I don’t get poison ivy. In fact, one time, I was dared to rub it all over my arms to prove that I didn’t get it…and I didn’t! (Phew)
However, my husband gets it…horribly. One time he had it so bad, that we had to get steroids for it because it just got out of control. He was MISERABLE.
I vowed from then on, I would have the right tools, at all times, so we could prevent him from going through such misery again. I spent a lot of time researching remedies and came up with jewelweed.
Jewelweed is a plant that has been used as a poison ivy remedy for ages. The juice inside its stem has natural anti inflammatory properties to reduce swelling and itching (this works great for bug bites too).
A tall plant with dainty orange flowers, jewelweed likes to grow in damp places. If you’re trying to find some in your area, a great place would be road side ditches since those areas are typically damp.
I also decided that plantain was key in making up a remedy to help with poison ivy. I came to this conclusion because my husband’s rash also got infected. Plantain is a common weed that is great at killing and preventing infection.
The two herbs work well together to help reduce swelling, itching and prevent infection from setting on the skin. Perfect for poison ivy as well and other skin ailments.
Lavender oil has been a long time favorite in my home for skin issues because it is soothing and also helps prevent infection.
I know making home remedies can seem overwhelming, but this one is easy and once you make one batch, it should last for a while.
- 2 parts Jewelweed Plant
- 1 part Plantain (organic plantain, or wild-harvested)
- Witch Hazel, enough to cover herbs (organic witch hazel)
- Lavender Essential Oil, 5 drops per cup of liquid (organic, sustainably-sourced lavender EO)
- Blender (I have this 725 blender I LOVE it!)
- Strainer
- Put your herbs in a blender
- Pour enough witch hazel to cover herbs
- Blend until everything is well pulverized
- Pour herb mixture into a jar and let it sit for one week
- Strain the herbs into a glass jar
- Add lavender essential oil, stir, and label
When ready to use, pour into a spray bottle and spray rash or bug bites as needed.
See, that wasn’t so bad, right?
If you are in desperate need for the spray now and don’t have time to wait for it to seep together, no problem!
Add the herbs to a blender and just a little bit of the witch hazel. Pulse it until everything is a thick, gooey mess (very detailed, huh?). Then apply the entire mess to the rash. You can cover it with plastic wrap to keep it contained and moist. This is called a poultice — they are great for immediate needs!
This should relieve a lot of the itching and swelling just as well as the spray, just a bit messier. If you don’t have both herbs, just use one…it will still help the misery of poison ivy!
I love using things that natural to help with ailments and I’d love to hear from you! What are you go to poison ivy remedies??
Looking for more of lotion to help soothe your itchy poison ivy rashes? We’ve got you covered…
Jessica is a wife and mama to two boys and she loves spending her days with them, watching them grow and explore the world around them. Jessica grew up on fast food and quickly ditched that life when she became pregnant with her first child. Since then it has been a journey of learning about whole food nutrition, herbs and natural supplements. Her goal has been to keep her family healthy and happy…as naturally as possible. Jessica’s views have changed as her knowledge has grown to fit the needs of my family. A recent diagnoses of Hashimoto’s has re-sparked her desire to learn more about herbs and healing. You can follow her blog Simply Healthy Home or follow her on Facebook.
Comments 4
Awesome!
Thank you for this.
Where do you did the stuff to make the stuff . Or poison ivy
Many of the herbs in this recipe are really easy to wildcraft if you are able to do that somewhere away from chemical sprays, etc. Otherwise, we all like to buy herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs. 🙂
Thank you. I’ve lived around poison ivy all my life. Got it in my throat after helping the neighbor burn his hillside when I was 10. When I was growing up, the go-to remedy was calamine lotion. I think I’m going to prefer the green goo and spray.