How to deal with poison oak/ivy?

Boots and long pants. Long-sleeve shirt if I'm going to have to stick my arms in it. I don't like to wear long sleeves so if I think I can avoid contact by being careful, it's short sleeves. The better you are at IDing it, the better you can avoid it. I've seen so much of it that I can see the stuff out of the corner of my eye now. It can look very different from plant to plant. Be careful once it is on your gloves, shoes, pants etc. that you don't touch your face or other exposed skin. If I know that I've rubbed my arm across a plant and made a lot of contact, I will rinse my arm right away with lots of cold water from the hose. If you can get it off within a few minutes, you'll be OK. It is up to my waist here in some spots. Shady spots are usually free of it. When it gets dry in the Summer, it thins out a bit. Right now, it is exploding out there. If I get it, I try not to scratch it...that just makes it itch more. It's pretty easy for me not to scratch it, compared to the itchier tick bites, chigger bites etc. I think my sensitivity to it has diminished somewhat over the years. If you are super-sensitive it could be hard to avoid getting it. I would have to spray my entire woods to get rid of it...and the tree trunks, which it climbs.

Have fun!

For leafy stuff I use a mixture of 2% each of glyphosate (roundup) and triclopyr (ortho brush killer). For large vines I cut a chunk out near the ground and apply Tordon RTU. I get all 3 at Tractor Supply, and both methods are very effective.

As far as the rash prevention, long sleeves and pants, wash real good within 2 hours of exposure, and apply rubbing alcohol to whole body (dissolves the oil). All clothes are immediately washed and tools wiped down with alcohol. If I do get it I have found that Zanfel will stop it from getting worse. They also have a lotion that you apply before exposure that helps prevent your skin from absorbing the oil, called Ivy Block or something like that.

If you spot any large vines I would consider killing them with the Tordon. The berries/seeds from these large vines are part of where these new patches of leafy ivy come from. Plus they are easy to spot and easy to take care of with minimal time invested.

Im hyper sensitive so I spray round up wherever I have it. Theres a product called tech-nu you can get at a CVS or Walgreens that I use to wash after I may have come in contact with any ivy. If you get the urushiol oil on you this stuff will remove it, Ive had good luck with this product, it either prevents a rash or minimizes any rash I get. Plain water doesnt remove the oils from your skin.

If I've been working anywhere near poison oak or poison ivy I wash with cold water and tecnu outdoor skin cleanser as soon as I come in. The cold water keeps the pores closed and the tecnu neutralizes the sap . The sooner you do it after exposure the better. Once the sap gets into the skin it starts the irritation. It takes a while for the sap to get less toxic so anytime you wash with some sort of neutralizing agent you will stop the spread and reduce the irritation. If I wash within a couple of hours of exposure then there is little or no rash. Same day and I get a little redness and minor itch.

If you are going to use Round-up, I do to keep the ivy from growing into where the kids play, make sure it is the Round-up labeled for vines such as poison oak and poison ivy.

KaptJaq

I'll also step on plants that are in the way to flatten them out.

If you are opposed to chemicals, there are a couple methods to get rid of it, but neither are fun, they aren't completely effective, and both will kill most of the plants around the ivy.

The first method is to dig them out...get rid of the root. This will probably be a pretty miserable task in a wooded area as the tree roots are going to be all over the place in addition to the poison ivy roots. This is only moderately effective.

The second method is to put down some plastic mulch, or really anything, to block the light and/or water. Ivy needs both to live...get rid of one and the ivy dies. This will be hard on the surrounding good plants as well.

The third method is to cut it down (mower/trimmer/shears). No matter how careful you WILL get poison ivy, unless you aren't alergic and then you wouldn't care about removing it anyway. This is probably the least effective method.

I'm not defending chemicals here, but I will tell you like it is (I grow a completely organic garden FWIW). Now, there are varying degrees of chemical nastiness. Glyphosate (RoundUp) is pretty tame stuff all things considered. These days virtually all non-organic soy products are sprayed with this stuff (RoundUp ready soy beans) and corn is quickly moving in that direction too. We may very well find out years that is the worst agricultural chemical since DDT, but I doubt that will be the case, and your exposure is probably already so high a little in the backyard is a drop in the bucket. I personally would not hesitate to spot treat it with round-up, but it will take multiple applications to get rid of it completely. Keep in mind that, in proper concentrations, glyphosate will kill just about anything (genetically engineered plants excluded), so only spray the stuff you want to kill.

On the about the same end of the spectrum are woody brush / vine killers that use 2,4-D and/or tricolopyr as active ingredients (Crossbow, Weed-B-Gone, etc). They are commonly used in agricultural and landscape applications and pretty tame. They will kill broadleaf weeds and deciduous trees and leave grasses and coniferous trees alone. This is what I would use for the job described.

Chances are you will be exposed to much more nasty stuff if you get a bad case of poison ivy that requires medication.

In my younger days, I was afraid to put Roundup anywhere near my precious vegetation. I've since realized I was foolish to worry.
Now we keep a small sprayer, (one of those spray bottles actually), just for Roundup, always mixed and ready. This way, if any poison ivy is spotted on our property...or anything that even looks like PI...it is sprayed within a day. After a few years of this, it becomes much more rare; the dogs are much less likely to spread it to the kids, etc.
If you think you've been exposed, wash as if to remove oil. I've started to use dish detergent, instead of alcohol.
If you catch a rash, they say Tecnu is the latest thing, but I haven't personally tried it. Have heard great things though.

ETA: I had a friend who wanted to clear a large PI area, and moved some goats in for a week or 2. He says thats the best way. As you may be aware, man is the only mammal that is alergic to PI; for the most part.

KaptJaq said:

If you are going to use Round-up, I do to keep the ivy from growing into where the kids play, make sure it is the Round-up labeled for vines such as poison oak and poison ivy.
KaptJaq

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The stuff for vines and PI usually includes triclopyr. Glyphosate will do it but has some trouble killing PI.

You can mix your own for a hugely reduced cost. $150 for 50 gallons of the double strength 2% dual mixture ($50 for the glyphosate and $100 for the triclopyr if you only do one or the other). 100 gallons per $150 if you go with the homeowner grade 1% dual mixture.

Whatever the 2% mixture doesn't kill outright will defoliate it for a few months, I'd imagine after a few defoliation events even the hardy/resistant plants will die due to lack of leaves.

Right Brian. If using Roundup, one needs to mix it strong or it will not do much.

In my recent scrounge of black locust this past week (Friday, 4/27), I definitely got a case of poison ivy. Spring fever made me oblivious to it, I would say, even though I get it every year. In hindsight, I was asking for it to say the least!

Because I have had it multiple times, I've been sold by steroids as the only thing to really help. Calamine lotion keeps it from being itchy, but needs to be applied often. Other remedies have not measured up to me compared to the roids. When I get it, it most always runs rampant. Hadn't visited the doctor in 1.5 years, so they needed me to come in and take a look at me instead of just writing up the prescription. Here's the verdict, straight from the doc.

Prevention: Of course, as mentioned previously, long sleeves, pants, boots. When contacted, he says, you have about 3 hours before the oils start taking it's toll. Within that time frame, he says, a warm shower with soap will do the trick. I too had always thought cold water, but I specifically asked and he said warm (although not definitive, I can't discount the words from doctor).

I went to the doctor on the following Tuesday evening, got the prescription on Thursday. First three days were the worst, but started to subside through the day Tuesday and increasingly better through the days. Decided to hold off on taking the pills, and was fine without them. However, at about $3 for the prescription after insurance, hard to discount using it upon the rash showing up. Now I have the pills for when the rash hits again, and I can boot it quickly. Unless you're opposed to steroids intake (I certainly would rather avoid it, especially more than 1 time a year), it's a pretty good insurance policy

Wow, I’m always amazed at how lucky I am. In my 58 years, I’ve never had poison ivy! As a kid, in summer camp along the Greenbrier River in WV, I use to win bets by rubbing poison ivy on my arms and legs. I made more cash in 4 weeks than I did all year on a paper route. That is until word got ‘round that I was not allergic to poison ivy!

There is also some sort of pre-exposure treatment that you rub onto your skin, like sunscreen, you can get at the local drug store that is suppose to block the poison ivy oil from entering the skin. I’ve also read that you have about a 30 minute window to wash the oil off your skin with hot water and soap before you actually get nailed.

knock on wood, but I've never had it either! And let me tell ya, I've been in it up to my eyeballs many many times. I seem to always find it when I am working a black locust, it always grows in the vicinity of BL. I've cut through it, had it all over my arms and face, and as of yet I have never had a rash or reaction from it. That being said, I'll probably break out in it right here at the computer! (knocks on wood in hopes of warding off jinx)

Hello Friends, Years ago I received great advice from a Friend who was a forest ranger for 41 years. he said if you know you got into it, within 2 hours take a good shower and use dawn dish detergent as soap. i have been doing this ever since and have not has p.i. etc. since. i always used to get it several times a year. He told me dish detergent has something that breaks down oil better than soap.

Good point about the black locust- our roadside has the 2 plants thick as thieves. Thinking maybe p.i. Is resistant to a compound black locust puts out? Hmmm...

i'm currently using something called Oral Ivy which makes the body immune to poison ivy's effects as well as diminish symptoms if contracted. i fall into the later category but i've been taking the smaller daily dosage anyway since my case isn't too bad; just annoying since it won't go away. i hope it does it's job and i can keep the itchies off this summer. i've tried Burts Bees ivy soap and it's not spreading but it's still there and the itch flares up intermittently. when i'm in the woods riding my bike and brush the plant, i'll shower and rinse in cold water and usually don't get anything. this time i was splitting a new batch of wood and didn't realize until too late. Tecnu also works if you know you contacted and can wipe it on soon after. good idea to take some along.

RoundUp is now sold under many different names since the patent ran out. People just call it glyphosate now. 41% active ingredient is the norm and always buy from mills or farm supply. Tractor Supply, Lowes, Homedepot will **** you on the cost. Don't waste your money mixing it stronger than 3oz per gallon. Softened water and a little dawn will help it work quicker. I buy it in 2 1/2 gallon jugs for 30.00. It is probably the safest Herbicide on the market. It dries in a few minutes and does not leach in the soil. Practically everything you eat today has been sprayed with it. Not saying that is a good thing just stating the facts.

Ralph said:

Wow, I’m always amazed at how lucky I am. In my 58 years, I’ve never had poison ivy! As a kid, in summer camp along the Greenbrier River in WV, I use to win bets by rubbing poison ivy on my arms and legs. I made more cash in 4 weeks than I did all year on a paper route. That is until word got ‘round that I was not allergic to poison ivy!

There is also some sort of pre-exposure treatment that you rub onto your skin, like sunscreen, you can get at the local drug store that is suppose to block the poison ivy oil from entering the skin. I’ve also read that you have about a 30 minute window to wash the oil off your skin with hot water and soap before you actually get nailed.

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some people are very lucky and simply are not allergic to it (they can roll around naked in it for days and not see any adverse effects from it, they can literally eat it!), sadly, im not one of those people LOL. I wear one of those chemical coveralls from homedepot or Loews (they totally cover you head to toe for $4.99 and i just throw the suit away when im done (it not worth even messing around with the risk of this crap for me). horrible evil this stuff is!

wkpoor said:

RoundUp is now sold under many different names since the patent ran out. People just call it glyphosate now. 41% active ingredient is the norm and always buy from mills or farm supply. Tractor Supply, Lowes, Homedepot will **** you on the cost. Don't waste your money mixing it stronger than 3oz per gallon. Softened water and a little dawn will help it work quicker. I buy it in 2 1/2 gallon jugs for 30.00. It is probably the safest Herbicide on the market. It dries in a few minutes and does not leach in the soil. Practically everything you eat today has been sprayed with it. Not saying that is a good thing just stating the facts.

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Well, THAT just saved me a new stove's worth of cash.

doug crane said:

some people are very lucky and simply are not allergic to it (they can roll around naked in it for days and not see any adverse effects from it, they can literally eat it!), sadly, im not one of those people LOL. I wear one of those chemical coveralls from homedepot or Loews (they totally cover you head to toe for $4.99 and i just throw the suit away when im done (it not worth even messing around with the risk of this crap for me). horrible evil this stuff is!

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Im hypersensitive too, maybe I should try one of those suits. Last bad rash I had the doctor told me that about 25% of the people are hypersensitive, about 25% wont be bothered by it no matter how much contact and the other 50% fall in the middle.

I'm hugely lucky, as I'm not allergic to poison ivy or poison oak, or poison sumak. Everyone else in my family is My Mom and my best friend can just "think" about it, and get the rash! I've actually crawled around for hours on my hands and knees in the fall picking mushrooms in the middle of poison ivy spreads, and never got the rash! Go figure

Superior genetics I suppose!! Hehehehe!

Ok here's one nobody said. If you get it scratch the area a little, then wipe the area down with bleach on a cotton ball or rag. It will kill it right now. Say goodbuy itchy rash ! It burns a little for a second but a lot better than dealing
with poision ivy for days.

PI was little more than a nuisance until some got into a scratch I had on my upper arm - rocked my world. the entire arm swelled & I was miserable with it for 4 or 5 days. Watch out for pi on broken skin!!

bluedogz said:

Well, THAT just saved me a new stove's worth of cash.

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Beyond that though, glyphosate doesn't work very well on PI. Triclopyr and/or 2,4-D work better.

brian89gp said:

Beyond that though, glyphosate doesn't work very well on PI. Triclopyr and/or 2,4-D work better.

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Perhaps so... it is of note that the Roundup "poison ivy & tough brush killer" is 1% glyphosate + triclopyr, but the regular stuff is 2% glyophosate alone.