How to Use Salt Water or Soap to Kill Poison Ivy

Distinctive poison ivy leaves.

If you get poison ivy, whether directly or through clothing or a pet that has had contact with it, you'll likely have a red, itchy, swollen and rapidly spreading rash. If you have this nuisance in your yard, but are adverse to using chemical herbicides, there are safe, natural solutions. Rid your yard of poison ivy with a spray made with a simple salt water or soap solution.

Things You'll Need

• 2 one-half gallon spray containers
• 1 gallon water
• 1 cup table salt or 1 cup liquid soap
• 1/8 cup orange oil (optional)
• Large pot
• Weed-cutting tool
• Poison ivy skin cleanser

Instructions

1. Wash 2 one-half gallon spray bottles with soap and hot water. Both recipes produce 1 gallon of solution, and dividing it into two bottles makes it easier to handle. Rinse thoroughly and set aside.

2. 

   Combine 1 gallon water, 1 cup table salt and 1/8 cup orange oil (optional) in a large pot. The addition of orange oil helps the solution to cling to the poison ivy leaves, but it is not required to kill the plant. Stir well to thoroughly combine.

   Or, combine 1 gallon water and 1 cup liquid soap in a large pot. Stir vigorously to mix.

3. Pour your chosen solution into your two spray bottles. Seal the caps tightly.

4. Spray your chosen solution on the poison ivy. If the poison ivy is in a tree or other plant, cut the vine with a weed-cutting tool.

5. Watch for the poison ivy to come back, as it will typically sprout one more time after the first spray application. Once it sprouts, spray again to eliminate it permanently.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove any poison ivy oils from hands, clothes and tools. Use a poison ivy skin cleanser, such as Tecnu. If you do not have access to such a skin cleanser, saturate the affected areas with rubbing alcohol then rinse thoroughly with cold water. (Hot water will cause the oils to spread.)

• Either solution will kill any vegetation on which you spray it, so be careful to spray only on the poison ivy and other undesirable plants.

References

• Care 2 Make a Difference
• The Natural Gardener
• Askville

Resources

• The Natural Gardener: Organic Gardening Headquarters
• Poison Ivy
• Wall Street Journal