Firepit Safety Tips: How To Remove and Reuse Ashes

There’s a good chance that you’re wasting your ashes! It’s impressive to be able to start a fire, but do you need help planning a safe after-fire protocol?

Don’t get us wrong, ashes are good for a fire. They catch firewood coals and insulate them, allowing your fire to burn at its hottest. But, ash should be removed when it builds up beyond an inch, and at the end of the fire-burning season. Ash is acidic, and it can corrode the bottom of your firepit or fireball, they also can produce toxic fumes when left too long. Be sure to wait at least 24 hours after your last fire before you begin to completely clean out the ashes. Read on to learn how to take care of the ashes in your backyard!​

How To Recycle The Ashes
Okay, so what can you do with the ashes? Many things, my friend:

• Make soap! It just takes oil, lye, and heat.
• Preserve eggs and cheese.
• Produce cement.
• Start a compost pile. Ash restores the pH in acidic soil.
• Use it to kill algae in your pond.
• They’re a functional alternative to winter salt. Additionally, they provide a frost barrier to plants.
• Free repellent! Yes, it works on ticks, lice, and rodents.
• Cleaning — Polish your silverware, remove food from your glass stovetop, and even your grill and grate.
• Ashes are great at masking various odors: skunk smell, sweat, and litterbox. You can even switch out a can of ashes for your fridge monthly!
• They make an excellent antibacterial, too. Put the ashes on your wounds to speed up the scabbing.​

DON’T Put These In Your Fire!
Suppose it isn’t seasoned hardwood kindling or logs. In that case, it probably doesn’t belong in the fire, especially if you’re reusing the ashes. To keep your reusable ashes from being toxic for reuse, the following items are unsafe to throw in:

• Gasoline —  it's dangerous and toxic.
• Green or softwood
• Trash. It’s usually illegal.
• Painted wood
• Cardboard
• Particleboard
• Wood pallets
• Magazines
• Anything plastic

The Kind of Wood You Use, Determines the Amount of Ash
Softer firewood like pine or poplar does not burn as hot and leaves larger amounts of ash and charcoal lumps. Birch or larch burn very hot and leave less residue.

Cleaning Firepit Ashes Out
When you see ashes collecting above the firepit, it’s time to clean them out. This is how you do it:

1. Wear gloves, and pick out any chunks.
2. Using a shovel or trowel, scoop out the ashes.
3. To remove them altogether, find a safe place to burn them with low-voltage tools.
4. Clean all surfaces affected by ash, and use a broom or brush to sweep up the extra residue. Don’t use water.
5. Pour any remaining liquid down the drain without getting water in them.
6. Store your ashes in a closed steel or tin bucket while they dry. Keep it in a cool, dark location.
7. Finally, make sure to store your combustibles away from children, pets, and heat sources.

SteelStuff has an array of firepits to choose from. From the portable Slip-n-Go, to our Custom Panel and Custom Rolled Firepits.

Our Fireballs practically clean themselves when you use the softer woods mentioned above. We do not recommend covering your fireball. The rain and air typically do a great job of removing the remnants of the fire. If cleaning is needed, simply open one of the two access points used to throw wood in, which is also the access to get the ashes out. A small metal garden shovel is sufficient to get under the wood support. Then blow the base of the fire pit to remove the dust. No back-breaking shoveling needed here!

Choose from SteelStuff's Fireballs, Firepits, and Firepit Accessories made to last a lifetime to enhance the quality of your fires; then put your ashes to good use allowing you to enjoy that fire all year ‘round!