Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac

**cat lover** · #1 (**permalink**) 02-06-2012, 10:23 AM

I'm getting all my remedies together since the weather has been so warm as I think all these itchy plants are going to be a problem this year since we have a couple of people staying here for now that aren't use to being in the woods and watching WHAT they touch!

Here are some of my home remedies we prepare and use as needed that really work for us! Most of these you probably have in your home already!

OATMEAL

Make a small bowl of unflavored oatmeal and let it cool to room temperature. Apply the paste to the rash and let it dry. Then rinse off with warm water.

BAKING SODA

Mix 3 tsp of baking soda with 1 tsp water to form a thick paste. Lightly apply the paste to the rash and let it dry. Rinse off with warm water.

EPSOM SALT

Make a paste to use as a topical remedy or take a hot soak with the salt added to the bath. Magnesium sulfate helps reduce swelling and draws moisture out of the rash.

**AnnaInOhio** · #2 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 03:40 AM

I heard on the news this morning, people are thinking they have colds when actually it's early season allergies because we've had such warm weather here in Ohio.

Poison Ivy and Oak...

Pine Tar Soap,look for it at health food stores or online. My dh and his mother were both severely allergic to it and it was so entangled in mil's hedges every time one of them tried to trim the hedges they'd. get it on them. I started out buying it at a health food store then learned to make it myself, it is oddly enough my best seller in soaps.

Anna

**cat lover** · #3 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 04:28 AM

Pine Tar soap is great! Yes, it has an odd odor while using it, but it doesn't leave that smell on you so don't let that scare you! lol We get it locally at a farm store and DH uses it almost all year because he likes it so much! I think I have 11 bars in the cabinet! lol I buy a few at a time because it is more expensive than regular soap so a few at a time leads up to him having enough on stock all the time without running out! I never thought about making it myself... guess I need to look into that!

**AnnaInOhio** · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2012, 02:38 AM

Catlover

While I don't give out my recipes, I can tell you a little bit of Pine Tar goes a long way in a batch of soap. I use 3 Tbs. per 6 lb. batch of goat milk soap. I add it towards the end of making my soap and I use a electric hand blender ( I forget what those things are called but they are a stick) to blend everything, so much faster than hand stirring though I do start my batches out by hand with a stainless steel spoon then use the stick blender.

And a note to those thinking about making soaps.. I would not start out with pine tar, start with just a basic unscented soap till you get a feel for what you are doing. Adding fo's or pine tar, till you know what to expect from your soaps it'll save you alot of money doing it natural so that you can see what to expect as you are making soap. Pine Tar in its natural form is very strong and thick, it takes alot of experimenting to get it just right. And Catlover is right, it doesn't smell that great, certainly doesn't smell like pine, LOL!

Anna

**ajrsmom** · #5 (**permalink**) 02-10-2012, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnaInOhio

I heard on the news this morning, people are thinking they have colds when actually it's early season allergies because we've had such warm weather here in Ohio.

Anna

Yes...yes...yes!!! You are so right - especially in the southern states where this year it's hasn't been cold enough to kill off the outside allergens. Like many people here, I've developed an allergy toward outdoor (and indoor) mold. We've had an extreme amount of rain and warmer weather this winter so outdoor mold is running rampant right now. Our trees are actually starting to get buds on them so that means that tree allergies are starting, too, along with pollen problems. (another big allergy problem for me.)

I've been to the doc. twice in the last few months for allergy problems - instead of a straight up sinus infection this time around, the infection first settled in my left eye and then went into my sinus cavities, down my face and into my throat. So much fun to deal with. My doc prescribed new allergy pills + a nasal spray for me.

I used to complain about our northern winters but now the warmer winters are more of a problem for me. You know what they say..."Be careful what you wish for!"