REPURPOSING THOSE FIREPLACE ASHES

If you have a wood-burning fireplace in your home, you’ve probably been using it quite a lot this winter. And that means you’ve had to deal with disposing of the ashes that accumulate after each fire. Instead of tossing those ashes, here are a few clever uses for repurposing them. Just keep in mind that ashes stay hot well after a fire burns out. Store and cool ashes in a metal container for at least four days before using.

Instead of salt, which contaminates the soil, sprinkle ash on driveways to aid in tire traction. You can also keep a bucket of ash in your car for emergencies when you get stuck in the snow or on ice.

Summer will be here before you know it. Do you have problems with slugs in your garden? Those pesky critters just love to attack my tomato plants. Turns out you can sprinkle ash evenly around your garden beds to keep slugs away from your flowers and vegetables.

And speaking of gardening, ash tea is a great fertilize for your houseplants. Make a “tea bag” by filling a cloth bag with ashes. Tie securely with string. Steep the “tea” bag in 5 gallons of water for a few days. Use the “tea” to water your plants.

Ashes can also be used to polish metal. Mix up a cup with a little bit of water to make a paste, and rub it on the metal.

Have you ever spilled cooking grease or oil from your grill on your cement or stone patio? Wood ashes to the rescue! Pour ashes on the spill, then rub it into the stain with a cloth. The ash will absorb the grease or oil. Finish by wiping off the ashes.