Activated Charcoal
★★★★★
My husband worked in the forest building trails and came back with what looked like poison ivy. He treated both legs with an ointment. One leg was remedied, the other leg stayed red for two weeks and started becoming hot to the touch. We knew that it meant he had systemic infection so I made him a poultice of Activated Charcoal, rice flour (for thickening, you can use arrow root or corn starch), and castor oil. I spread it on his wound and put a gauze over poultice and a plastic wrap over the gauze. I then wrapped the entire would around the thigh in an Ace Bandage. He did this for four days, making sure he removed the bandage in the shower as the AC is VERY messy. We replaced with new gauze each day for four days. I used an activated charcoal for whitening teeth found at Bed, Bath and Beyond!
On top of this I had him do four days of taking activated charcoal internally by capsule, found on Amazon.
Day 1 he took only 2 capsules in morning and two in evening with lots of water.
Day 2 he did the same.
Day 3 he took 1 capsule every hour all day long.
Day 4 he took 1 capsule every hour all day long.
Day 5 all was clear - accept for a VERY dry thigh, (which we rubbed Coconut oil into until dryness was gone)
All the heat and redness was gone!
Aloe Vera
★★★★★
My arm got colder and the powder absorbed the sticky fluid, I was relieved. I did several times today and I was happy. This afternoon however I was uneasy, my arm was hotter and the itching was stronger so I went to my backyard where I have Aloe Vera plants, I got one leave and peeled it on one side and rubbed it against my arm (gelatin against my skin) and the effect was immediate, the arm was colder, the itching and the sticky fluid stopped, and in a matter of minutes inflammation started to go down. That was an hour ago and my arm is feeling well. I know I need more time to get the final result but the difference is already amazing, inflammation is already like 30% better! I'm going to repeat this at least twice more before gong to bed hoping tomorrow I will be cured! Amazing stuff!!
Aloe Vera
★★★★☆
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
How you may ask. Well we have an outside cat who when inside likes to jump on my lap when watching TV. I rub my eyes unawares at the time that the cat has been though the stuff. Waking up in the morning with one eye nearly swollen shut…bummer. My wife swears by the All Terrain Poison Ivy/Oak Bar.
I washed with cold water and allow the lather to remain on the affected area for 1-2 minutes, or as long as I could stand before it began to seep in my eyes. I felt immediate relief after using the soap and the washed area is squeaky clean.
Using ACV via dabbing with a cotton ball provided some longer term relief from future itch.
I diluted the ACV 1:1 with water as full strength burns the sensitive skin on the face. The swelling went down the same day and I can see out of the swollen eye. To address the dry, scabbing skin around my eyes, I applied a controlled and careful amount of Desitin Skin Protectant. The itch is gone though I still have some discoloration a few days later.
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
Apple Cider Vinegar
★★★★★
P.S. I just remembered that I also used acv for dissolving calcification of kidney stones. Suffering two weeks with birthing pains in my back from kidney stones I finally went to the doctor where after x-rays he determined that I did indeed have several small BB sized kidney stones . Of course he wanted to schedule me for surgery go up in me to retreive these stones in a basket type apporatise and $1500.00 later I would be ok. I told my mother and she said she removed hard water deposits from her coffee pot with vinegar. so I took a couple of table spoons of vinegar and within 30 min. to an hour the stones passed.
To David from Grapeland: Hi David, Just wanted to tell you that the toxic substance on the rhus (poison ivy) is alkaline and that ACV, being acid, will titrate it, so that you won't get the itchy rash if you use it shortly after exposure to poison ivy/oak.m Just thoroughly wipe all exposed areas off with full strength ACV. After it breaks out, the best thing I have found to stop the itching and start drying it up is a product put out by "Fruit of the Earth" called Vitamin E with Naturals (Those naturals are burdock, calendula, chamomile, comfrey, golden seal and honey). I use the yellow gel form that I find in the lotion department of our local Dollar Tree stores. Using this it is gone in 3-4 days. You might also want to look into Beelith tablets (ask the pharmacists for them, nonprescription but I have never found them out on the counter) for those kidney stone problems. They are magnesium oxide and B6 vitamins. I'll share a funny one about kidney stones with you. Early one morning I got a excited call for help for an employee in the basement who was doubled over with abdominal pain. I asked if they could bring him up of if I needed to come down and get him. They brought up immediately. After getting a few things done, including interview, I asked the fellow if he'd had any history of kidney stones. Although his reply was negative, I told him that I was sure that was going to be the cause of his pain. My fellow nurse said, "Yeah, now you know what it feels like to have a baby". Realizing from the confused look on his face, that he did not understand what she meant, I said "They equate the pain of kidney stones to that of having a baby". After mulling this over a few minutes, our patient sounding very sincere, said: "The first thing I am going to do when I get out of here is call my ex-wife and apologize". Both of his nurses cracked up with laughter.
(Magnolia, Ky)
06/16/2013
I am a firm beliver in burdock. Drink it daily as a tea to help my (no longer!!! ) severe crohn's. I have a 7 yr old who got into something out in the yard and has a rash on the back of her leg. We live in the country and I believe its poison ivy or oak. Here in Kentucky, Burdock grows in my yard like crazy. My question is would it help dry this up if I put a wet leaf on her leg? Thank you for any help. u'r responce would be greatly appreciated a.s.a.p.
(Middle, Tennessee, Usa)
06/16/2013
Hi! I love Burdock Root, too. I have used to treat neuropathy (cured it) with success. I think Burdock Root for your daugther's poison ivy. I make a salve for my children for poison ivy that has Burdock Root, Plantain and Comfrey in it. I would recommend scalding and cooling the leaft first and cutting out any large stem part in the leaf as it will irritate tender skin. (This I learned form reading about using Burdock Leaves to treat burns.)
Pour boiling water over the leaf. When it has wilted in a few seconds, rinse in cold water and apply. At least, that is what I would do. You could also have your daughter drink the burdock tea. I have found treating PI internally and externally to be very effective. Please let us know if your treatment works so we can all benefit from what you try!
Be sure to wash all clothes and bedding that may have come in contact with the oil to keep from getting it everywhere.
~Mama to Many~
(Middle, Tennessee, Usa)
06/17/2013
Sorry, my last post was written when I was tired and may have lacked clarity. I used Burdock Root for my neuropathy. You would be using the leaf for poison ivy. It is very appropriate for skin issues and is used sucessfully by the Amish to use as a dressing for burns. Anyway, like I said, scald the leaf in water until limp and cool it. Apply to skin and wrap with plastic wrap or cohesive bandage or whatever. I would change the dressing 2-3 times a day and trim out the stem of the leaf.
I mentioned washing everything that had the oil on it to keep from reinfecting. I meant the oil of poison ivy. :)
Let us know if it works!
~Mama to Many~
Apple Cider Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide
★★★★★
(Appomattox, Virginia)
04/23/2026
I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar & hydrogen peroxide but I found Marie Originals poison ivy & oak soap. This soap stopped the itching and irritation. It gets rid of the oil in poison ivy. The soap has all natural ingredients. I definitely recommend this soap.
(USA)
04/23/2026
Mike
Two caps full of hydrogen peroxide. Around 14 oz. of baking soda. Put in a bath hot as you can take. 30 min. Soak. Do this one or two times maybe more. One soak a day. Poison Ivy Gone.
Baking Soda
★★★★☆
My children have been really happy with using Fels Naptha for poison ivy. Using it to wash the affected area frequently throughout the day seems to have stopped many cases of poison ivy this summer. However, it won't work if you don't do it!
So, my 10 year old has poison ivy on his hands and has mostly ignored it and now has some blisters on his fingers. We were in the car together for 12 hours (to go visit my dad) and he was getting more and more miserable as the day wore on. I did stop for some fels naptha soap, but that wasn't going to be convenient until the destination and he was needing relief.
So we were driving and I just kept thinking, "Surely baking soda would help." And that is one of the few things I had with me. I mixed up a paste with baking soda and water and applied it to his fingers. He said it stung a tiny bit but it did give immediate relief that lasted for many hours. In fact, when he rinsed it off, he noticed the swelling was reduced as well.
Baking soda has so many amazing applications!
~Mama to Many~
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
★★★★★
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
★★★★★
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
★★★★★
I am not a blogger, this is my first one, so try and bear with me. I got some kind of Poison Something, the doctor was not sure. Anyway I had been in my back woods clearing some brush for a new shed. I got this rash over my arms, stomach, and legs, a small but a bit within 24-48 hours (the doc tells me later it can be up to 10 days before it reacts or appears). I used some Calimine lotion, cortisone creams, oatmeal baths, and some other over colidar oatmeal remedy from over he counter stuff, but within 8 days, I knew I was in trouble. I had not slept much in 4 days. The night before I only got one hour of sleep due to the pain and itching, I wanted to rip the skin off it was so bad, but was being super consious not to scratch. I ended up getting up and putting ice packs over about 10% of my body and that gave about 50% of relief. I am a pretty tough broad, having three children natural child birth, but this was kicking my butt, and I started crying. It was over a long holiday weekend and so I went to urgent care on saturday as I knew due to the holiday I could not get help past today without going to the hospital Sunday or the Holiday and we all know how the waiting goes there. So I went to an urgent care clinic for the first time in my life. The doctor said some parts were infected and put me on antibiotics and prednosone 3 tabs 2 X a day as he said it was really bad, and I was way past any over the counter help. The doc said I was in for a rough ride for the next 24-48 hours while the prednesone started to work, as there was no creams he could give to help and I am allergic to benedryl. I got home still itching so bad I could not take it.
That is where your blog came in... Desperate, I did a search online for natural remedies and yours came up along with one other hot water as hot as I could stand it and (Black tea bath, we will get into later). I quickly procured the baking soda and venegar and got in the shower. I put the water as hot as I could and it burned and itched like crazy on my rash, still I was desperate, but I did it any way. Then I took the baking soda and vinegar and did as described mixed, rubbed on (this burned like crazy too), waited for it to dry, showered off. Then I took the plain vinegar and rubbed it all over the rash. That burned again like crazy. While going through it I thought to myself I hope this was worth it.
Guess what? The itching was almost completely gone, and I mean big gone, I was able to get 6 hours straight sleep, then got up wiped on some more vinegar and went back to bed for two more hours. When I woke in the morning, my itching was bearable for the first time in 9 days.
After getting up, I used a very hot black tea bath which after the initial 10 seconds of burning really helped, followed by the baking soda and vinegar regimine again. I can now at least feel somewhat normal and the rash is drying up and is getting lighter. Also I think the vinegar was partly responsible for the couple of infected parts starting to heal. In a nut shell, number one, don't wait so long to get started on this regimine, it may keep you from the docs office and two, if you can stand the burning, you got the only cure I could find that actually worked.
Thank God for you taking the time to post this blog. It is so appreciated. You saved me from going insane. I hope my first online post will convince someone else to help themselves.
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
★★★★★
(Peterborough, Ontario, Canada)
01/05/2012
★★★★★
I have used baking soda and water and made a paste. It really works I and I could imagine how effective it would be with vinegar added. The biggest thing for me anyways is the relief from the itching especially at night. I found it tolerable at least with no itch. Great advice
Banana Peels
★★★★★
(Ewing, Illinois)
08/08/2008
I am going thru chemo. On my good days, I like to work outside. Got a good case of poison ivy/oak. Will try the natural remedies. The inside of a banana skin, the fels napta soap, the lemon peel. But I think the hot water would open up pores and cause the infection to spread.
EC: From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_ivy
"The oozing fluids released by itching blisters do not spread the poison. The appearance of a spreading rash indicates that some areas received more of the poison and reacted sooner than other areas. The blisters and oozing result from blood vessels that develop gaps and leak fluid through the skin; if the skin is cooled, the vessels constrict and leak less..."
Hello Rosie, with all due respect to the medical field and Wikipedia, I disagree that it can't spread from the fluid in the blisters. Anyone who has ever had a good case of it will probably side with us. When you haven't been outside or petted the pets who have, and the stuff is still spreading a week or more later, it has to be from the rhus in the blisters that got inside the skin to cause the blisters to begin with. I also remember a roofer say that after initially breaking out with poison ivy one night, that after working on a roof throughout the next day and sweating up a storm, he found the poson ivy was gone after that. So apparently you can sweat it out, the same way it entered the skin to begin with. Now for the best thing I have found for this infernal itchy poison ivy, if you have a Dollar Tree or Deal's store go look in the hand lotion, shampoo section for a product put out by Fruit of the Earth called E or Vitamin E with Naturals. It comes in several different ones, but the yellow gel one is the one that I find stops the infernal itching and starts drying it up after the third time of applying it. You can probably find it in health food stores but probably not as cheap as at the above stores. It makes no claims at being anything other than a lotion or gel, but boy do I love this stuff. Just put it on the rash and reapply each time it starts itching again. The naturals in it are like chamomile, comfrey, burdock, etc. If you recognize the plant and know when you have come in contact with it, that's even better. If you go in, wash off, then get good old Apple Cider Vinegar & wet a wash cloth in it and thoroughly wipe everywhere that you think touched it. The acid of the vinegar titrates the alkali of the rhus and you don't break out (I think you probably have to do this within an hour or two of exposure though).
Bark of an Oak Tree
★★★★★
(Cadet, Missouri)
10/04/2008
(Asheville, Nc)
06/26/2010
It works because oak bark is high in tannins. No DMSO is produced by making a tea from bark.
