How to Kill Poison Oak
Identify poison oak plants., Cover yourself from head to toe., Dig out the plants by the roots.Smaller plants may be pulled out by hand, but you might need a shovel to dig out larger ones., Discard the plants.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify poison oak plants.
Poison oak has green, shiny leaves that turn red in the fall and die off in the winter.
The leaves are thick and have a rumpled surface.
They have a similar shape to oak leaves and grow in groups of three (hence the "leaves of three, let it be" adage).
In open sun, poison oak grows in the form of bushy shrubs.
In areas with partial shade, it can grow as a vine, climbing up trees and stumps.
Look for poison oak along trails, near the edges of woods, and in abandoned lots.
Left to grow, poison oak plants can become quite large, but you'll also see baby plants sprouting from the ground.
Look for the classic leaves for positive identification.
Even when a poison oak plant has lost its leaves, the dry sticks left behind are still poisonous, so don't dismiss a plant just because it doesn't have leaves. -
Step 2: Cover yourself from head to toe.
Manual removal requires actually touching the plants, so you need to make sure you're completely covered to protect your skin from urushiol, the toxic (to humans) oil they produce.
Put on thick gloves, several layers of long shirts, long pants, socks, and heavy boots.
Since some people get affected by simply breathing the air near poison oak, you should cover your face as well.
This is the most effective removal strategy, but it's also the most dangerous.
This method is not recommended for people who are severely allergic to poison oak
- and you are, you probably already know you shouldn't attempt to do this.
Either find someone who's immune
- 15% of the population can touch poison oak without getting a rash
- or try another method.
Be aware that if you only had a mild rash in the past, it's possible that another exposure could have a worse effect.
Be very careful when you remove your clothes after the job is done.
The oils from the poison oak plants will be on your gloves, shoes and other clothing.
It should all be promptly washed using the hot cycle in your washing machine. , It's very important to get the entire plant, including the roots.
Otherwise the plant will grow right back.
It's easiest to manually remove plants in the spring, when they're green and the ground is relatively soft.
Waiting until the ground gets dry or cold will make it difficult to get all the roots, since the plants will tend to break off at the stems. , Once you've collected all of the plants and their roots, either stack them in an out-of-the-way area or put them in garbage bags to be thrown away.
Dead poison oak plants are still poisonous, so don't leave them in a place where other people will come into contact with them.
Don't use the plants as mulch or compost.
Again, it's just too risky, since they're still full of the oils that can cause an extreme rash.
Don't burn the plants.
Breathing the smoke from burning poison oak plants is extremely dangerous. -
Step 3: Dig out the plants by the roots.Smaller plants may be pulled out by hand
-
Step 4: but you might need a shovel to dig out larger ones.
-
Step 5: Discard the plants.
Detailed Guide
Poison oak has green, shiny leaves that turn red in the fall and die off in the winter.
The leaves are thick and have a rumpled surface.
They have a similar shape to oak leaves and grow in groups of three (hence the "leaves of three, let it be" adage).
In open sun, poison oak grows in the form of bushy shrubs.
In areas with partial shade, it can grow as a vine, climbing up trees and stumps.
Look for poison oak along trails, near the edges of woods, and in abandoned lots.
Left to grow, poison oak plants can become quite large, but you'll also see baby plants sprouting from the ground.
Look for the classic leaves for positive identification.
Even when a poison oak plant has lost its leaves, the dry sticks left behind are still poisonous, so don't dismiss a plant just because it doesn't have leaves.
Manual removal requires actually touching the plants, so you need to make sure you're completely covered to protect your skin from urushiol, the toxic (to humans) oil they produce.
Put on thick gloves, several layers of long shirts, long pants, socks, and heavy boots.
Since some people get affected by simply breathing the air near poison oak, you should cover your face as well.
This is the most effective removal strategy, but it's also the most dangerous.
This method is not recommended for people who are severely allergic to poison oak
- and you are, you probably already know you shouldn't attempt to do this.
Either find someone who's immune
- 15% of the population can touch poison oak without getting a rash
- or try another method.
Be aware that if you only had a mild rash in the past, it's possible that another exposure could have a worse effect.
Be very careful when you remove your clothes after the job is done.
The oils from the poison oak plants will be on your gloves, shoes and other clothing.
It should all be promptly washed using the hot cycle in your washing machine. , It's very important to get the entire plant, including the roots.
Otherwise the plant will grow right back.
It's easiest to manually remove plants in the spring, when they're green and the ground is relatively soft.
Waiting until the ground gets dry or cold will make it difficult to get all the roots, since the plants will tend to break off at the stems. , Once you've collected all of the plants and their roots, either stack them in an out-of-the-way area or put them in garbage bags to be thrown away.
Dead poison oak plants are still poisonous, so don't leave them in a place where other people will come into contact with them.
Don't use the plants as mulch or compost.
Again, it's just too risky, since they're still full of the oils that can cause an extreme rash.
Don't burn the plants.
Breathing the smoke from burning poison oak plants is extremely dangerous.
About the Author
Diana Miller
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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