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Step 1
To treat poison ivy, the best step is to wash the affected area immediately after contact. If you are prone to poison ivy reactions, watch out for poison ivy leaves in the woods. If you think or know you came into contact with poison ivy leave, immediately wash the area with soap and water. You can wash up to 50% of the oil away within the first 10 minutes of contact.
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Step 2
If you do not catch the poison ivy in time, you will develop a rash. Once you have a rash, you cannot spread poison ivy to others. The rash will last around 2 weeks. Most creams and ointments do not shorten the length of time the rash is present.
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Step 3
Scratching the rash will not spread poison ivy to other areas of your body. If the itching sensation is too much for you to handle, place calamine lotion on the affected regions.
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Step 4
For a home remedy, try applying the crushed leaves of jewelweed. Jewelweed is found in damp regions and is pretty easy to locate. You can also take Benadryl to reduce your allergic reaction.
