Dealing With Poison Ivy Safely

Handle Poison Ivy Carefully

Dress Properly...To remove poison ivy plants from a yard or garden cover up completely, regardless of the heat.

Wear skin_lotion_gloves and/or heavy_duty_gloves -- vinyl or Nitrile, not rubber--to pull plants. The plastic bags that protect newspapers are useful for covering hands and forearms. Discard after use.

Wear long sleeves and pants. Wear shoes, not sandals. Do not allow any part of the plant to touch your skin.

Wash all tools, shoes and fabric that have come in contact with the plant as the toxic oils persist on non-organic substances for up to six months.

Wrap plant stems, leaves and roots in plastic and throw them in the trash. Do not burn or shred uprooted plants, because the smoke is also toxic.

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