Garden tools are precious instruments for gardeners. They get the job done, which is why the maintenance and safe placement of garden tools are essential for good gardening. Poison Ivy can sometimes be the root cause of the destruction of garden tools followed by many other things, but there’s a way.
A tried and tested way is to place the infected tools in soapy water, i.e., if the tools are not power tools. Make sure that your hand and body are covered enough, so none of the tools end up coming in contact with you. Leave the tools for 15 minutes and use strong water pressure from the hose to scrub and wash it away.
What is poison ivy?
Poison Ivy is a plant that can cause rashes, redness, and inflammation. It is mostly grown as vines or low shrubs, but getting into contact with poison ivy can be dangerous. The oily resin in the leaves, stems, and roots of the plant has properties that can cause rash and allergy.
Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are not poisonous, but their effects on the body can be pretty harmful. The poison ivy plant is the only one that has three leaves. It has a textured and hairy surface. Poison sumac can also grow in clusters and can be even more harmful.
What is the necessary preparation required before you remove poison ivy from tools?
Removing poison ivy from tools is something that should be dealt with all the necessary precautions. Doing so will keep you safe, and you will have a better chance of cleaning the poison ivy from your tools. So, what are the steps that should be followed?
1. Dress with care
The first step in preparation for tool cleaning is to dress with caution and care. There are a few things that this entails. Wear dresses that will save you from even the minutest exposure to poison ivy. It will include wearing full-sleeved shirts, full-length trousers, rubber gloves, long boots, and some sort of protection for the eyes as well. All of this will ensure that poison ivy will not be touching any surface on your body directly.
2. Use a lotion
Better safe than sorry is real with poison ivy. Rub an antiseptic lotion on areas that have even the slightest chances of exposure from poison ivy.
What is the aftercare once the tools have been cleaned?
There are a few simple steps that, when followed, will make sure that you stay safe after you are done with cleaning your garden tools.
1. Change clothes
As a safety precaution, it is better to get rid of all your clothes once you are done with the task. Additionally, it is wise to wash those clothes separately and not mix them with the other ordinary laundry of the house.
2. Wash hands thoroughly
Secondly, as a safety precaution, make sure that your hands are thoroughly cleaned after you are done with the tools task. You can wash your hands with lukewarm water and soap to remove the residue if any is left on them. Subsequently, if a good hand soap is not in the vicinity, use dishwashing liquid as an alternative option.
What are the different ways to clean poison ivy from garden tools?
Many gardeners use a variety of different techniques to clean poison ivy from their tools. Some of the tried and tested methods are mentioned below.
1. Warm water and soap or detergent
One most used technique to get rid of poison ivy from garden tools is with a combination of warm water and liquid soap or detergents. Make sure you are using good water pressure so that everything can be scraped off from the garden tools. Leaving tools in warm water with soap for 10 – 15 minutes will help in easing the layer of poison ivy off from the tools.
Adding a strong detergent can be useful. It will help in cutting through the layer of grease and oil to remove all the oils from the tools.
2. Using isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol, also commonly known as rubbing alcohol, can be easily found in drug stores and hardware stores. Using isopropyl alcohol to give a thorough and quick clean to your garden tools is also a good idea. But make sure that you are still adequately covered and you have rubber gloves on your hands. Simple latex gloves will not do the job as the oil can penetrate the skin through them.
This way, you can easily get rid of all the poison ivy on your garden tools and store them in good condition for next time use.
What should be done if your skin comes in contact with poison ivy?
Even with all the precautions in place, there are chances that the skin can come into contact with poison ivy. Knowing the necessary details to deal with such a situation can be helpful.
1. Wash with soap and water
If your skin has come into contact with poison ivy, then the first thing to do is to give it a clean and thorough wash with soap and warm water. You can also use dishwashing liquid as an alternative to hand soap. Immediate cleaning with soap and water will stop the oil of the poison ivy from getting deep into your skin.
2. Using rubbing alcohol
If you have some rubbing alcohol on hand, then use it. Simply rub it on the affected area, and you can also rinse the skin with it. However, make sure not to leave the rubbing alcohol on your skin as it can dry out the skin very quickly.
Poison ivy is a problem that many gardeners have been dealing since a long time. The information about the characteristics and properties of poison ivy, along with recommendations on dealing with it, is always helpful. Poison ivy contains an oil that is known as urushiol. It can be the prime cause of dermatitis. So, keeping safe while cleaning garden tools infected with poison ivy is something that will never go out of style.