Wood ash is the powdery residue left after the combustion of wood. Anyone who grew up on a homestead was likely tasked with scraping out ash from a woodburner and taking it outdoors for disposal. Before engaging in some research on the many possible uses for wood ash from a preparedness perspective, I typically dumped the ash bucket in our compost pile.
The wood residue is an excellent addition to garden soil as it contains trace minerals and potassium. After the annual harvest and until the snow begins to fall, I often stroll around our growing areas and sprinkle ash into the vacated row to help prepare the land for the next growing season. Fostering nutrient-rich soil is just one of many ways that wood ash can be beneficial around the homestead, prepper retreat, or off grid farm.
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During the 18th century, folks quickly realized the benefits of ash-derived potash, or potassium carbonate. The ash became so popular that some landowners in North America felled trees just to burn the wood and export the ash directly to England, where “potash fever” was in full swing.
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Less than two decades after the United States of America was born, the first patent issued in the new country was signed; it was for a wood ash-making process to create fertilizer. U.S. patent number 1: “An improved method of making pot and pearl ash.”
Potash reigned supreme until less costly and time-consuming methods of making potassium and lime came along and destroyed the commercial wood ash market. Wood ash can still be a very valuable commodity around the homestead or retreat and could make a great bartering item for preppers after a SHTF disaster.
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Top 15 wood ash uses
1. Use wood ash to strengthen calcium-loving plants such as tomatoes, grapes, beans, spinach, peas, avocados and garlic. Mix 1/4 cup of wood ash in with soil when planting.
2. Make lye water out of the ash. Boil about 3 tablespoons of ash with water and then filter the material. Coffee filters are good to use in the straining process. Lye water makes an excellent cleaning agent that can help to sanitize floors, glass, silverware, cookware, and to scrub rust. Lye water is often used in the making of many sweet treats and breads. Lye water has also been touted as natural way to cleanse the intestines. Lye water is vastly different from the lye used to make soap.
3. Potash also has first aid uses. To kill bacteria in a wound and to promote healing, melt as close to equal parts as possible of common hand soap in lye water and rinse the wound with the mixture.
4. Make a cleaning paste from the ash to remove stains from furniture by mixing one part water with two parts wood ash. Rub the stain and allow the paste to remain untouched for about five minutes before wiping it away.
5. The potash can also be used to thwart nasty or strong smells. Pour the wood ash directly onto the area that is emitting the odor, and the smell will quickly begin to dissipate. Place some of the charcoal ash in a bowl and set it in the refrigerator to remove unwanted food odors.
6. Make toothpaste with wood ash. Not all varieties of wood make good toothpaste, and conifer trees appear to yield a paste that is not too astringent for tooth enamel. Some wood varieties contain minerals that can actually damage teeth.
7. Aquaponics farming is becoming more popular with both preppers and off-the-grid families. Pour 1 tablespoon of potash per 1,000 liters of water to help foster water plant growth and overall health. Ash can be added to ponds to deter algae as well.
8. Spread wood ash around the house, especially in the corners, basement, and cellar to deter mice, rats, cockroaches, and other unwanted pests.
9. Save plants and fruit-bearing trees from frost by spreading a layer of potash over them when the weather begins to turn cold or when planting in the spring.
10. After scooping ash from the woodstove into a metal bucket, simply place the bucket in the cellar, basement, or under the sink to help remove humidity.
11. Sprinkle and gently rub some wood ash onto the coat of your domestic pets and livestock to ward off fleas and ticks. Since it is safe for human “manes” as well, I often sprinkle some in my hair before going on trail rides or before hiking in the woods. If you make a paste consisting of two parts ash and one part apple cider vinegar, it will coat animal fur more consistently and thoroughly.
12. Using ash to preserve eggs is a centuries-old tradition in the Middle East. There are various methods of doing this, and all of them supposedly safely preserve eggs for several months. The most popular version involves mixing together fairly equal parts of wood ash, clay, lime, salt, and rice and “wrapping” the egg thoroughly in the mixture.
13. As previously reported by Survival Based, charcoal from wood ash can be used as an emergency drinking water filter.
14. Because ash contains salt, it can be used to help melt ice from sidewalks, farm equipment and vehicle windows.
15. To preserve heirloom seeds, place them in a clay container and cover them with wood ash. You can repeat this step in layers until the clay pot is full to conserve storage space. Some folks have successfully preserved both the fruits and vegetables that stem from the seeds by digging a hole in the ground and filling it as full as possible with potash and then placing the fruit or veggie inside. You can place multiple pieces of produce inside the same hole, but just like with a Faraday cage, make sure the produce does not touch anything but wood ash. Line the hole thickly so that the fruits and vegetables also do not touch the dirt. Once the fruit is safely tucked away amid wood ash on all sides, close the hole with a piece of wood. The wood should fit as snugly as possible to avoid air getting inside.
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Have any wood ash prepping and homesteading tips to add? Add them in the comments section below and aid your fellow survivalists on their self-reliance journey!