Have not read all the posts but I had an old farmer tell me the stuff that stays on the ground is poision ivy....the stuff that climbs trees is poision oak. Dunno if he's right or not but the stuff on the ground, if you get it bad is easily cured by bleach. Just scuff it up a bit and pour it on and no more itch. It works for me every time. The vines on the trees....doesn't work that way for me...bleach won't touch it. I have to get a shot or two (steriods I think). My $.02 is the stuff you get from the vines is 1000% worse than the ground stuff.
Poison Ivy on Trunk
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IIRC, poion oak is a tree/bush and only exists west of the Mississippi.
the poison oil is even in the roots (ground or tree) and will oooze out even in February in Ma.
worst time I've found to rastle with poison sumac/ivy is Fall when the leaves are brittle and break easy.
the poison oil is even in the roots (ground or tree) and will oooze out even in February in Ma.
worst time I've found to rastle with poison sumac/ivy is Fall when the leaves are brittle and break easy.
I live in my own woods in southern oregon and although I have no poison Ivy, poison oak is probably my most abundant plant. The irritant is the same no matter which plant you are dealing with. I have found that undoubtably the best way to avoid a rash after contact is to wipe down thoroughly with rubbing alchohol. I have tried many expensive solutions and none compare. Do not reexpose for at least 12 hours as the alchohol will remove some of your natural defenses. Do no burn it, burning it will absolutly release a large quantity of urusheol, the toxin, into the smoke and it is very difficult to avoid. Also be careful not to get any into your wood stove as that could end up on you eventually as well. I say cover up good, wear gloves and clean with alchohol when you are done.
billb3 said:
Allz I know is I get poison somethingerother pretty much all summer long and it's easily cured with bleach (over the counter meds don't seem to work). Last fall I was cutting a dead elm that had the vines on it and the saw did a good job of spreading the toxins and I got it one last time. Bleach would not touch it. I would have be the farm those were two different ivy's.
Just a note about poison ivy. My sister-in-law accidentally got it in her lungs from a neighbor who threw PI clippings on a burn pile. She was WEEKS healing from it and had she been exposed more extensively her doctor said it would have killed her. Fire does not destroy the resin, it spreads it. After her experience, I even turn off the ventilation system in our car when driving through a pall of smoke on the road. Moreover, I do not burn wood in my stoves that have been exposed to it.
I took down the tree that I was concerned about when I initiated this post. As I said somewhere earlier, the ivy had been cut/dead for at least 3 years, more like 5 years. I wore gloves, but there was so much ivy and the hairy ivy covering that I'm sure the gloves were not enough protection if there was any/much active ivy oil. That was about 5 yours ago, and I have had a shower and change of cloths, and so far no sign of ivy problems.
I still have to get the sections out of the woods and up to my shed. I used the chain saw to cut the major ivy runs off of the tree trunk, but there's still some there that I'll knock off with a hatchet before carrying to my trailer. From what I read on this post I don't want to simply put the bark with ivy on it in my fireplace insert.
If I come down with ivy itch by morning I'll post here, otherwise, thanks for the discussion and advice, looks like I am ok but I am not sure if my experience proves anything about how long it takes ivy oils to become inert when exposed to the elements on a dead vine.
I still have to get the sections out of the woods and up to my shed. I used the chain saw to cut the major ivy runs off of the tree trunk, but there's still some there that I'll knock off with a hatchet before carrying to my trailer. From what I read on this post I don't want to simply put the bark with ivy on it in my fireplace insert.
If I come down with ivy itch by morning I'll post here, otherwise, thanks for the discussion and advice, looks like I am ok but I am not sure if my experience proves anything about how long it takes ivy oils to become inert when exposed to the elements on a dead vine.
If there is any solid wood in the ivy vine there is oil in the wood. It takes a fungal breakdown of the oils to render them harmless. Basically meaning the stuff has to rot to be harmless to those who are sensitive to it. Burning it in a regular fire is not really safe but I don't mind torching it in my gasifier. Just make sure the ivy treated stuff is not the first row of wood on the coals and avoid any smoke. Fast orange works well with poison ivy if you use it RIGHT AWAY. I’m pretty sensitive to poison ivy and poison oak but have worked bare handed with it for just a few seconds then washed with Fast Orange and never had a blister. It’s the oil in the ivy/oak that causes the reaction and blisters. The orange works the oils out (and maybe makes them inert) so you can wipe them away. I still rinse off as soon as possible...Cave2k
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