About Poison ivy...

[kor01]

(If this is the wrong place to post this topic sorry, but I saw other topics about poison ivy posted here so I assumed I could post this here.)

I had to bring it a tree branch for school, I forgot about it until the morning of school so before I left I quickly just grabbed a branch off a tree with a few leaves on and shoved it in my backpack without paying much attention to what I grabbed... turns out I grabbed poison ivy >_<

So, of course now I have poison ivy... BUT, what I want to know is, since I had the plant in my backpack, will I have to throw out my backpack and stuff too? I also had a few folders in there for school, will I have to get rid of them also? AND, would I have to get rid of anything _else_ I put in the backpack _after_ the poison ivy was in my backpack? If so... well... that is going to be a huge hassle... I really hope not.

Any help?

 

[beenthere]

Welcome to the forum.
Don't know the answers for sure, but I'd wash with soap and water whatever else you can wash.

What you cannot wash, then at least wash your hands with soap within two hours of handling the item.

I often walk in poison ivy with my work boots. I don't wash them, but have to tie the laces every time I put them on. So far, washing my hands after tying the boot lacess has kept me from getting poison ivy outbreaks for about 25 years now.

In 1975, I had a similar experience. I ran into a short 'tree' in the woods and couldn't identify it. So I broke off a branch, and as you, I carried it to work the next day. A fellow at work, who was an expert at identification, opened his eyes wide when I just walked in his office with it. Three leaves he said, poison ivy he said, get out of here.
I had a bad case of it that time. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Good luck with yours and your items.

 

[BlueRidge]

It's the oil in the plant that causes the problem, so you probably have it all over your backpack. It can be washed off, but do you really want to take that chance?

If you DO decide to wash it, I wouldn't have anything else in the machine with it, and I'd run a hot water cycle with the machine empty before I'd put anything else in.

No, I wouldn't. I'd throw away the backpack!

 

[kor01]

Ok, but the folders and everything that was in the backpack -- would they be fine? I mean, could the oils in the backpack rub off onto the folders and whatever else was in it?

 

[BlueRidge]

Bad news, young friend. It's oil - it can go anywhere. Be careful.

 

[DocHeb]

I would wipe the outside of the folders with a cleaner such as Simple Green, and would run the backpack through the washer.

 

[woodchuckie]

Once the oil dries it's nearly impossible to get off of anything. You have two hours to wash it off before it dries. Once it dries it has to wear off. I don't think you can get it from the oil after it has dried on objects. So I would think your backpack is safe.

 

[Code54]

There is a product out their called Tec Nu - it is a posion Ivy cleaner for you and it can be used for items. It somehow breaks down that type of oil and allows it to be washed off. Pleases like Rite Aid mostly carry it in the anti itch area of the store. You may want to look into that as an option. I have cleaned items with it and it seemed to work. it is not cheap but it is under $10.00 so it is worth it not to get posion ivy. Good luck

 

[kor01]

So you can't get the oil on you from products it's already dried onto? Hmm...

And I'll look into that product. Turns out you cannot put my backpack in the washer, you have to clean it manually with your hand x_x

 

[txdon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( "I also had a few folders in there for school, will I have to get rid of them also?" )</font>

That's a new one!!! You get the originality award this year!

It beats the old "dog ate my homework" excuse. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif