Removal & Disposal of Poison Ivy

Removal

• Put on a pair of thick, tough gardening gloves to protect your hands from the irritating oil in poison ivy. Also wear long sleeves and long pants to protect the rest of your body. Dig up the plant, completely removing its root structure. Wait for the ground to be thoroughly damp before digging up poison ivy though, as attempting to remove it from dry soil usually results in rhizomes being left behind to sprout again. Be mindful and thorough when removing the roots, as even a small missed section is enough for the plant to survive.

Cutting

• Poison ivy plants can be cut away if full removal is not practical. While wearing gloves and a long sleeved shirt, cut the plants as close to the ground as possible using garden shears. Removing the plant's leaves and stems starves its roots, according to the University of Oklahoma, by denying them sunshine and food. However, refrain from using a motor-powered weed cutter to remove poison ivy, as it will cover the tool, and possibly its user, in the plant's noxious oil.

Spraying

• A spritz of commercial weed killer can also destroy poison ivy. However, using a weed killer means exposing the dirt and other, harmless plants to toxic chemicals, so consider the drawbacks carefully. Use a product containing glyphosate, which will be absorbed by the plant's leaves and then carried to its roots, destroying it. Give the plant several days to fully ingest the poison before removing it while wearing protective gloves, as dead poison ivy is still irritating to skin.

Disposal

• Throw away poison ivy plants by placing them in plastic garbage bags -- the thicker and sturdier the better -- and securely tying them shut. Take the bags to the dump or put them on the curb for collection, but make sure no leaves or other bits of the plant are poking through the bags. Never burn poison ivy, as the resultant smoke is highly irritating, and do not add it to a compost pile.