If you work outside, then you definitely have come into contact with one of the gardener’s worst nemesis: poison ivy. While not everyone is allergic to poison ivy, most people are, and the rash that accompanies exposure to the plant’s oils is painful and can even be dangerous. There are many ways to remove poison ivy, but if you need to pull it out of a garden bed or path, and don’t want to go through all the trouble of donning your hazmat suit or hiring a tractor to come dig it out (both legitimate, though potentially extreme measures to take), then you’ll want to see our recommendation for a better way to remove poison ivy effectively, safely, and quickly.

How to Remove Poison Ivy

Follow the below instructions to learn how to easily and effectively remove poison ivy.

Materials needed:

Plastic bag, such as a newspaper comes in.

Instructions:

1. Locate your poison ivy. Be sure the area is clear before you get close. You don’t want to accidentally blunder into the very thing you are trying to avoid!
2. Put your hand in the plastic bag, making sure there are no holes, and extend it to cover as much of your arm as possible. Wearing a long sleeve shirt is a good idea, too.
3. With your hand in the plastic bag, remove the poison ivy. Try to pull out the roots as much as possible. You can repeat this process a few times until you have a good handful of poison ivy.
4. Carefully turn the bag inside out, pulling the poison ivy such that it stays inside the bag.
5. Tie it off, and dispose!
6. Make sure to wash your hands and arms with a something that breaks up oil like a dish soap.

More info:

When they come upon poison ivy, many people reach for an herbicide. There has been much debate about the health and effectiveness of using these products, such as Round Up. See if Round Up is right for you in this article.