How to Get Rid of Poison Ivy

Poison ivy causes rashes when you come in contact with them. It is better you stay away from them as they tend to have quite a severe impact on you. A word of caution is in order, indeed, before we discuss the actions that need to be taken to get rid of poison ivy.
When it comes to tackling poison ivy in your own backyard, try not to expose too much skin. It is only through physical contact that rashes and other undesired problems arise. So this would mean gloves, full-length pants and full sleeved shirts are safety requirements before you start to battle against poison ivy.
The oil on the surface of the leaves causes the rash. This oil often tends to stick on to the body, when exposed to the plant, causing severe rashes. The rash can be very itchy and can spread rapidly in no time. Scratching could create a wound that could be infected badly. The oil can even permeate through cloth or shoes and even sometimes through air. Therefore, you have to be careful while handling them. This leaves you in a bit of quandary. The procedures on how to handle them and are listed below. The methods implemented can be successful only if the process is repeated over a period of time.
The organic method of getting rid of poison ivy would mean to pull the plant out by its roots.
Never burn the roots. Throw them away without any delay. Burning of any part of the poison ivy plant could cause poisonous fumes in the air and cause severe health problems. It can be more severe than the rash caused due to skin contact.
The other natural method of eliminating poison ivy is to smother it. Smothering the plant means cutting the plant back close to the ground level and then placing cardboard or newspaper or tarps or even carpets on top of it. Any covering can be used on top of the plant after smothering.
The only thing you will always have to keep in mind is that poison ivy remains toxic even after you adopt these methods to eliminate them. So you ought to be careful every time you handle the plant. Disposing the roots in a safe place is vital. The smothered dead vines should also be dispatched.
Yet another method to get rid of poison ivy is by using herbicides. Gly-phosphate based herbicides in the form of roundup sprays can be used to battle poison ivy.
Triclopyr based herbicides, like the Ortho Brush B-Gon, can be used effectively as well.
Herbicides of these varieties kill a great deal of woody plants apart from the torturous poison ivy. They might even damage other plants so you should be careful while using them. Do not keep the herbicide near your favorite plant.
If you adopt the spraying technique to kill the poison ivy plants, this is what you will need to do.
1. Get a tank sprayer and mix the product and water in right proportions as instructed.
2. Make sure there is not much wind outside by checking the forecast at repeated intervals. Do not spray if the forecast is not going your way.
3. Choose a day when the poison ivy has leafed out completely.
4. Spray the herbicide heavily on the leaves and vines if the poison ivy plant tends to grow on the ground or on the wall. Spraying should be according to instructions. Also, make sure you are well protected while spraying.
5. For the plants climbing up a tree, paint the herbicide on them in such a way that the tree is not harmed to a great extent. Adjust the sprayer in a suitable manner.