Ever thought about the survival uses of wood ash? Most preppers don’t!
Many people have a fireplace in their home. And this is essential, considering it helps warm their home in the wintertime (and is quite convenient for making s’mores).
However, most people toss out the leftover wood ash once they’re done. And what they don’t know is they’re throwing away a precious resource that can make their lives easier in a crisis.
You’ll be amazed at these…
11 Incredible Survival Uses For Wood Ash
Keep Your Teeth Clean
If your toothpaste ever runs out in a crisis, you can use wood ash to help keep those teeth and gums clean (go figure!).
Wood ash is effective because it contains lye and other chemical compounds that are useful for removing plaque. Plus it’s abrasive, helping knock off that extra grime.
Rub the ash on your teeth and gums (I won’t lie, it won’t taste good) and then rinse out your mouth with water.
NOTE: Do NOT use this every day – frequent use can wear away enamel. So use this method sparingly.
NOTE: Ash from conifer trees is easiest on the teeth.
Become A Better Hunter
Wood ash is great for masking smells, such as urine, mold, mildew, and others. Not to mention, it’s very effective at masking your body’s natural odor.
When you’re hunting or setting traps, you’ll want to hide this scent so animals don’t sense your presence and get scared away. You can do this by rubbing wood ash all over your hands, exposed skin, and clothing. The strong scent of the ash will cover your body odor, and help you catch more game.
Protect Your Plants
Garden pests (like snails, slugs and parasites) hate wood ash. Which makes it an excellent additive to your garden in order to keep them at bay.
Add a healthy amount to the soil to help discourage these annoyances from creeping in. Don’t worry about this negatively affecting your plants – ash mixed with soil can help your plants grow up healthy and robust.
However, there are some things to be aware of. Don’t use wood ash on alkaline soil, or near acid-loving plants. You’ll also want to avoid using this method on newly planted/germinated seeds. Do not mix wood ash with nitrogen-based fertilizers (this can create ammonia gas).
Store Produce
Dig a hole into the ground and place a thick layer of ash at the bottom. Then place harvested fruits and veggies on top of the ash (make sure none of the produce touches each other) and cover them with another layer of wood ash. Place a piece of wood over the top to cover the hole, and you’ve got a convenient, safe place to store produce.
Prevent Slipping
Wood ash contains natural salt (like sodium bicarbonate) which can be used to melt ice. Simply throw the wood ash onto thick patches of ice on your sidewalks, driveways, or parking lots. Then allow the sun and salts go to work on melting that ice away.
Keep Mites & Ticks Away
If mites and ticks are bothering your pets, you can encourage them to leave using wood ash.
Make a paste by mixing vinegar and wood ash. Then smear the paste all over your animal’s fur. This will help those nasty buggers leave for good.
Keep Out Rodents & Roaches
Wood ash is quite useful for preventing roaches, rats and mice (not to mention ants). Simply sprinkle wood ash into dark corners of your home, as well as in the corners of your cupboard. These will help prevent these critters from returning.
Prevent Algae
If you’ve got a standing body of water (either for drinking or for aquaponics) you can use wood ash to help prevent algae.
The great news is that only 1 Tbsp. effectively treats up to 1,000 gallons of water (so it really doesn’t take much). Plus, this method will help keep the water at a balanced pH, making it perfect for drinking or harvesting good in aquaponics systems.
Protect Plants From Frost
Take wood ash and throw it onto your garden plants to help protect them from frost. This is an easy, quick solution when frost is on its way and you don’t have time to use conventional methods.
Keep Chickens Healthy
Wood ash is one of the natural items that can help prevent annoying mites, ticks and other pests. Well, you can use this to your advantage by adding the wood ash to the soil they walk on.
Chickens love making dust baths for themselves. Well, by mixing in some wood ash to that soil, they’ll be protecting their skin from these nasty pests – all while having the time of their lives.
Make Cement
Here’s a cool survival use. When you mix wood ash with certain types of soil, you can make a cement you can use for building, projects, and more. It may not be as strong as store-bought cement, but by using all-natural materials this can be a real game-changer in a survival situation.
Know some other cool survival uses for wood ash? Let us know in the comments below.
