If you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of coming into contact with poison ivy, you know that it’s not a fun experience. Not only does the rash itch like crazy, but it can also take weeks or even months to go away.
Poison Ivy is a common plant that can cause an itchy, painful rash. Often, poison ivy leaves are hidden by other plants or grow on trees and vines. Also, touch something that’s touched poison ivy before, and you’ll get the rash too.
We will discuss a few steps that should be taken to remove poison ivy from surfaces in this article. So, if you have poison ivy growing on surfaces around your home, read on to find the best way to get rid of it.
6 Steps on How to Clean Poison Ivy off Surfaces
Poison Ivy sticks to surfaces like decks, tree trunks, and walls because it has an oily chemical called urushiol. Once you touch poison ivy, the urushiol stays on your skin for several hours.
The following steps on how you a few ways to remove poison ivy from your skin and surfaces.
Step 01: Find the Source of the Poison Ivy
The first thing you should do is find out where poison ivy is on your property. Be sure to check all of your outdoor surfaces, including decks, patios, driveways, and even grass.
Once you’ve found where it’s growing, that’s when you can choose a poison ivy treatment plan that fits your situation. It can be time-consuming to remove poison ivy. This is especially true if it’s growing in your grass or climbing up a tree.
Step 02: Remove the Source
Once you’ve identified the source of exposure, try to remove it as quickly as possible. This can be done by pulling grasses and weeds from your lawn, as well as raking any poison ivy vines from trees.
You can use a weed-eater instead to remove grasses or vines. It’s important that you don’t burn the plant, as this can increase your chance of developing a rash. Also, it’s important that you wear gloves and protective gear when removing poisonous plants.
Step 03: Wash Everything
After you’ve removed the source, wash everything that may have been exposed to poison ivy. This includes your skin, clothes, pets, and any tools that may have been used to remove the sources.
Ideally, this should be done with a garden hose or pressure washer. However, you can also use a scrub brush and soapy water.
Step 04: Neutralize the Chemicals
Once you’ve washed everything, you need to neutralize the poison ivy chemicals still on your skin. You can use rubbing alcohol for this purpose.
You should also wash your clothing with detergent or bleach. If you aren’t sure if something is safe to clean, use less harmful products like vinegar and water combined.
Step 05: Check for Signs of Poison Ivy
Don’t stop after your exposure ends! You especially want to watch for signs of poison ivy or its effects.
Even if you don’t see any obvious signs, such as a rash and swelling, you should still keep an eye on your skin and take precautions against exposure.
If you do develop an itchy rash that is typical of poison ivy, then be sure to follow the advice of a dermatologist or other medical professional.
Step 06: Prevent Future Poison Ivy Exposure
Now that you have successfully removed poison ivy from your skin and surfaces, you need to prevent it from coming back.
You should also anticipate future exposure by avoiding these plants completely! This may be difficult if there are many poisonous vines growing in your environment.
If you need help figuring out if poison ivy is present, try to talk to an experienced horticulturist or landscaper. They can also help you plan how to remove poison ivy from your yard.
Hopefully, the tips above will help you find the process of removing poison ivy easier and safer. It’s also important to note that these tips are for poison ivy exposure in general. If you experience any symptoms related to poison ivy, contact a medical professional immediately!
Note: Must be taken safety precautions like wearing hand gloves, protective eyewear, and other safe handling equipment while working with these toxic plants. Don’t burn leaves and twigs.
Conclusion
Poison ivy is a very common plant that causes rashes on the skin of people who come into contact with it. It is best to remove poison ivy from your skin as quickly as you can, within ten minutes at most.
Knowing how to clean poison ivy off of your body and surfaces is very important to your health, comfort, and quality of life. This can be done by utilizing one of the many effective methods shown in this article. Hope it helps!
Good Luck, Have A Great Day!
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