Warding off poison ivy

karenjanicki

My husband is a whitewater rafter. He goes out year round into wild places and often comes into contact with poison ivy. It used to be a real problem for him until someone told us about Fels-naptha soap. It's a laundry soap that comes in a yellow bar. I wouldn't recommend using it all the time, however since he started using it in the shower after coming into contact with poison ivy and putting it in with infected laundry, he hasn't had an outbreak in years. It's a Godsend. So for anyone that faces the dread poison ivy this one really works. What do you guys use?

kbmbillups1

@karenjanicki Thanks! I'm going to remember that. Until my husband and I helped a neighbor cut up and remove a fallen tree a couple winters ago I didn't know I was allergic to poison ivy and I didn't know that even coming in contact with the leafless vine could give you the rash. I kept getting it from my coat before I realized what was going on. It was terrible! Now, I don't go near any vines if I can't tell what they are.

Brindy

@karenjanicki, I'm going to remember that. My mom just got into some poison ivy and had a horrible reaction. She tried everything she knew and her arms swelled up so bad. She ended up going to the doctor for a shot. I would live to hear what others have found to work after you have already reacted.

Torey

There is another discussion regarding Jewelweed as a treatment for poison ivy.

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/844764/jewelweed-salve

LaurieLovesLearning

@karenjanicki Thanks for the suggestion. I have only seen that soap in one little store in my province, and that is one run by Mennonites that have connections in the US. Otherwise, you don't see that soap in stores here.

Here is one site that mentions other remedies & a second on TGN that mentions jewelweed & discusses another plant that is also good once the rash has appeared. I plan to plant jewelweed in my yard. I need to look into sweet fern & its growing zone/conditions/livestock safety. If it would grow here, then I want to find seeds.

https://www.diynatural.com/poison-ivy-treatment-2/?awt_l=PMPOU&awt_m=3beunNJZ6VtFQkt

https://community.thegrownetwork.com/discussion/844824/any-idea-what-sweet-fern-is

John

Good to know-I haven't had it in quite a number of years, but used to get horrific rash from poisoning. I'll be taking this information to heart for sure.