How to Wash Clothes with Poison Ivy to Remove it Completely

Poison ivy is a plant that grows in many parts of the United States, and warmer weather tends to be the time when most people encounter this treacherous plant. Roughly 85% of Americans are allergic to poison ivy, meaning that a simple brush by the plant in your yard, on a hike, when camping, or just when you happen to be near some wild growth, can lead to weeks of painful and itchy rashes.

What Are the Effects of Poison Ivy on Skin?

For those who are allergic to poison ivy, contact with the plant can cause a rash, blisters, redness, or general skin irritation. A poison ivy rash is caused by exposure to a specific oil that the poison ivy plant makes, called urushiol. This oil is very sticky; it attaches to your skin, hair, pet’s fur, and clothing. If you properly clean your body, you’ll begin the process of ridding yourself of the rash. However, don’t touch the clothing before it has been properly cleaned (or better yet, dry cleaned to ensure total removal of the urushiol). You may be interested in learning how to wash poison ivy clothes so that you don’t accidentally start the process all over again. Read ahead to find useful steps for washing clothes with poison ivy & more.

(Learn more about poison ivy and poison oak on the FDA website at https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/outsmarting-poison-ivy-and-other-poisonous-plants)

Simple Steps on How to Remove Poison Ivy from Clothing

Here are a few tips on how to properly clean clothing that has been exposed to poison ivy:

1. Contain Any Clothing Exposed to Poison Ivy

The first step is to put on gloves (vinyl or cotton) and contain any clothing or materials, including apparel, gardening gloves, baskets, containers, and tools, that have come into contact with the poison ivy. This is best done by placing all the garments in a plastic garbage bag immediately so that the fabric doesn’t have time to touch any of your other laundry or furniture. Should you use cotton gloves, they can be thrown into the wash with the affected items.

For your metal, plastic, or other non-fabric items like gardening tools or poison ivy shoes, washing them with very hot water and a good cleaning solution should be enough to get the oil off of them. But for your fabrics, you may find it a little bit harder to remove the oil without a dry cleaner, because the oily substance isn’t water-soluble.

2. Wash Exposed Clothing to Remove Poison Ivy

If you want to give washing your fabrics a go first, we here at Mulberrys have a few tips. First, be sure that you wash all exposed fabrics separately from any other clothing or fabric items. Be sure you continue to wear gloves and long sleeves when handling dirty items.

In order to remove oil as much as possible, you need three things: hot water, a lot of detergent, and a lot of time. You’ll need to put your washer on the hottest setting for the largest load setting, for the longest time setting. This sounds pretty wasteful, but it’s the most efficient way besides dry cleaning to remove poison ivy from clothing. Be sure you use a full scoop of detergent, and don’t fill the washing machine up. The poison ivy clothes need room to be agitated so that all of the oil is exposed.

When you transfer the clothing to a dryer, you need to wear gloves again. The oils from the poison ivy are located in the water in the washing machine. If you are concerned about your washing machine spreading the oil, you may want to carefully wash the machine, or allow it to run empty for one load, before resuming normal laundry.

3. Dry Exposed Clothing to Remove Poison Ivy

Once you’ve finished cleaning the poison ivy clothes, the next step is to dry them. We recommend hanging your garments on a clothesline or dry-rack outside. Your clothes should be free from any poison ivy but as a precaution, it’s best to avoid using your dryer machine to prevent the spread of contamination in the off chance any trace amounts of poison ivy remain. Dry your clothes away from the rest of your laundry and once you’ve worn them without difficulty, you can continue using your washing and drying machines like normal.

4. Consider Dry Cleaning as an Alternative

How to Get Poison Ivy Off Shoes

Poison ivy shoes with toxic oils must be cleaned by hand instead of thrown into the washing machine. Whether the material is leather, wool, or suede, knowing how to get poison ivy off shoes will save you time and energy in the long run.

• Prepare the Shoe – When dealing with poison ivy shoes, always wear thick gloves. Should there be any fresh oil stains, blot the excess with a paper towel. If your shoes have laces or an insole insert, untie and remove them. Once finished, open up the shoe as much as possible by pulling the tongue of the shoe forward.
• Wipe the Shoes With a Cleaning Solution – Combine a mixture of two cups of hot water with two tablespoons of deep cleaning laundry detergent. Using a soft bristle brush, gently scrub the interior and exterior of the shoe, as well as the removable insole. Make sure not to dowse the shoe with too much solution.
• Rinse & Dry – Using clean water, rinse your shoes with a damp paper towel. Allow the shoes ample time to dry in a cool area away from direct sunlight. 

If you have poison ivy shoes, it does not mean they need to be thrown away. By following our steps on how to get poison ivy off shoes, they can become like new once more. Should your shoes require other cleaning services, check out Mulberrys’ shoe shine & repair.