Firewood and Poison Ivy

[babybart]

I don't get it. I was cutting a cherry tree back a few years ago that was covered in it. My brother was in the vicinity cutting on a different tree. That was a Saturday, by Monday he was red from head to toe and everywhere in between just from the dust in the air. His work sent him home with pay because nobody would get near him.

 

[SuperDuty04]

My dad can lay and roll around in it and jt doesn't phase him. Wish I'd got that gene.

 

[husqvarna257]

My dad can lay and roll around in it and jt doesn't phase him. Wish I'd got that gene.

My Father could play in it, I can look at it and it's over.
Best I can do is to shower with dish detergent right away. I can get it off the dog .

 

[lone wolf]

Hey all,

I've got a tortuous situation out in the woodlot. Big ol' dead ash tree is just waiting for me to bring 'er down, but it has a poison ivy vine that's crawled about 4' up the trunk.

I'm horribly sensitive to poison ivy. direct contact with leaves/vines gives me massive raw blisters, and contact through clothes will still leave me with a 2-week rash.

Any ideas as to how I can purify this thing so I can fell and buck it? Also: share poison ivy firewood stories.

Yes stay away from it or you will be sorry!

 

[ericm979]

Cut the vine at the base with a machete or axe. Remove the rest of the vine with a pickaroon or rake. Clean those tools with gasoline or alcohol and a rag. Throw the rag away.

Fall and buck the tree in the cold of winter when you are wearing gloves and thick clothes. Roll the rounds away from the stump so when the vine comes back it can’t climb them . Leave any part of the tree that had ivy lay for a year to give the elements a chance to neutralize any ivy oil that managed to stay on the tree.

I'm very sensitive to poison oak, which has the same active ingredient urushiol. This above is how I'd do it. But also when you finish working on that part of the tree, wash exposed skin with Dawn 2-3 times, scrubbing long and hard (that was mentioned in this thread too). The poison oak or ivy branches and stems contain urushiol just like leaves do, but when the leaves are off there's a lot less plant area to get it on you. So winter's the time to get into it.

I set aside a pair of loppers for dealing with PO. I can cut it with them or use the loppers to pick up pieces and put them somewhere safe.

 

[svk]

I'm very sensitive to poison oak, which has the same active ingredient urushiol. This above is how I'd do it. But also when you finish working on that part of the tree, wash exposed skin with Dawn 2-3 times, scrubbing long and hard (that was mentioned in this thread too). The poison oak or ivy branches and stems contain urushiol just like leaves do, but when the leaves are off there's a lot less plant area to get it on you. So winter's the time to get into it.

I set aside a pair of loppers for dealing with PO. I can cut it with them or use the loppers to pick up pieces and put them somewhere safe.

I forgot to mention, strip down and put all of your clothes in the washer on hot to remove any residual oil.

 

[Philbert]

Philbert

 

[unclemoustache]

Disposable coveralls.

I tried a new technique recently- covered any exposed skin (neck and wrists) with vaseline. I figured a layer of goop would keep the urishiol away from my skin until I showered.
Did my cutting, got home and stripped and showered and never got anything on me.
I will definitely do that again, even though it was greasy and messy.

 

[Levi of the North]

Thanks for the ideas folks. I'll have to take another look at it and see whether a combination of covering/washing and judicious vine removal will mitigate the risk enough. I'm pretty sure it's just the first 4' of the tree that are contaminated. It's leaning over my firewood trail, so I'll have to deal with it one day regardless.

One thing that I find helps with bad poison ivy blisters - Gold Bond foot powder. I'll shake it onto any bad weeping/raw areas and then bandage it. Keeps it dry and reduces the discomfort a bit.

 

[Philbert]

Post a photo of the tree in the 'Free Firewood' section of your local CraigsList, and be out of town that week?

Philbert

 

[SuperDuty04]

Sounds like ya got no choice. Just bundle of good and if ya get it, go to the doc snd get a shot. It'll go away quick.

 

[all go no show]

Roundup

 

[SamT1]

It doesn’t bother me at all, but I’ve never thought about it maybe hurting a customer who handles the wood it was wrapped around later.

will it burn if you took a pear burner to it?

 

[Blue Oaks]

My Father could play in it, I can look at it and it's over.
Best I can do is to shower with dish detergent right away. I can get it off the dog .

We had a tall black lab that easily jumped the 6 foot fences. Well, he'd go up in the hills across the street and get poison oak all over him, then come jump back into the yard, no big deal. Then we'd get home from school and wrestle the dog. Woke up with my eyes swollen shut a couple times.

 

[svk]

My brother in law's cocker spaniel would do that. He kept getting rash on the inside of his legs and couldn't figure it out. He sat on the couch in shorts and the dog would always curl up on the floor between his legs.

 

[cantoo]

SamT1, Not a good idea to burn the brush, tree or plants. I don't think I would even try burning it in an indoor furnace or fireplace.
From Google.
If poison ivy is burned and the smoke then inhaled, this rash will appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty. If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract and airways will be affected, in some cases causing death.
Poison ivy - ScienceDaily

 

[SamT1]

SamT1, Not a good idea to burn the brush, tree or plants. I don't think I would even try burning it in an indoor furnace or fireplace.
From Google.
If poison ivy is burned and the smoke then inhaled, this rash will appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty. If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract and airways will be affected, in some cases causing death.
Poison ivy - ScienceDaily

I’m not sure I believe that, since it’s from Wikipedia. I’d think burning would destroy the chemicals. But I really don’t know. It’s never had any effect on me so I’ve got no idea.

 

[Philbert]

I got PI once from the smoke.

Someone threw some pieces of thick vines into a campfire (winter - no leaves).

Not saying that it can't be incinerated under controlled conditions, but a simple brush fire can distribute it in the smoke.

Philbert

 

[cantoo]

SamT1, I've never gotten it from burning but I'm not aware that I ever burnt much though. I've heard of people getting it on their throat by getting it on their hands and then eating apple, sandwich or whatever and getting the oil that way. One of the easiest way to get it is off animal fur, the oil sticks to the fur and the person rubs the animal and they get it.
Lots of sources advise not inhaling ivy smoke. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265375.php#symptoms

 

[gdrew888]

Burn it...tiger torch.