If you love a fire pit for backyard gatherings, you know that disposing of ashes after can be a hassle. Disposing of them safely and legally is crucial, so you and your family do not face any trouble. So, what is the best place to dispose of fire pit ashes?
You must first collect the ashes and cool them to make them safer to handle. These ashes retain heat for many days, so you must water them down to ensure their handling safety. You can keep the ash in the metal container, outside your home, and away from other combustibles.
So let’s check out the best way to dispose of and reuse ashes from a fire pit. I will also highlight taking care of your safety while dealing with fire pit ashes for your well-being. Let’s begin!
The General Rule of Disposing Ash From Fire Pit
After cozying up to the warm pit fire, it is time for some cleaning. Now, you can dispose of the ashes in a garbage can. However, you must be cautious and take the necessary steps before throwing them into the garbage.
Here is the step-by-step method to dispose of it and keep your house safe from unwanted fires.
1. Wait Until the Ash Cools Down Completely
Do not put your hands in the ashes right after the fire pit. It retains a lot of heat and can burn your hand if you are not too careful. It will take some hours for the ash to cool down completely. One nifty way to check that is if the ash is radiating heat.
If that ash pile does not radiate heat, it has cooled down and is ready to contain. If you let the ashes cool overnight, pour sand all over them, so the fire does not rekindle and spread while you are not looking.
Baking soda and salt are notorious for lowering the embers from the leftover ashes. So, you can use these instead of sand for quick DIY tips from homes.
2. Get Yourself a Metal Bucket
A metal bucket is handy when disposing of ashes. Get yourself a pair of safety gloves that can withstand heat and shock from hot or fiery areas. These gloves enhance work safety when dealing with fire, electricity, and cleaning. Something like the Amazon Basics 13-Gauge HPPE shell (available on Amazon.com) will do your job. I always recommend these gloves because they are incredibly affordable and get the job done.
You will also need a metal shovel to scoop the cooled ashes into the metal bucket. While doing so, always be careful not to have your bare skin touch the ashes. While it is already excellent, any potential warmth is risky. Hence, keeping a distance is a good idea.
3. Add Water to Your Ash
Once you have filled the bucket with the ashes, take a pitcher or a jar of water and slowly pour over the dried bits. Doing so will wet the ashes, saturating them, and prevents them from flying around. It is a good idea to water the ashes outside, as it helps keep your floor clean indoors.
Now, keep the metal bucket outdoors for the garbage day. The water’s saturation will help the ash stay in place. Opt for a bucket with a sealable lid, so you have zero worries about more mess outdoors. Make sure you keep the metal bucket away from any flammable materials, especially:
- Oil
- Paper
Till the garbage day, try not to dispose of any other garbage into that metal container to ensure that it remains consistent and harmless on your property. Some disposables can be explosive and risky if you throw them in the same trashcan.
4. Get Ready for Garbage Day
Keep a schedule for disposing of these fires and put ashes on the garbage day. You can put a little more water in the trash to ensure that nothing is combustible and harmful anymore. Inform the collector about what you are disposing of so they know what is going on in the truck.
These steps come in handy in disposing of ashes from the fire pit legally and properly without causing any risks in the neighborhood. It is safe, sanitary, and responsible to ensure your fire pit ashes are properly disposed of to keep your home.
Treating Burns From Ashes
While disposing of ashes from a friendly fire pit, you must be extra careful to keep burn risks at bay. But if you accidentally burn your hand or fingers, quickly ensure prompt medical attention. It will generally be a first-degree burn, which is easy to tackle if you have proper medical equipment and ointments.
These injuries are minimal and primarily topical. Meaning that you can treat them at home. And here is the best and simplest way to treat your fire pit ash burn:
- Keep your water tap running, and put your burnt area under the water. The water should be cool and comforting, as hot or cold water will make it painful.
- Do not apply topical creams or ointment on the injured and burnt area. Instead, you can use any Petroleum-based gel to spread over the surface. After this, apply a band-aid over the place. The band-aid will help to soothe the burn from within without any outside influences worsening.
- If the pain is too much to handle, you will always find a nearby pharmaceutical store with painkillers to help numb the pain. Check the compositions to detect any allergic reactions and avoid that painkiller tablet.
3 Uses of As From Fire Pit
Just as you can discard ashes from a friendly fire pit, you can also use them for various other activities. Fire piece ashes have so many other uses. Let us check them out:
1. Helps to Clean Up Things at Home
Adding a little water to ashes will form a scrub-like consistency that helps to clean your room. Using it, you can clean:
- Under the bed
- Behind large shelves
- Metal decor
It forms an abrasive that can clean and polish all types of dirt that build over other home projects. You can soak a simple cotton clock into this solution and start cleaning your house with fire pit ash residue.
2. Create a DIY Home Compost
Woods from fire pits create rich ash that helps to keep your plants healthy. And if you like to make compost at home, all you need to do is add some ash to the compost. These ashes add a lot of nutritional value to the soil that helps the plants over it to grow and flourish all year round.
When using the compost on your plant, go for a dry and keep your face safe from ash flying. The compost should not touch any plant’s stems or leaves. So, be careful when applying this ash compost to ensure a good life for the plants.
3. Use It To Deter Bugs
If you have bugs and flies around your home, one of the best ways to keep them out is through fire pit ashes. You can sprinkle this dust all around your property to keep these pesky creatures at bay. Your plants will also thank you for the extra ash fertilizer.
Conclusion
The best way to dispose of ashes from a fire pit is to simply let them cool down before throwing them in the garbage bin. If you want to repurpose the ash, you can easily use it as fertilizer or even furniture cleaner. No matter how big your firepit, there are plenty of ways to dispose of and even repurpose your ashes.
