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I was working on clearing out my mess of Bamboo - guess What? I've got Poisen Oak too. I'm using Ivy Dry and washing with Neutragena. Any other suggestions?
Also, what is best way to get rid of the poisen Oak? I know it can't be burned. Geesh.
That will work...but on a less drastic level, I can be induced to approach poison oak if ABSOLUTELY neccessary. I've encountered it at home AND out 'in the field' (Water District work) and I have HUGE respect for it.
I wear long sleeves and long pants, AND latex gloves. (Lay out a complete set of NEW clothes near the shower (if available) before you start the job.).
I use a home-made device consisting of a 8' pole with a barb at the end. Cut the vine off at its base with a hooked machete. Use your barbed pole to begin rolling the entire vine...20 or 30 feet if necessary..into a large ball. Stretch a trash bag OVER this ball and carefully pull out the pole by working it loose. Tie up the trash bag and dispose of it in the garbage...do NOT burn it. Head immediately to the shower, and treat your 'old' clothes as if contaminated...(place in a trash bag, and wash separately). Wash all tools and rinse well with WD-40.
Sounds like 'overkill' perhaps, but Poison Oak is no fun. I'm about 'medium' allergic. My father, strangely, who was a surveyor, was totally immune to poison oak..yet he finally had to wash his OWN work clothes (decades before 'women's lib') because my Mother was unable to launder the contaminated clothing without getting HERSELF contaminated.
Nasty stuff.....and the extra precautions are well worth the hassle.
I used to work with a guy who made big money as a kid via his utter immunity to poison ivy and poison oak.
He'd take bets from skeptics that he wouldn't roll in the stuff, take their money--like candy from babies--roll around in it, then head to the candy store.
do you have a cvs pharmacy where you live? they have a cvs brand poison ivy soap. it comes with three small bars & is made to remove the oils from your skin. Wash all your clothes you wore that day in Technu. If the rash gets so bad that it becomes painful...or causes further allergic reaction...like my son whose eyes swell shut and lips get enormous... you can go to the doctor for stronger meds. My son usually has to go on prednisone. He can get it just by walking past a patch as the wind blows, i swear...
Thanks, we have a CVS up the road - I'll try the soap. Although, the combination of liquid Neutragena and Ivy Dry seem to be keeping it from spreading on my arm, at least.
Ivarest works fairly well for me. I've heard of people dabbing on a very diluted bleach solution to their skin, but I've never had the guts to try it. I'd rather itch and seep than use bleach on my skin, no matter how diluted!
Roundup will kill the stuff, but if there are any plants you want to keep in the area, it will kill them, too. If you have to be selective, bundling up in long sleeves and pants, gloves etc. and pulling the plants by hand is the only way. When you're done, remove all your clothing immediately and wash it in hot water right away. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Poison Ivy/Oak should not spread if it has been cleaned off properly. People often think it spreads as it comes out in stages and many don't wash properly and the urushiol continues to cause more rashes. Make sure you wash everything, clothes, tools, sneakers, etc. or it will come back.
I would recommend going to the doctor, they can prescribe steroids which definitely help with both the irritation and the length of time before it goes away. Personally I always ask for the steroid cream.
There are herbicides that will kill poison oak, they often harm surrounding plants. Since yours is in bamboo I doubt you have anything to get upset about. I would try to find someone who is immune to take care of it for you, about 10% of the population is completely immune. Be sure they truly are immune, many people believe they are as it's typical to not get a rash the first time, but they may the second. The best way would be to pull it out roots and all and then coat the ground with the herbicide to make sure it doesn't come back. Where we had it I spray twice a year. Honestly I would pay to have someone remove it this year and then just keep spraying so it never comes back.
Be careful, poison ivy/oak is an auto-immune reaction so each time you are exposed your rash will be worse.
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