They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  plumbing wayland That might refer to items you leave at the curb or bring to a thrift store. You know, like once-adored toys, furniture that’s seen better days, books that have been collecting dust, and so on.

You know what else can be another man’s treasure?  Wood ashes. You read that correctly, and now we’ll demonstrate how much purpose they possess.

Add them to your compost pile.

Ashes will boost its potassium level, making it an even better source of nutrition for your plants.

Keep a container of ashes in your car to give tires a bit of traction should you get stuck on an icy road. Wood ashes also can melt snow in moderately cold conditions.

Raise the pH balance of acidic soil. Wood ashes are about 70% calcium carbonate, meaning they can work more quickly than lime to balance soil acid.

Just like baking soda, wood ash is alkaline, which means it’s great at absorbing odor and moisture from the air. Place a small bowl in a musty room or fill a satchel and toss in a stinky gym bag. You also can use wood ashes to control humidity. Just place ashes in the corner of a damp, musty basement or poorly ventilated bathroom to help draw the humidity out.

Clean up driveway oil stains by sprinkling ashes on the asphalt or concrete, letting it sit for a few hours, then sweeping it away with a broom.

Place a ring of wood ash around vegetable plants to keep snails and slugs out of your garden beds.

Mix wood ash with water to create lye, a common ingredient in home-made soap. Add in a form of fat and a few drops of lavender essential oil, and after a lot of boiling and stirring, you’ll have your very own soap.

As a mild abrasive, wood ash is great for polishing silver and other metals. Mix it with a little water to create a paste.

Because wood ash is so high in potassium,

you can sprinkle it into a pond to encourage other plants to grow and help slow down algae growth.

Use wood ash to clean up soot from your fireplace doors. Simply mix the ashes with a bit of water to create a paste, apply to the doors and scrub with a soft bristle brush, then wipe it clean to reveal shiny glass doors.

Keep a bucket of wood ash on hand to put out fires in a firepit or fireplace in case you need to act in the moment.

Not bad for a substance you would normally think of as trash, right? Then again, what if you’re tired of all the work that typically goes with maintaining a wood fireplace or stove but still want the ambience they provide? In that case, maybe it’s time for a gas fireplace insert. Here at PC Plumbing, Heating, AC & Remodeling, that’s a specialty service of ours – and that goes for installation, maintenance and repair. Contact us today for a free quote and answers to all your questions.