How To Have A Garden Grow If Volcanic Ash Is In The Air And Ground

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If you've just lived through a volcanic eruption, you might feel like you don't even know where to begin when it comes to cleanup. The interior and exterior of your home are probably covered with a layer of volcanic ash. Since volcanic ash isn't the same as ash from a fire or charcoal, you can't simply sweep it up or wash it away. Volcanic ash is made of rock, mineral, and glass fragments so you'll need to wear protective gear before bagging up the ash.

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Spray areas of ash with water before you scoop or sweep it up. If you begin sweeping or shoveling dry ash, it can blow around and you'll be more likely to inhale it. Take a spray bottle full of water and spritz over the surface of ash before you sweep or shovel it.^[1]

Tip: Don't spray so much water that you soak the ash because this makes it too heavy to easily handle. Your area may also have water-use restrictions, so you don't want to use up too much of your water supply.
2
Clear the roof so it doesn't collapse under the weight of the ash. Ash becomes very heavy when it gets wet, so clear your roof before moving on to the rest of your yard or inside your home. Be very careful as you climb a ladder to get to the roof and use caution as you sweep ash off of the roof.^[2]
- Most roofs can't hold more than 4 inches (10 cm) of wet ash, so clear your roof to prevent it from collapsing.
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3
Shovel or sweep the ash into heavy-duty plastic bags. If the layer of ash is more than ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick, scoop it up with a shovel. Then, use a broom to sweep up what's left on the surface. Empty the shovel or dustpan into a heavy-duty plastic bag.^[3]
- If the ash on the roof is less than ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) thick, just sweep it off of the roof into a dustpan. Ensure that you don't sweep it into gutters or they could clog.
- Tie the bags shut when they're full so ash doesn't blow out of the top.
4
Vacuum up ash inside your home. Once you've removed ash from outside of your home, you can start cleaning the inside. Use your vacuum to suck up ash from carpet, rugs, and hard floors. Then, use the vacuum attachments to suck up ash from furniture, electronics, and curtains.^[4]
- If you have one, use a vacuum that has a high-efficiency particulate filter so it captures fine ash particles.
- After you've finished vacuuming, carefully transfer the ashes from the vacuum to a heavy-duty trash bag. Then, seal the bag shut.
5
Wash down interior surfaces with soapy water. You may notice a fine layer of volcanic ash over your household items. Take a cloth or sponge and soak it in soapy water. Then, squeeze out most of the water and dab it over the ash-covered things. Don't wipe or you'll scratch the material.^[5]
- Keep rinsing the sponge and soaking it in soapy water so it picks up the ash instead of spreads it around.
Tip: If the water from your tap has ashes in it, you can use it for spraying down large areas that you're shoveling or sweeping, but don't use it clean surfaces. Contact your water utility to tell them about your water quality and rely on emergency bottled water for drinking and cleaning.
6
Keep the bags of ash separate from the rest of your household trash. After you've swept up, shoveled, or vacuumed up volcanic ash and put it into trash bags, don't put them into your usual garbage bin. The volcanic ash can damage trash trucks and cause problems at the landfill.^[6]
- Contact your waste management company to see if they'll pick up separately bagged volcanic ash or if you'll need to take them to an ash disposal site.
- You can store the bags of ash outside as long as it doesn't rain. If you can't put them outside, keep them in a dry part of your garage or home until you can take them to a disposal site.
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1

Contact your municipality to see if the government picks up the ash. Some cities have work crews that will come through neighborhoods and collect volcanic ash. Check with your city to find out if they will clear the ash for you or if they'll come by and collect the volcanic ash that you bag.^[7]

Tip: If you're signed up for emergency alerts, you might get texts from your local government about volcanic ash disposal.
2
Check with your local government to find an ash disposal site. Most cities have several ash disposal sites so it's easy to find one that's close to you. If your city doesn't have sites, there may be private companies that collect or accept the volcanic ash.^[8]
- Your local government may have a website or phone number that you can check to find all of the ash disposal sites that are available.
3
Drive the bags of volcanic ash to a disposal site. If your area doesn't collect the ash and you need to take the bags to a site, wear gloves and put the bags in the back of your truck or the trunk of your car. It's also a good idea to wear a mask in case some of the ash manages to blow out of the top of the bag.
- Call the disposal site before you head out so you know that they're currently accepting the ash.
4
Avoid improperly disposing of the volcanic ash. Never toss your bagged volcanic ash onto roadways or set it out with your other bags of garbage. You should also ensure that the volcanic ash doesn't get into the sewer system where it can cause clogs.^[9]
- If you're unsure how you can dispose of the ash, call your city government for specific guidelines.
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1
Wait to return home until local authorities say it's safe to do so. If you've been evacuated, don't go back home until it's safe. Driving while heavy ash is still falling can clog your engine and damage your car, which makes it unsafe to drive.^[10]
- Sign up for local emergency alerts so you can receive texts about when you can return home.
2
Wear goggles, gloves, and a mask to protect your eyes and lungs from ash. Since very fine volcanic ash can damage your lungs if you breathe it in, wear a disposable respirator mask. Put on goggles and thick gloves to protect your eyes and hands from the abrasive ash.^[11]
- Try to avoid touching your eyes so you don't introduce ash particles. If you can, wear eyeglasses instead of contacts.
Tip: If you can't find disposable respirator masks, use a disposable dust mask. Even wrapping a damp bandana around your face gives you some protection against breathing in volcanic ash particles.
3
Choose long shirts and pants to cover as much of your skin as possible. Volcanic ash is abrasive and can irritate your skin so wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Put on a pair of sturdy shoes or boots to protect your feet.^[12]
- Avoid wearing sandals or flip flops when you're disposing of volcanic ash.
4
Turn off any heating or cooling units and replace the filters in your home. You don't want ceiling fans, air conditioners, or heaters blowing volcanic ash around while you're cleaning. Close the windows and turn off anything that could blow the ash. You should also replace furnace or air conditioner filters since they're probably clogged with ash.^[13]
- Check your filters more frequently during the following months since they'll continue to catch fine particles of volcanic ash.
5
Find out if the water in your home is safe to drink. If you fill up a glass of water from your faucet, you might see volcanic ash. Unfortunately, very fine particles of volcanic ash may be in the water even if you can't see it. Check with your water utility to confirm whether or not the water in your home is safe to drink. In the meantime, drink from emergency water that you've stored or buy bottled water.^[14]
- Water may be in short supply following the eruption, so there may be limits on how much water you can use in your home.
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Use extra laundry detergent when you wash your clothes after cleaning up ash. Wash smaller loads so the clothes can move around easier in the water and more ash particles can wash out.^[15]
If you can, coordinate your outside cleanup with your neighborhood. The government may have trucks that they send into neighborhoods periodically to pick up the ash.

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Ash makes rooftops or streets slippery, so be careful when you're shoveling or sweeping ash, especially if you're climbing on a ladder.^[16]
Always wear a mask when you're cleaning and disposing of volcanic ash.
Keep kids and pets out of areas that you're cleaning so they don't kick up fine ash particles.

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