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Whether you're prepping, homesteading, or just trying to save money, it's important that you find ways to reuse and upcycle everyday items—even things you'd normally throw away, such as wood ash. By making the most out of what you have, you can save money and become more self-sufficient.
Wood ash is a byproduct of burning wood in fireplaces, wood stoves, or campfires. Most people discard this gray powder, but some of us like to repurpose it for a wide variety of uses around the home and garden, or even in survival situations.
For instance, wood ash can be used to clean your home, absorb odors, fertilize garden soil, get rid of pests, and even polish your silverware. But it's not just good for household and gardening tasks. Historically, wood ash has been uses for survival needs like treating wounds, starting fires, and even making soap and cement.
In this article, we'll explore 50 practical ways to use wood ash. Some of them may surprise you, such as preserve food, making cheese, or even sharpening blades. Once you finish this article, you'll never throw away wood ash again. Here are 50 uses for wood ash.
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Note: When using wood ash, make sure the ash is from clean, untreated wood. The best type of ash comes from the trunks and thick branches of hardwood trees like oak, beech, maple, or hickory. Avoid using ash from evergreens like pine, fir, and spruce as they tend to produce a more resinous ash, which can be more acidic and contain sticky residues.
You should also avoid using ash from painted, stained, or treated wood as it could have harmful chemicals. And definitely don't use ash from sources like garbage, cigarettes, or charcoal briquettes as they could contain heavy metals and carcinogens. As long as you use ash from pure, untreated wood, you can safely use it in all the ways listed below.
Household Uses
Clean Toilets
Wood ash is mildly abrasive, making it great for scrubbing things clean. Just sprinkle a little bit of ash into a toilet boil and scrub it with a brush. The ash will polish the surface and kill bacteria. With this method, you don't need to use any chemicals on your toilet. Plus, it's safe for septic systems.
Clean Glass Top Stoves
Glass stove cooktops can be tricky to clean, especially when food burns onto the surface. Use wood ash as a gentle abrasive to help remove stubborn stains without scratching the glass. Simply dampen a cloth, dip it into the ash, and scrub away at the cooktop. When you're done, rinse it with a clean, damp cloth.
Clean Headlights
Over time, headlights can become foggy or dirty, making them far less effective. Wood ash is great for clearing up this grime. To do this, rub a small amount of ash onto the headlights using a damp cloth, then wipe clean with water. The ash will cut through the dirt, making your headlights look as good as new.
Polish Silver
If you own any silver items that have become tarnished, wood ash can help bring back their shine. Just mix the ash with a little bit of water to form a paste, then use a cloth to gently scrub the silver. The mildly abrasive ash will remove the tarnish and make your silver nice and shiny again.
Absorb Smells
Wood ash is a natural deodorizer. Like baking soda, it absorbs unpleasant odors. To use it, just sprinkle it into smelly things like shoes or the bottom of trash cans. You can also place a small open container of ash in your fridge or other enclosed spaces. The ash will neutralize odors, leaving the area smelling clean.
Clean Oil Spills
If you spill oil in the garage or on the driveway, wood ash is an excellent absorbent. Pour ash over the oil and let it sit for a few hours. The ash will soak up the oil, making it much easier to clean. Just sweep away the ash afterward, and the concrete should be oil-free.
Remove Stains
For clothing stains, especially grease stains, mix wood ash with water to create a slurry. Rub this mixture onto the stained area and let it sit for a while before washing as usual. The ash helps lift out the stain by breaking down oils and grime.
Wash Dishes
In an off-grid situation, wood ash can be used to clean dishes. Add a little bit ash to water to create a scrubbing solution, and wash your dishes with it. The ash will break down grease and food. Rinse the dishes thoroughly afterward to ensure no ash residue remains.
Repel Insects
Wood ash is an excellent insect deterrent. Sprinkle ash in the corners of your home and other places insects might enter. You can also sprinkle some under stoves, refrigerators, and other places where ants and cockroaches gather. The ash’s texture and dryness will keep them away.
Repel Mice
Mice hate the fine texture of wood ash, which can irritate their feet. To keep them away, sprinkle ash in areas where mice are known to nest or enter the house, and they’ll likely seek shelter elsewhere. This is a non-toxic, humane method of keeping rodents out of your home.
Neutralize Paint Odors
Newly painted rooms often have strong fumes, but wood ash can help absorb and neutralize these odors. Place a bowl of wood ash in the room, and over a day or two, the ash will absorb some of the lingering paint smells, making the room smell much better.
Gardening Uses
Fertilize Garden Soil
Wood ash is full of potassium and other minerals that are great for plants. To boost your garden soil, just sprinkle ash on it, especially in areas that have become depleted. However, be careful not to add too much ash as it can raise soil pH too much, making it too alkaline for some plants.
Enrich Compost
Adding wood ash to your compost pile can help balance the acidity and add essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and potassium to the mix. Sprinkle a little bit of ash on your compost pile every now and then to enrich it and deter animals from digging through it.
Prevent Frost Damage
Gardeners often sprinkle ash on the leaves of plants before an expected light frost. This works because the ash acts as a buffer, insulating the leaves and preventing frost from damaging the plant tissue. However, do this sparingly to avoid changing the soil pH too much.
Help Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are susceptible to blossom-end rot, which is often caused by a lack of calcium. Adding a small amount of wood ash to the soil beneath your tomato plants can help provide calcium, ensuring healthier growth and a bigger harvest.
Raise Soil pH
If your garden soil is too acidic, wood ash can help raise the pH, making the soil more alkaline. This can be particularly helpful for plants that prefer less acidic conditions, such as certain flowers and vegetables. However, be sure to test your soil’s pH to make sure you don't make the soil too alkaline.
Deter Snails and Slugs
Snails and slugs hate crossing dry, abrasive surfaces. Because of this, wood ash is great for protecting garden beds. Simply create a thin barrier of wood ash around your garden beds to keep pests from eating your plants. The ash dehydrates the soft-bodied pests, making them stay far away.
Remove Ants
Pouring wood ash directly onto an anthill will make ants move elsewhere. This works because the ash irritates the ants without killing them. It's a simple and chemical-free way to deal with ant infestations in your yard or garden.
Protect Fruit Trees
Wood ash can deter pests like borers from damaging fruit trees. Just sprinkle a circle of ash around the base of the tree to create a natural barrier that keeps certain pests away. As a bonus, the ash will give the soil some additional nutrients.
Preserve Seeds
If you’re storing seeds for the next planting season, wood ash can be used to preserve them. This works because the ash prevents moisture from causing the seeds to rot or germinate too soon. Simply coat the seeds lightly in ash before storing them in a dry, cool location.
Survival Uses
De-Ice the Ground
Wood ash makes a great natural de-icer for driveways and sidewalks. It’s especially effective when mixed with sand or sawdust. Technically, it doesn’t melt the ice, but the added traction can help prevent slips and falls during the winter.
Provide Traction
If your vehicle is stuck in snow or mud, sprinkle wood ash in front of and behind the tires to provide traction. The ash creates a gritty surface that allows the tires to grip, potentially helping you drive out of a difficult situation.
Start Fires
To make it easier to start a fire, coat your tinder with wood ash first. The dry particles encourage combustion, making it easier to get your fire going even in slightly damp weather.
Put Out A Fire
On the other hand, if you need to extinguish a fire, you can smother it with wood ash. The ash deprives the fire of oxygen, quickly putting it out. This is useful when camping or during emergency situations when water is scarce.
Treat Wounds
Throughout history, wood ash has been used to clean and sterilize wounds in survival situations. While it can help stop bleeding and prevent infections, it’s important to remember that wood ash may contain contaminants, so this method should only be used as a last resort when no other sterile option is available.
Treat Skin Problems
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, ash can be used to soothe skin problems such as rashes, bug bites, or mild burns. Mix the ash with a little bit of water to form a paste, then apply it to the affected area. Wash it off after it dries.
Treat Stomach Problems
If you have indigestion or heartburn, wood ash can help. Just mix it with water to create a mild antacid. However, this should only be done sparingly. Use a very small amount of ash to avoid potential harm from contaminants.
Brush Your Teeth
Wood ash contains potassium hydroxide, which is mildly abrasive and can be used as a primitive toothpaste. Just mix a little bit of ash with water to form a paste, then gently brush your teeth with it. However, don't use this method too frequently as it could wear down your teeth enamel.
Sharpen Blades
Ash is abrasive enough to sharpen dull blades. Just rub ash along the edge of a knife or tool to maintain its sharpness. This is a great way to sharpen tools if there are no other other options available.
Hide Your Scent
Hunters and trackers sometimes use wood ash to mask their scent in the wild. Just rub ash on your skin and clothing to help neutralize body odors. This will make it more difficult for animals to detect your presence. It’s a practical bushcraft technique for blending into your surroundings.
Purify Water
In primitive water filtration systems, wood ash can be used to help remove certain impurities from water. When layered in a filter along with sand and charcoal, the ash helps catch debris and improve water quality. For more info, here's how to use wood ash as a natural water filtration agent.
Food-Related Uses
Make Baked Goods
Wood ash can act as a leavening agent in baked goods, similar to baking soda. In small amounts, ash can help dough rise by creating bubbles of gas during the baking process. This method was commonly used before modern leavening agents were available. Here's some more info on using wood ash as a leavening agent.
Make Cheese
Certain types of cheese, such as Morbier or Valencay, incorporate a layer of wood ash. The ash helps form a rind and protect the cheese while aging, adding a unique flavor and texture. It also helps preserve the cheese by inhibiting mold growth.
Make Pickles
Wood ash is sometimes used in the pickling process to help keep the pickles crisp. The alkaline nature of the ash helps maintain the firmness of the vegetables while they’re soaking in the brine.
Cure Olives
Curing olives requires an alkaline solution, and wood ash is a traditional ingredient in this process. By soaking olives in a mixture that includes ash, the bitterness of the olives is reduced, making them more palatable.
Preserve Food
Ancient cultures often used wood ash to preserve food. The salts and minerals in the ash help dry out food and prevent bacteria from growing. This method is particularly useful for preserving grains and dried meats. Here's how to preserve food in wood ash.
Preserve Cheese
Cheese can be preserved by burying it in wood ash and storing it in stoneware. This method allows the cheese to last for months without refrigeration, as the ash acts as a protective layer, preventing spoilage. Here's how to preserve cheese with wood ash.
Primitive Uses
Make Glue
Combine wood ash with pine sap to create a strong, primitive glue. This works well because the ash acts as a binder, giving the sticky sap more structure and durability. To make this glue, collect fresh pine sap and heat it gently until it becomes more fluid, then mix in wood ash until you reach a thick, paste-like consistency.
Make Soap
One of the most well-known uses for wood ash is soap-making. When combined with animal fat and water, the lye in the ash saponifies the fat, creating soap. This method has been used for centuries and is still popular among homesteaders. Here's how to make soap from fat and ashes.
Make Cement
Wood ash was historically used in the creation of primitive cement. Mixed with lime and sand, ash acts as a binder, hardening into a durable building material. Ancient cultures used this method for construction long before the development of modern cement. Here's how to make wood ash cement.
Create Ink
In ancient times, people used wood ash to create ink. When mixed with water and a binder like gum arabic, ash produces a dark ink that was commonly used for writing. This method is simple and requires very few ingredients.
Dye Clothing
Wood ash can be used to prepare fabric for dyeing. The alkaline ash helps to open up the fibers of the cloth, allowing natural dyes to adhere more easily. This technique has been used for centuries in traditional textile production.
Use As Eye Shadow
In ancient times, people used wood ash as a form of makeup. When applied to the eyelids, ash created a natural, smoky look that enhances the eyes. Though not commonly used today, this technique was once very popular.
Remove Hair
Wood ash can be used as a natural hair removal method. When applied to the skin and scrubbed in, the ash weakens hair follicles, causing the hair to fall out. However, this process can be harsh on the skin and should be used with caution to avoid irritation.
Preserve Ice
Before refrigeration, people would sprinkle wood ash on ice to help preserve it in icehouses. The ash acts as an insulator, slowing down the melting process and keeping ice below the freezing point for longer.
Homestead Uses
Make a Dust Bath
Chickens love dust baths, and wood ash makes a great addition. The ash helps chickens clean themselves and rid their feathers of parasites like mites. It's just one of the many ingredients you can put in your chicken dust bath.
Help Chickens
In addition to dust baths, wood ash can be added to chicken feed in small amounts (a ratio of less than 1%). Doing this provides the chickens with essential minerals like calcium, helping to keep your flock healthy.
Kill Fleas
Fleas can be a nuisance for both pets and their owners. To control fleas, dust your pet with wood ash and leave it on overnight. The ash will dry out and kill the fleas, and you can wash it out the next day. Be careful not to overuse this method as ash can dry out your pet’s skin.
Remove Skunk Odor
If you or your pet gets sprayed by a skunk, wood ash can help remove the odor. Dust the anything that smells like skunk with ash and let it sit for a few hours before washing it off. The ash helps neutralize the skunk’s strong odor, making it easier to clean up.
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