Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Find the best natural remedies for poison ivy, oak, and sumac in your cabinets, starting with oatmeal and honey and source jewelweed and plantain from your yard.
by Kristi Cook
If you spend much time outdoors, you’re certain to encounter poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac. One small encounter with any of these plants, and you’ll be gifted with a burning, painfully itchy rash in as little as 12 hours after exposure. The good news is there are plenty of soothing herbals to assist with the discomforts associated with the rash. Even better, these herbals are easy to locate, prepare, and apply.
Prevention is Best
These three notable plants are members of the cashew, or sumac, family (Anacardiaceae) and contain a rash-producing substance called urushiol. This oily substance is present in every part of all three species — leaves, stems, branches, flowers, berries, and even the smallest root — regardless of the season. While direct contact is the most common method of transmission, urushiol may also be transmitted to skin indirectly. Contaminated tools, guns, tires, ladders, even animal fur and feathers, easily transfer the oil to skin upon contact.
If you think you may have been exposed, it’s best to remove all clothing and shoes as carefully as possible. Throw washables into the washer and wash with detergent and warm water. Items that can’t be washed, such as shoes, tools, or equipment, can be wiped down with rubbing alcohol. Then, throw yourself in the shower (NOT a bath) and wash with cool water and soap. Rinse several times to avoid leaving any residue behind.
Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Rashes
Despite our best efforts, however, many of us continue to be tortured at least once a year with the irritating, burning itch of poison ivy, oak, or sumac. While it’s certainly possible to ease the suffering with Benadryl or anti-itch creams, natural remedies do exist and work quite well. The next time you feel that burning sensation, try one of these treatments before heading out to the store.
Oats: Of all the natural options available, my favorite go-to for extremely painful rashes is a nice, thick paste of oatmeal. To make the paste, cook a small but thick batch of oatmeal and allow it to cool. Old-fashioned, rolled, and instant oats all work equally well for the paste. The goal is to have it super thick once cooled. Then, gently smear the cooled paste over the affected area and cover it with a gauze or clean cloth. Allow to dry. Repeat as needed.
Honey: Known for its antimicrobial properties, a layer of raw, unfiltered honey slathered across rashes works wonders to soothe inflammation and itchy, burning skin. It’s not necessary to use the highest-priced honey. Any raw, unfiltered honey will do, whether it’s clover, wild flower, or another variety.
The application is identical in most cases, regardless of the severity of the rash. The process is as simple as slathering on oatmeal directly on the affected site and covering with a non-absorbent material to keep it in place and off of clothing and surroundings and to keep hungry bugs, cats, and dogs away. Change dressings at least twice per day, more often depending on the severity.
Oats and honey: What do you get when you combine the first two ingredients? Oats and honey paste. You don’t cook the oats into a paste in this case. Instead, pulverize the oats in a processor until powdery and combine with raw, unfiltered honey until a thick paste forms. Then, dress the same as previously stated and repeat as needed.
I’ve found that this variation of the two aforementioned remedies is less messy, takes less time to prepare, and works just as well as each one separately. This mixture can also be applied to a warm bath or soak to ease the discomfort even on those areas where bandaging isn’t an option.
Witch Hazel: Witch hazel is good for anything that itches. A few sprays of quality witch hazel will relieve the itching and swelling, whether a bug bite or urushiol-induced rash. Sprays are especially helpful when applying a sticky paste and wrapping isn’t convenient.
However, sprays aren’t the only application option. Witch hazel’s anti-inflammatory and soothing properties are so well-known that it’s the primary, if not the only, ingredient in many medicated hemorrhoid pads and other salves intended for inflamed venous tissues. These pads are easily made at home by filling a sealable container with cosmetic pads and then pouring enough witch hazel into the container for all of the pads to soak up the liquid. Apply pads to affected areas as needed for relief.
Jewelweed and Plantain: I combine these two gems because they both enjoy hanging around the same areas as poison ivy and oak, often hugging right up against their poisonous neighbors. These two herbals are simple to identify and are most often chewed or crushed and applied as a poultice to the affected area. You can find extracts and other preparations for both of these little herbs; however, fresh is often considered best, as many of the soothing qualities are lost in the drying process.
No matter how hard we try to avoid poison ivy, oak, and sumac, we’ll inevitably find ourselves, at some point, begging for mercy as intensely inflamed skin lesions disturb our every waking thought. And while it’s perfectly acceptable to down the Benadryl and slather on the Cortisone creams, plenty of natural remedies are also available.
Many of these herbals may already reside in your kitchen pantry while others likely live out their days around your yard or amongst the trees and fields nearby. So, anytime that painful burning begins, don’t hesitate to reach out to your natural allies to battle the fire of the rash. What do you get when you combine the first two ingredients? Oats and honey paste. You don’t cook the oats into a paste in this case. Instead, pulverize the oats in a processor until powdery and combine with raw, unfiltered honey until a thick paste forms. Then, dress the same as previously stated and repeat as needed.
few key features.
Identifying Poison Ivy Vs. Poison Oak
Poison ivy and oak are especially adept at disguising their identity. They take the form of both shrubs and vines, and their leaves can range from light to dark green, glossy to dull, and hairy to hairless with smooth or saw-toothed margins. To keep things interesting, these tricksters occasionally produce an extra leaf or two just to keep us on our toes. However, many traits are consistent throughout these two groups of plants, making identification much easier.
Look for groups of three leaves along each branch, stem, or vine. Single leaves, pairs of leaves, five leaves, or any other number of leaves are usually signs of impostors.
Each leaf attaches to a single stem at the same location, creating a compound leaf made of three leaflets. If you see three leaves that connect even a few millimeters apart, it’s not a compound leaf and not poison ivy or oak.
The middle (terminal) leaflet will have a noticeably longer stalk (petiole) than the two side leaflets, which may appear to be stalkless. If all three leaflets are stalkless, or stalks are all the same length, it’s not poison ivy or oak.
Locate any leaflet’s main vein, which runs directly down the middle. Lateral veins radiating from this central vein should be somewhat staggered in an alternate pattern (however, because poison ivy and oak like to play tricks, you may have to observe several leaflets, because they will often produce a few leaves that don’t have an alternate pattern). If you see that all of the leaves have an opposite pattern or run directly across from each other, it’s not poison ivy or oak.
Compound leaves will be attached to the branches or vine in an alternate pattern. If you see clumps of leaves at the base, whorled around a branch in a circle, or directly opposite one another, it’s not poison ivy or oak.
Leaf stems look a lot like celery stalks at the point that they connect to the branch or vine. Like celery, you can see where the leaf would easily ‘peel’ off the branch. Unfortunately, this trait is more readily visible on larger plants and is often indistinguishable on young specimens.
In spring, look for clusters of white to pale green flowers dangling from leaf axils (angle created where the leaf stem connects to the branch or vine). In late summer to early fall, these flowers will be followed by drupes, or dangling clusters, of off-white, pea-sized berries resembling peeled clementines with indentations creating segments around the entire berry.
If only a vine is visible, look for aerial roots so prolific the vine appears to be covered in coarse hair (although, this isn’t always present). Poison ivy or oak vines will climb straight up, or maybe a little zigzagged, but will never twine around an object.
Kristi Cook lives in Arkansas where every year brings something new to her family’s journey for a more sustainable lifestyle. She keeps a flock of laying hens, dairy goats, a rapidly growing apiary, a large garden, and more. When she’s not busy with the critters and veggies, you can find her sharing sustainable living skills through her workshops and articles.
Originally published in the July/August 2024 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
