Disposing of your loved ones’ ashes can appear to be a dreadful and sad undertaking, but the process is relatively simple.
When deciding on how to dispose of the remains of your loved ones, there are a few essential factors that you need to consider, such as the costumes and religion of the deceased. One thing that people often get confused about is if it is okay to flush ashes down the toilet.
Some mourners want to keep the cremains of a deceased loved one around forever because it helps them feel closer to the person they’ve lost. In contrast, some prefer to keep the cremated remains of a loved one at home until the right moment comes to transport them to a final resting place.
Whether you’re making your end-of-life preparations or you’ve got your loved one’s cremains, this post is for you. We’ve lined up some tips to help you keep the cremains of your loved ones at home, temporary or permanent.
Is It Ok To Flush Human Ashes?
This is one of those questions that a simple yes or no can’t suffice. People have different beliefs (traditional costumes and religions), and having a general yes or no answer is not practical.
However, the human remains are not powdery ash but are much larger than most of us may assume. So, if you opt to flush them, it will most likely be time-consuming, and you may end up with a higher plumber charge than the crematory bill.
Moreover, you’ll be flushing the toilet several times, which is terrible for the environment.
Can Ashes Clog a Toilet?
The soluble elements of the ash will dissolve in water in the sewer system, while the water-insoluble elements will remain suspended as the system is flushed. The only issue would be if you flushed any non-soluble items since these could block the pipes.
It’s also recommended to avoid flushing ash down downspouts or drains, which might clog them. Instead, it would be wise to dump the ash to remove the majority of it, then sweep the ash with brooms and place it in bags to prevent remobilization.
Can You Throw Ashes in The Garbage?
No, you should dispose of all your ashes in a fire-restricted container, making sure the cover is tightly fitted to limit the chances of air getting in, leading to reignition.
Another alternative is to dispose of ashes in approved, which you can find at your local stores. In a nutshell, it’s wrong to throw ashes in the garbage, so next time when you’re about to dispose of some ashes in the
garbage, just remember this is wrong.
Is It Bad To Keep Ashes at Home or on Private Property?
There is nothing wrong with the idea of keeping the cremains of your loved ones at home. However, in some cases, legal procedures, religion believes may object to the idea.
Cremation is prohibited by various religious faiths, including Islam, Eastern Orthodoxy, and some Jewish groups.
However, cremation is not entirely prohibited in other spiritual communities. However, burial is preferable. Catholics, Presbyterians, and Mormons are among these groupings.
The majority of faith communities that permit cremation don’t have guidelines on how to handle the cremains. The Catholic Church is an exception to this rule.
In 2016, the Vatican published a declaration stating that a Catholic’s remains should be buried or interred in a consecrated site or cemetery. The Catholic Church expressly forbade the dispersion of ashes and keeping ashes at one’s home.
It is best to check with a church member before making any cremation decisions. Unless your religion expressly prohibits cremation or you’re a Catholic, it is allowed to retain the ashes of your loved one at home.
Here are some options for you if you want to keep your loved one near you by keeping their remains at home. However, It’s important to acknowledge that not all of these options will suit everyone. Managing the remains of a loved one is a profoundly personal matter.
Here are some suggestions for you to think about:
1. Create a Particular Spot For The Urn
Purchasing a decorative vase is among the most common ways to preserve a loved one’s cremains at home. After the cremains have been packed in the urn, you can showcase the vessel on a mantle or in a neatly designed nook.
2. Building a Shrine For Your Loved One’s Remains
When it comes to selecting a unique place to display an urn, some families go the extra mile. Some families may opt to build a small shrine to keep the ashes of their deceased members.
Aside from putting their loved one’s remains on a hook, they may also add candles, photographs, and other keepsake items. This is particularly common among Buddhists.
3. Build Your Cremation Garden
Cremation gardens, lovely sites where loved ones can pay to disperse cremains, are available in several communities. If you like the concept of a cremation garden but want to keep it, especially for loved ones, you can contemplate building your private cremation garden in your backyard.
You may choose to adorn the space with items such as swings, stepping stones, or birdcages based on the scale of your garden. Furthermore, you can brand the accessories with the name of your loved one or a favorite statement or verse.
4. Create a Piece of Jewelry
If you wish to keep your loved one close at all times, you may consider having a piece of jewelry made from their cremains. Options abound, with something to suit every budget.
Wearable receptacles for a portion of ashes are available in most stores. You can use the cremains to create art or design jewelry by other artisans.
For example, you can have a memorial diamond made from a strand of hair or ashes of a loved one who has passed away. However, expect an initial intensive discussion with the designer and a waiting period for the diamond to be designed. You will present yourself with a custom diamond that can be used in jewelry.
Some companies, such as Eterneva, make the lab-grown diamond and offers you the privilege to pick your favorite cut and color for your gem.
5. Create a Decorative Piece
You might have the ashes converted into a decorative object instead of having an urn at your home full of the deceased’s cremains.
You may find nearly any shape, style, or color on the internet. Instead of a pot on the mantle, you might prefer a lovely suncatcher constructed from the ashes of a cherished grandmother.
5 Safe Ways To Dispose of Human Ashes
Most people get confused about what to do with the ashes of their loved ones. Here are ten choices for dispersing ashes.
Did your loved one request cremation, and you have complied with their desires, but you’re unsure what to do with cremation ashes?
Read on to learn about ten different ways to scatter ashes in honor of a loved one who has passed away:
1. Scattering Over Water
Dispersing cremated remains in a body of water is a common practice for scattering ashes after a funeral.
Water has long been associated with spirituality as a symbol of infinity for many cultures and faiths.
Either disperse the cremated remains in a lake, river, or ocean to avoid the need for a container. Alternatively, you might place the cremated remains in a biodegradable urn and let them float away in the sea.
An excellent suggestion is to bring some fresh flowers to discharge at the same time as cremation ashes are released into the river. The ashes will drift away, and you may track their progress in this manner.
Additionally, it has the potential to enhance the ceremonial scattering and make it less depressing. You’ll need to de-stem your flowers and set them in a damp paper towel-lined sealable bag for this concept to function correctly.
2. Trenching
Some individuals choose to limit the cremated remains of a loved one to a specific piece of land rather than allowing them to disperse into the air or ocean.
Trenching is one technique that may be used to accomplish this. You will excavate a small pit or trench during a trenching ceremony. For those who have lost loved ones, you might do this at a place that has particular importance to them.
The ashes are then placed in the pit, filled up with earth. The family or a funeral director may be able to excavate the ashes, depending on local rules.
3. Raking
You may even turn human ashes into the soil if you want to. To assist flowers and plants develop, your loved one becomes a part of the soil that the earth provides.
Only little raking into soft, churned soil is necessary. Again, you may choose a location relevant to you, such as your home, the birthplace of a loved one, or any other important site.
4. Space Launch
It is one of the unique methods to spread ashes if your deceased loved one has a passion for space exploration.
Astronomy and stargazing may have been a passion of your loved ones, or maybe they wished to be an astronaut. Some firms will launch human ashes into space, regardless of how you want to dispose of them.
For many months, the ashes will orbit the planet. This is a lovely way to celebrate the life of your loved one who has passed away since we are all formed of stardust.
This process will take many months, during which time it is expected that human remains will be vaporized.
5. Launch Them as Fireworks
Fireworks are an ideal way to commemorate the life of a loved one. Even though scattering a loved one’s ashes might be heartbreaking, it’s a beautiful opportunity to reflect on their life and honor their memory.
It is possible to have a beautiful cremation service by seeing the night sky light up in various hues while surrounded by loved ones. Even better, you’ll know that some of that explosive powder is made from the remains of your dead loved one!
This is a beautiful tribute to individuals who have gone away but whose lives were vivacious, large-hearted, and bursting with vitality might use this.
Also, if you like, you may record the ceremony and view it as many times as you want.
Conclusion
As you think of these options, please ensure you consider the opinions of your family members. Your kids may not like the idea of their deceased mother being displayed at home.
Some members may have reservations about wearing jewelry made of the remains of their loved ones. Most of these alternatives are not conventional, and your family may be more traditional when picking the final resting place of their beloved members.