Homemade Treatment to kill Poison Ivy
October 16, 2026
One of our Trail volunteers, Keith Silver suggested a homemade formula that can be effective to control poison ivy and Larry Kunz who regularly leads projects at Bower Springs to control invasive plants experimented with this at Bower Springs.
He applied it three different times with different results
- Apply it when weather is good and we have back-to-back sunny days. Applying treatment in this conditions was most effective. Poison Ivy weathered and eventually disappeared from this area
Before the treatment
After the treatment
- Applied the treatment just before rain. This was not as effective as rain washed away the solution.
- Applied the treatment but it rained next day. This was also not as effective as rain still washed away the treatment and poison ivy was not affected.
The formula
- 1 gallon 30% Vinegar
- about 1 tbsp dish soap
- 1 cup salt
Please note that it takes a few days for poison ivy to die back. Be careful not to touch the plant after applying the formula as you can still get rash even when leaves are dying or dead.