With all wood burning fire pits and fireplaces, you eventually have to shovel the ashes out of the bowl and dispose of them. Perhaps, you just throw the bucket of ashes out into the woods or in the garbage, but did you know there are other uses? Here are 5 creative ways you can reuse that old ash.

Garden Compost- Sprinkling ash into your garden soil will enrich the nutrients. Having troubling coaxing your tomatoes to life or do you have stubborn strawberries? Try sprinkling ash from your fire pit into your garden plot and see what happens.

De-Ice Your Sidewalk- Scattering ash on your sidewalk during the winter will help melt the ice while adding traction. Use it on your driveway or walkway during the winter, but remember, wipe your feet well before going into the house!

Bug Off- Sprinkling ash around your garden or on your lawn also works as pest control. It repels slugs and snails from infesting your property.

Shine Your Silver- Making a paste of ash and water creates a homemade silver polisher. Use it to shine silver relics (but you’ll need to wash them afterwards).

Compost Rinds- Orange peels and other citrus rinds disintegrate slowly. Speed up the deterioration process by burying the rinds in ash.

Ash from your wood burning fire pit or fireplace doesn’t have to be a menace. Reuse this organic by-product and enjoy the benefits! But, make sure the ashes are completely cool before you shovel them out, or you can put them in a metal bucket until you are sure they are cool. You can find fireside buckets at Premiere Fire Pits by clicking here.

Image courtesy of grasshopperlawns.com