What's your best cure for PI??

[jrider]

If you have it bad and you want it gone, prednisone.

 

[MasterBlaster]

If you can wash within 15 minutes, you can usually prevent a reaction. I always keep some Dawn on the truck for just that... and wasp nests. But, even plain water will still help.

 

[brenndatomu]

I spent this whole spring taking down a row of fence line trees that were coated with PI. Even with long sleeves and gloves I managed to get it (I didn't used to get it at all) I bought a bar of Poison Ivy Soap (I know, real original name right?)(poisonivysoap daught com) at my local ACE hardware, it seemed to knock things back to a level I could live with (since I already had it) Like others have said, I have heard good things about Technu, and I think they now have a wipe you can take to the woods with you too...
The directions say that you can use Poison Ivy Soap to remove the oil even after you have a reaction, or use it immediately after exposure to prevent, (I know, too late for you) Between the soap every day and some Calamine lotion, I made it though my ordeal with out too much scratchin
I think many GOOD mechanics hand cleaners will knock the PI oil off, I could be wrong on that. We use Magic Soap at work (best hand cleaner I have EVER used, and I've tried many!) I think it's made in Cleveland Ohio? Ground up walnut shells or something like that, anyways, it works! I believe that helped the PI on my hands n arms to clear up even faster. All natural, could bathe with it if ya hadtah.
Also, do not reinfect yourself or give it to the rest of the house via your laundry. Supposedly Fels Naptha bar laundry soap (available at many stores including a lot a farm supply stores) will clean the oils from your clothes and skin too. I've heard (but not tried) many things to sooth the irritated skin... Aloe Vera, a paste made of baking soda, Jewel weed, a Oatmeal paste are a few things that I can remember right off the bat. Google DIY PI remedy and/or DIY PI soap, lots comes up. Feel better Spidey!

 

[olyman]

Remember! Cotton kills![/QUOTE]
eggsplain dat.....??

 

[woodchuck357]

No cure advice but just a little tale I overheard while sitting in a local café.
It seems this young man (Tommy) suspected one of his friends and Tommy's wife (Jordan) were getting a little to friendly when they studied together. Tommy worked the evening shift while taking some classes at the community college. The friend and Jordan were going to the local University and rode to school together.
One evening Tommy left for work shortly after the friend arrived for a study session. As he walked by the friends pickup he noticed a patch of poison ivy growing next to the driveway. Knowing that the friend didn't break out with poison ivy and that Jordan did, he grabbed a hand full, crushed it and ran his hands over his friends steering wheel. He then hollered for his friend to come move his truck.
Two days later he was applying calamine lotion to some interesting areas of Jordan's body while planning his divorce.

 

[mallardman]

I've always had the best luck with ivy dry.

 

[Red Elm]

Bathe with Fels-Naptha bar soap after exposure. If you have an outbreak wash area several times a day w Fels and HOT water. Sharing that remedy has helped alot of people over the years.

Ticks and chiggers don't care much for it either if you use it in the bath/shower immediately upon coming home .

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's cool, but any old soap will do. Really. They just want you to but the stuff, a gimmick.

 

[Red Elm]

Its a laundry bar soap, never advertised for PI. No, not all soap works. The homemade lye soap I make w lard, lye and water doesn't because it has an oil (lard) base.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cool. But when push comes to shove and all you have is a garden hose, scrub away! Scrub away!

 

[Red Elm]

I dont get it, I gotta experiment on my little lady, haha!

 

[Streblerm]

If you have it bad then go to the doctor and get a dose of steroids.

As far as cleaning up after exposure, I have found that the greasy waterless hand cleaner (gojo) works just as well as Tecnu at a fraction of the cost. If I am out in the woods I'll strip down to my shorts and wash my self thoroughly with the stuff and wipe off with a towel before getting in my truck. You don't want the stuff with pumice!

 

[Whitespider]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I've heard a few things I didn't know about and/or never tried... and I've heard a few things I've already tried.
I'd only do the doctor thing as a last resort... I'm thinkin' the Tecnu thing is worth a shot.
*

 

[Red Elm]

Several years ago my wife kept getting it over and over all one summer. Id tell her "I showed you what it looks like now stay away from it". To which she would reply, "I haven't been around it". Late in the summer we were telling an older logging couple about that and the wife started laughing, she looked at me and said "you don't get it do you"? I answered "no". She turned to my wife and said " you're getting it when you do the laundry off of his clothes. He doesn't get it so he wades right through it, the oil is all over his jeans"! The same thing had happened to that couple.

I've been warshing my own work clothes ever since.

 

[Torch68]

In the Late Spring when the leaves are full of oil I harvest a half bushel or so, fry them up in butter and salt and have them as an appetizer does the trick.

 

[MasterBlaster]

And DON'T EVER let the juice from a fresh cut vine hit you! BLISTERS!

 

[Red Elm]

In the Late Spring when the leaves are full of oil I harvest a half bushel or so, fry them up in butter and salt and have them as an appetizer does the trick.

Half bushel? Dang they must be GOOD!!!

 

[cheeves]

I used the poison ivy cream from wal mart. It worked ok. Now, every summer when the staghorn sumac berries get ripe (they get a dust on them) I make a tea out of the berries and I have not had a poison ivy in over 3 years even though I am exposed nearly every day. This is my secret, so tell anyone.

Hi Eddie!!

 

[cheeves]

Prednisone pac!!!

 

[flyboy553]

I use starting fluid. Works every time

Ted