Poison ivy bunch.
When hiking through a state park or wilderness preserve, the little chime,"leaves of three, let it be" may have popped in your head as a subconscious reminder to stay wary of poison ivy. For the most part, this rhyme can help you navigate safely through nature, but it's important to note that not all poison ivy plants look the same.
The poison ivy plant itself isn't actually what causes the common reaction of itchy rashes and blisters. It's the oil on the plant called urushiol. The oil, if not removed, can stay on surfaces for more than two years. It also absorbs quickly into the skin, but the reaction is delayed, as most people start seeing symptoms within 12 to 72 hours.
The safest method of prevention is to stay on the hiking trail and be constantly aware of your surroundings, but it's also very important to know the immediate steps to take if you come in contact with poison ivy. Acting quickly and following these steps can help lessen the reaction and the lengthy healing time.
Step 1: Apply rubbing alcohol
Poison ivy in the fall. Image taken from poison-ivy.org.
Within the first 10 minutes of coming in contact with poison ivy, you need to apply rubbing alcohol to the affected area. Remember: the sooner the better.
To be clear, rubbing alcohol won't make all the urushiol go away, but it dissolves the oil and hinders its spread.
If no rubbing alcohol is available, washing the affected area with lukewarm (not hot) water and liquid soap for about ten minutes is the next best thing.
Wild Basin Tip: If you don't have rubbing alcohol, go to the Creative Research Center as soon as possible. You will find a bathroom in the building to wash your affected area.
Step 2: Take a shower
Close-up of poison ivy plant.
Get in the shower and wash yourself! This step is important because it’ll get off the any of the oil you may have missed. Remember to keep the water lukewarm and not hot because hot water opens your pores and makes it easier for the oil to spread. Spend most of the time cleaning the affected area.
Don’t forget to scrub your hands thoroughly and get under your fingernails!
Step 3: Wash all clothes
Don't be fooled by their cuteness, these baby poison ivy plants are still toxic! Taken at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve.
Even if you think the poison ivy didn't come in direct contact with your clothing, you must take precaution and wash your clothes. Your exposed areas may have unintentionally brushed up against parts of your clothing.
Make sure to wash the potentially urushiol-bearing clothes separately from all your other clothes. With your regular laundry detergent, wash your clothes on the highest temperature setting that the fabric allows.
You'll find a more comprehensive clothes washing guide here.
Step 4: Clean all surfaces
Although there are no leaves, a poison ivy vine is covered in urushiol. Taken at Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve.
Now is the time to retrace your steps and think about all of the places that you could've transferred urushiol to. Your car steering wheel and seat? Door handles? The hamper where you threw your potentially exposed clothes in?
Once you've determined where you may have gotten the toxic oil on, thoroughly clean all areas. Depending on the surface, using dish soap and water or disinfectant wipes should do the trick!