’t really like the idea of using ashes from fire pit around the house?
A: There are plenty of other ways how to use them. For example, you can always sprinkle some on your favorite plants because this will make them healthier.
Q: Can I just throw ashes away because it’s no use for me?
A: No – you can still do a lot of things with them. For example, you can use ashes to fertilize plants.
Q: What’s the best method for storing them?
A: You need to make sure that your jar is sealed properly and it has a lid. As long as you take good care of it, ashes will stay good for months.
Q: Will ashes go bad by any chance?
A: No, they won’t because there are no parts of fire that can go bad. Ashes are completely safe to use even if you haven’t used them for years.
