I just found a MASSIVE poison ivy patch

[Siwsan]

Even the 'leaves of three' are huge. Some of the little junk trees I was clearing were very close and might have rubbed against it. Seemed a good idea to stop that project and give my arms a precautionary wash down with vinegar.

I never, ever want to go through what happened a few years ago when both my arms AND legs broke out in a nightmare of a blistering rash. I think I'll call it a day, garden wise.

[lark]

1. Once your sensitive to this, each exposure brings worse results.

You are smart to avoid it like the plague~ that's how it works on me.

[brer cat]

2. Anyone have goat you could norrow?

They love poison ivy and make quick work of the patches.

[usonian]

3. Been there, done that.

Firefighters carry Dawn detergent with them to dissolve the oil on the spot.

Later, you can use deodorized mineral spirits (I think they are ALL deodorized these days, because you can get high as a kite on mineral spirits). That dissolves the oil. Wash it off gently after a couple of minutes.

Commercially, Tecnu is just that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecnu
It's undoubtedly safer than the paint thinner mentioned above.

Vinegar (the hardware store kind, not the kitchen kind) can be used to kill the poison ivy/oak plants if you don't want to use any weed killer.

If you can afford it, hire someone. Hard to believe, but some people are immune to the oil.

and DO NOT burn the plants. That just vaporizes the oil.

[IbogaProject]

4. Poison Ivy berries is a crucial food for birds in the cooler seasons

But it must be cleared from used areas. https://www.psu.edu/news/agricultural-sciences/story/poison-ivy-wildlife-food-one-first-plants-change-color

[WheelWalker]

5. Poison oak and, I presume, poison ivy,

are in atmospheric heaven with the increased CO2 levels we've provided them. They be digging it.