Bush Hogging Poison Ivy

[putt_putt_green]

Luckily I am only slightly effected by poison ivy. Taking a normal shower afterwards works well for me. I read somewhere (who know where or if it was true) that a person has about 6 hours to get it off their body.

My worst incidence involved a chainsaw and T-shirt that was too short.

 

[firemanpat2910]

there is a soap/medicine on the market called TECNU I think thats the spelling they use, I works as long as you shower within a few hours. I have had good luck with it.

 

[grassroots2323]

I'm may be one of the lucky few who so far is not effected by poison ivy or oak. I do wash with dish washing liquid after I've been out working. Theory has it that the dish liquid cuts the poison ivy oil just as it does when washing greasey dishes. Sounds good to me anyway.

 

[Champy]

I have not verified this approach......but was told if you slather yourself with sunscreen it helps to block the PI oils from absorbing into your skin until you can get to the showers to clean up more vigorously.

 

[Beavis]

Whatever you do: DON'T take a hot shower and use a scrub brush on your skin because it feels good.....Oh my God was that a mistake. Just currently healing from my current battle with poison ivy.

 

[irwin]

... I take as my personal search and destroy mission!

It's taken years, but, I've finally got it pretty much in check... some of the Oak has become 4" diameter vines that wrap around tree trunks 30' or more into the sky

Same here "search and destroy"!!! do not give up...Spray and spray, and spray some more..

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/irwin55/P1010049.jpg

I had many area's like this... started spraying within days of moving here. I also cut those thick rope vines at the base of the trees they climbed up, and sprayed the cut wound...Brush-b-gone works for me.

ps: wash the saw blade in a grease cutting soap when done.

 

[davitk]

Lots of good advice here, thanks guys. For those of you who haven't gotten the itch, stay careful. I've been in the woods my whole life and never had the itch until 5 years ago (my brother is in it more than me and has never had a reaction); now every time I go near it I swell up.

So what about cleaning a bush hog that's been chopping it up? A chainsaw you can wipe down and soak the chain, but I envision an ivy vine tangled around the mower spindle and the entire underside of the deck bathed in ivy oil. Maybe my wife is right and I'm just too pessimistic....

 

[john_bud]

Same here "search and destroy"!!! do not give up...Spray and spray, and spray some more..

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s218/irwin55/P1010049.jpg

I had many area's like this... started spraying within days of moving here. I also cut those thick rope vines at the base of the trees they climbed up, and sprayed the cut wound...Brush-b-gone works for me.

ps: wash the saw blade in a grease cutting soap when done.

Hey, did you sneak into my back yard and pop a couple pics? I had lots and lots of that stuff. Not too bad on me, but the wife get's a bad case of the ichy puffy and quick too. I spray it with round up, then when the grass all around it dies and the PI is growing faster than ever, hit it again with 2,4D mixed with PI and brush killer and hope for the best. Stuff is HARD TO KILL!


Oh, after brush hogging it, I don't touch the mower!


jb

 

[Charlesaf3]

take allegra before mowing. Knocks down the histamine reaction. Learned that by accident, but what a great accident.

Mow it before spring!!

Wear complete covering, including dust mask. Shower with dish soap after. You have a few hours to wash off the oil before it bonds to your skin.

Soap yourself from the top down. Think about it.... the oil usually ends up on my legs...

 

[Rara Avis]

Controlling Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac - (www.poisonivy.us)