HOW TO SAFELY DISPOSE OF FIREPLACE ASHES

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There’s truly nothing better than sitting around a roaring fire on a chilly night. However, after a few of these cozy fires, you realize that you’re going to need to dispose of the ashes that have started to build up in your fireplace. But what’s the right way to go about it? Most people do not fully consider the dangers of fireplace ashes and do not exercise the proper precautions when disposing of them. We’re going to take a look at how to dispose of ashes from a fireplace, so you can make sure you and your family are safe when doing so.

Why is it Dangerous to Dispose of Ashes?

Although you might consider fireplace ashes to be safe once they are no longer visibly smoking, that just may not be the case. Instead of leaving fireplace ashes to cool for days before scooping them up and throwing them out, many only wait a number of hours, resulting in a serious fire hazard.

Cottlevillefpd.org tells us why improper disposal of fireplace ashes continues to be a problem:

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How Do You Safely Remove Fireplace Ashes?

Before you dispose of your fireplace ashes, you’re going to need to know how to safely remove them. There are better times of the day than others to remove fireplace ashes, and that plastic container you use to collect and store them? Forget it.

Hellohomestead.com expands on how to safely remove fireplace ashes:

You are going to want to wait until the fire has gone out and the ashes have cooled to the point you feel comfortable handling them. For people who heat with wood, the best time for this is first thing in the morning, before the first fire of the day is started or rekindled. Use a small metal shovel to scoop out the ashes into a metal bucket. “Always use a metal bucket or container,” said Fort Kent, Maine, Fire Chief Ed Endee. “Never use a cardboard or plastic container for your ashes.”

How Do You Properly Dispose of Ashes?

Now that we know you need to be extra careful when collecting fireplace ashes, how do you properly dispose of them? Besides throwing them out in the garbage to be disposed of, fireplace ashes actually offer a number of other uses and benefits.

Kcsweep.com explains how to properly dispose of ashes after they’ve cooled:

Once the ashes have been allowed to cool for several days, it’s safe to assume they are completely cooled and can be disposed of. You can bag them and throw them away with your regular garbage, or you can find many ways to reuse your fireplace ashes around your home. Fireplace ashes are a gardener’s dream; they can be used to add nutrients to compost, mixed in the soil around calcium-loving plants or sprinkled around garden beds to keep away pests like slugs and ants. Fireplace ashes also can be used to create traction on icy surfaces, to camouflage stains on cement or to scrub glass fireplace doors or even silver.

GREENBAGPICKUP.COM is here to help when it comes to responsibly disposing of your items and providing you with guidelines on how to deal with potentially dangerous waste.

We know and understand your community’s regulations and will work with them in order to make sure we are disposing of your no longer needed items in the most eco-friendly way possible. Check out what we’re all about here.

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