How to Quickly Kill Poison Ivy

Overview

Poison ivy causes burning and itching rashes on the skin. Some people are more sensitive than others and some people can be allergic. It is important to kill poison ivy that is on your property where people frequent before it spreads and gets out of control. Poison ivy is a persistent plant and even if it looks like you have successfully killed it, it may regrow. Therefore, monitoring the site after you try to kill it is essential to ultimate success.

Step 1

Put on long pants, long sleeve shirts and gloves before attempting to kill your poison ivy. In addition, wearing goggles will help prevent any toxins from reaching your eyes, especially on windy days or if you have a tendency to rub your eyes.

Step 2

Read the label application and safety instructions of a herbicide labeled to kill poison ivy. Herbicides with the active ingredients of glyphosate or triclopyr are effective at killing poison ivy.

Step 3

Spray the poison ivy with the herbicide following the label instructions. Usually, you should spray leaves on both sides of the ivy.

Step 4

Spray new green growth as it appears. Do not let it grow back. It will take about three or four applications to kill the poison ivy completely.