What is the point of sand in an ashtray?

If you are a smoker, you have already come up against the various problems ashtrays bring with them. Stale smells, cigarettes that fail to go out properly, burns and the difficulty of cleaning the thing are all part of the picture. There is one way of dealing with them: sand.

Sand in the ashtray: a small revolution

There are at least 4 reasons why adding sand to an ashtray makes life easier for you and for those around you. Here they are in detail.

Sand puts cigarettes out better than anything else

Are you used to stubbing out your cigarettes in the ashtray only to see them keep smouldering? Sand has the ability to smother butts. Cutting off the supply of oxygen is the most effective way of putting a cigarette out. A few seconds are then enough to stop it burning, and so to limit the risk of fire.

With sand, fewer smells

There is nothing worse than the smell of stale tobacco. It bothers non-smokers, of course, but also smokers themselves. Sand is a powerful absorbent. It captures unpleasant smells and keeps them in the ashtray itself. That does not mean it removes every trace of tobacco smell, but it does reduce it considerably.

Sand prevents burns from small wandering hands

Ashtrays should of course be kept out of the reach of children, but curious little hands may still find their way into one during a moment of inattention. Accidents are rare, but burns can sometimes be serious. With sand at the bottom of the ashtray, a thermal barrier keeps the hot ash down at the base.

With sand, no more elbow grease

An ashtray has to be cleaned, particularly once it has been emptied. That is how smells and accidents are avoided. Without sand, you have to scrub the bottom of the container in order to clean it thoroughly and get rid of the smell. With sand, all you need to do is tip it into the bin and pour a fresh layer into the bottom.

Sand in the ashtray, but not just any sand

In theory, any kind of sand will do to fill an ashtray. There are, however, specific sands that go further than simple convenience.

Coloured sands are now available, for a touch of brightness. They come in several colours, so you can match your ashtrays to a dress code for an event, or simply to the colours of your terrace or garden.

Scented sands for ashtrays also exist. As well as putting butts out and capturing the smell of stale tobacco, they release a scent of your choice into the room or across the terrace. With coarser or finer grains, you can choose both the colour and the scent, and reduce the nuisance caused to those around you.