Preventing Poison Ivy - Here"s How
Preventing poison ivy is obviously a wise thing to do, although it can be somewhat difficult for those who aren't 100% sure what it looks like.
Sometimes it even grows in people's backyards, which makes the process of avoiding it very difficult.
Although it's not contagious, it can still be transferred onto human skin via clothing or pets.
If you want to go about preventing poison ivy, oak, and sumac, you need to know how to identify and avoid them.
From there, you can learn how to destroy them.
All three plants are quite common in North America.
Poison ivy and sumac are pretty widespread in the Eastern and Central states.
Poison oak is commonly found near the west coast.
Some of the plants can be found in Canada, as well.
Unless you live in the middle of a major city, you can be sure that you'll encounter some type of poisonous plant not far from your home.
Within a day or two of exposure, your skin will begin to develop an itching rash.
Sometimes, the allergic reaction will even cause blisters to grow! Obviously, urushiol (the poisonous oil from the plant) can be a nuisance.
The rash can be extremely irritating and hard to get rid of in some cases.
Poison ivy can be identified as being a shrub or vine with hairy aerial roots.
It can grow up to ten feet or more, climbing walls, fences, trees, or trails along the ground.
The entire plant, including the leaves and roots, is poisonous during every season.
No matter what time of the year you come across the plant, you can end up with a rash.
Sometimes the leaves can be red, and other times shiny.
However their appearance or color, the leaflets ALWAYS appear in three.
The middle leaflet juts out more, yet they're all roughly the same size.
If you're unsure whether or not a plant you come across is poison ivy, look to see if there are three leaves of equal size forming a triangle.
If so, then you should go about preventing poison ivy by avoiding the plant altogether.
If you or your kids do end up exposed, then wash area on the skin immediately with cool or lukewarm water and soap.
Bathing will also help; you'll need to wash the clothes, anyway.
Even after exposure, preventing poison ivy is still possible if you remove the oil within ten minutes.
If nothing else, you'll at least minimize the rash.
If a rash still develops, then Tecnu scrub or Zanfel medicine may help.
Sometimes natural remedies such as oatmeal or vinegar can help relieve the itching.
Sometimes it even grows in people's backyards, which makes the process of avoiding it very difficult.
Although it's not contagious, it can still be transferred onto human skin via clothing or pets.
If you want to go about preventing poison ivy, oak, and sumac, you need to know how to identify and avoid them.
From there, you can learn how to destroy them.
All three plants are quite common in North America.
Poison ivy and sumac are pretty widespread in the Eastern and Central states.
Poison oak is commonly found near the west coast.
Some of the plants can be found in Canada, as well.
Unless you live in the middle of a major city, you can be sure that you'll encounter some type of poisonous plant not far from your home.
Within a day or two of exposure, your skin will begin to develop an itching rash.
Sometimes, the allergic reaction will even cause blisters to grow! Obviously, urushiol (the poisonous oil from the plant) can be a nuisance.
The rash can be extremely irritating and hard to get rid of in some cases.
Poison ivy can be identified as being a shrub or vine with hairy aerial roots.
It can grow up to ten feet or more, climbing walls, fences, trees, or trails along the ground.
The entire plant, including the leaves and roots, is poisonous during every season.
No matter what time of the year you come across the plant, you can end up with a rash.
Sometimes the leaves can be red, and other times shiny.
However their appearance or color, the leaflets ALWAYS appear in three.
The middle leaflet juts out more, yet they're all roughly the same size.
If you're unsure whether or not a plant you come across is poison ivy, look to see if there are three leaves of equal size forming a triangle.
If so, then you should go about preventing poison ivy by avoiding the plant altogether.
If you or your kids do end up exposed, then wash area on the skin immediately with cool or lukewarm water and soap.
Bathing will also help; you'll need to wash the clothes, anyway.
Even after exposure, preventing poison ivy is still possible if you remove the oil within ten minutes.
If nothing else, you'll at least minimize the rash.
If a rash still develops, then Tecnu scrub or Zanfel medicine may help.
Sometimes natural remedies such as oatmeal or vinegar can help relieve the itching.
Source...