How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy Plants

To best deal with your poison ivy problem, it's important to know how much of the plant is on your property. Your course of action will vary depending on how many plants you have and how big they are.

It's crucial to dig out and/or kill the roots to prevent the plant from continuing to grow. Pull out the roots by firmly grabbing the stem right above the ground. For larger plants, or if the stem breaks, use a shovel or garden trowel to dig out the roots. Be sure to dispose of all roots in a trash bag.

Because it's easy to miss some roots, use one of the methods below to kill what remains. You may need to try multiple methods over time to fully wipe out poison ivy roots. Consider these options:

• Pour boiling water over the area where you've removed the roots.
• Smother the area to prevent any further growth. You can do this by covering it in mulch or cardboard.
• Use homemade herb killer. Mix one gallon of white vinegar with a cup of salt and a tablespoon of dish soap, and pour over the area where you've removed the weeds.

If none of the remedies in Step 3 solved the problem, or you have multiple poison ivy plants, it may be necessary to spray for poison ivy. If you haven't removed the vines or roots, be sure to apply weed killer to both the visible parts of the plant and the ground above where the roots are growing. If you have removed the visible parts of the plant, focus on spraying the ground above the roots. See our article on weed removal for more guidance on selecting and using herbicides.

As with natural methods of killing poison ivy, herbicides may need multiple applications. Check the area regularly to make sure the poison ivy isn't growing back. If it is, follow the steps above to continue to work on killing the plant.

Clean off the shoes you wore while working with poison ivy, being sure to use fresh cleaning gloves to protect your hands from the oils on their surface. Spray down boots with soap and water, throw sneakers in the washing machine with clothes (check washing instructions), or scrub with a mixture of laundry detergent and water. If the garden gloves or rubber gloves you used to handle poison ivy are not machine washable, wash them with soap and water as well.

Still wearing cleaning gloves, wipe down all tools with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar. Be sure to oil tools afterward to avoid rusting. Once you've finished cleaning your tools, dispose of your cleaning gloves.

Thoroughly wash with soap and water to remove any oils from poison ivy. If you think your skin was exposed to the poison ivy plant, use a soap designed to remove urushiol. Rubbing alcohol is a good alternative for small areas that had direct contact with the plant.