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wonderwoman
Jul 11, 2006, 2:08 PM
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I need some knowledgable advice. Apparently when we set our tent up in the dark 2 weekends ago in the gunks, we put it down on a patch of mowed poison ivy. Amazingly, it took 4 days for me to come into contact with it and get the blisters.
Now, as I am finally starting to recover, we are packing up our gear for a trip to Squamish and I am terrified to touch our tent or sleeping bags. Does anyone now how long the oils stick around or what I can do to make sure I don't contaminate myself with our gear? How do I wash the tent, and with what? Do I need to use rubber gloves? Do I ask my husband, who is not allergic to do the dirty work?
any info is welcome. I don't want to be all swollen and itchy on our vacation!
Thanks,
Tiff
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bill413
Jul 11, 2006, 2:48 PM
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In reply to: I need some knowledgable advice.
The oils can stick around for a looooonnnnngggg time. You will need to wash them out.
Yes, wear gloves. If your reaction is really severe, yeah, ask your husband - but there are reports of people who have been immune to PI suddenly developing reactions to it. So, he shouldn't rely on his magic aura either.
I would just go thru normal washing procedures with whatever cleanser you prefer to use for the gear, but do it several times. But someone else may have better advice on this last point.
Good luck!
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wanderinfree
Jul 11, 2006, 2:58 PM
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I can't claim to be an expert either, but we went through something similar about a month ago. I would agree with the previous poster. Seems that anything you touched BEFORE you washed the oils off yourself should be considered suspect. So I would say watch out for the clothes you were wearing, the tent, the sleeping bags, your pack, all of it. Gotta wash it all. We forgot about our packs, and I think that may be why we continued to get random tiny patches of rashes for several weeks after.
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rockprodigy
Jul 11, 2006, 3:01 PM
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This won't help your gear, but it will help you, if you touch the oils again:
ZANFEL
It's $40 a tube, but it's worth it.
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olderic
Jul 11, 2006, 3:04 PM
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Make Josh do it. Interestingly I am not too allergic either although if I pull it up with my bare hands (like I sometimes do around the yard) I often do get some.
I would assume it is mainly on the tent bottom and you probably contacted it when you were oacking up the tent. Contrary to the folklore it doesn't immediately leap to everything else within reach and I doubt that what got on your hands really got transfered much further. So I would have Josh spray and scrub the tent floor as much as possible.
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kovacs69
Jul 11, 2006, 3:18 PM
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I have had a little experience with poison ivy. Down here in Texas it seems everywhere you go its there. You can't even put your pack down without it getting all over it. I have actually started hanging my pack on a tree while I am out so I don't get it. As for cleaning your tent. You should use a soap that can break up oil. I find that if I scrub my backpack outside with Dawn dish washing soap it work good.
As for washing it off yourself...you should always start with cold water and soap that breaks up oil. Cold water will wash away the oil without opening up your pores like hot water will do.
Something else I noticed when I was out the other day.
Before I started my hike to the climbing area I sprayed with Off insect repellent. I then changed to my climbing shoe which do not go as far up on my ankles as my hiking shoes. Needless to say...2 days later I had poison ivy on the area where I did not spray with off. I thought about this a come to find out anytime I have had poison ivy it was in a place I missed when I was spraying with off. My thought on this are that the oily film left from the Off keeps the oil from the poison ivy from getting to the my skin.
Just my opinion. Luckily I am not too allergic to poison ivy.
Hope you can get it all cleaned up.
JB
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ericbeyeler
Jul 11, 2006, 3:21 PM
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In reply to: This won't help your gear, but it will help you, if you touch the oils again: ZANFEL It's $40 a tube, but it's worth it.
I'll second that! Zanfel is the only OTC product I've found that really works.
As far as washing, I would use extra detergent to make sure the oils are neutralized. And maybe run an empty load afterwards.
Eric
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tripperjm
Jul 11, 2006, 3:26 PM
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Liquid dish soap, Tecnu or rubbing alcohol can be used to remove the urushiol oil from gear.
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wonderwoman
Jul 11, 2006, 3:46 PM
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Thanks for all the info! I am thinking that I should wash my sleeping bag for the first time. My rash appeared the morning we were packing up - on my ankles, hands, neck, face, legs, stomach and just about everywhere.
I have the loft cleaner from REI and understand that it has to be washed in a front loader, then on medium heat in a dryer with a tennis ball / sneaker. Is that the basics of it?
Thanks for all the help. Josh is out climbing until late, so I may have to handle this myself in order to get everything done in time for Squamish. I have taken 40hrs of training in hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, so I may put my training into practice while handling my gear. I just don't want poison ivy again!
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tgreene
Jul 11, 2006, 3:55 PM
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My partner and I were discussing this Sunday afternoon, as we were trapsing through huge growths of Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac.
One thing that we have been doing, is to carry several packets of Purell sanitary wipes, to wipe our arms and legs immediately after each encounter with these dreaded plants... So far so good!
Just last evening I tossed my rope into the washing machine and used liquid detergent to strip any oils from the rope. My rope bag and slings are next. As for my backpack, I'll probably take it into the shower with some Dawn dish liquid.
Fortunately I rarely ever break out, but I do itch for a few days at a time, so anything that will help to alleviate that is good enough for me.
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bill413
Jul 11, 2006, 4:26 PM
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In reply to: it has to be washed in a front loader... I have taken 40hrs of training in hazardous materials and weapons of mass destruction, so I may put my training into practice while handling my gear. |
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iclimbnova
Jul 11, 2006, 5:36 PM
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In reply to: This won't help your gear, but it will help you, if you touch the oils again: ZANFEL It's $40 a tube, but it's worth it.
Another thing proven useful, which I've used for over 20 years now, is any anti-perspirant containing aluminum chlorohydrate, such as Arid XX Dry Spray (Regular). The aluminum chlorohydrate can help keep the urushiol from irritating your skin.
As always, make sure you wash everything that came it contact with the urushiol to further prevent contamination/irritation.
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gb3985
Jul 21, 2006, 9:38 PM
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I personally tkink that Tecnu is the best thing I have found to remove the PI oils.It works great! After you or your gear has been exposed just follow the directions on the bottle and no more itchy blisters!!!
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justthemaid
Jul 21, 2006, 9:47 PM
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The oil never evaporates. You have to wash the items with soap.
I get a rash if I even look at poison oak/ivy. There's a product called Ivy Block you can get from sporting goods stores to protect your skin if you know you are going to be in a danger zone.
Friend of mine even rubs it on his dog so he doesn't get any transfer.
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