Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments

by | Oct 27, 2023 | DIY Herbal Recipes

This is the table of contents card for Poison Ivy Rash Treatments. There are two sections, Poison Ivy Treatments Part One: Store Bought Treatments and Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments. All the words are in bold black. The background is a green watercolor splash.

This week we finish out the two-part series on Poison Ivy Treatments that we started last week with Poison Ivy Treatments Part One: Store Bought Treatments. This week we will give you several of the DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Treatments that we made for ourselves to combat this scourge.

Please note, this talk may contain affiliate links. If you use one of these links and make a purchase through it, we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Some of these recipes call for essential oils. 

We have a couple of Essential Oil companies that we use but StarWest Botanicals is one of our favorites. They offer high-quality essential oils as well as other fine natural products.

 

Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments

5. Peppermint Essential Oil

6. Plantain Salve

7. Sage Infused Apple Cider Vinegar

8. Willow Bark Tea

9. Jewel Weed Tea

This is the table of contents card for Poison Ivy Rash Treatments Part Two. Beside each product is the picture for that item. All the words are in bold black. The background is a green watercolor splash.
This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

Peppermint Essential Oil

One person told us that she uses Peppermint Essential Oil on bites. She just puts the oil on directly to the bite, with no dilution or anything. It stops the itch right away and helps with the swelling. If you have sensitive skin and can not use some of these other options, Peppermint Essential Oil may do it for you.

The straight Peppermint Essential Oil did seem to help with the itch. Not sure how much help it was in drying up the rash but it does help with the itch.

This is the card for the Peppermint Essential Oil. All the words are in bold black. There is a title at the top, Peppermint Essential Oil. There is an ingredients list and a how- to-use section. There is a picture at the tip right of the ingredients list. The background is a green watercolor splash.
This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

We have four different DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatments for you. Experimenting may be needed to find the one that works best for you but these are ones that we know work. We have used three of these and other people have told us the fourth one worked for them.

DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatments one, Plantain Salve.

 

To make your Homemade Plantain Salve you will need:

Plantain-infused oil ¾ of a cup

Bees Wax ¼ of a cup

vitamin E oil ¼ of a cup

20 drops of Peppermint Essential oil

containers

stove top pot

stirring stick

This picture shows the ingredients for Plantain salve, on of the Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments. There is a bag of beeswax, a bottle of Plantain-infused oil, and a measuring cup of plantain-infused oil to be used in making the plantain salve.
This picture shows a bottle of StarWest peppermint essential oils.

You will need to start with Plantain Infused Oil. You can do this at home. We did a talk on this, How to Make Plantain Infused Oil.

1. Make the Plantain infused oil.

If you are in a hurry you can do the quick method of infusing the Plantain into the oil. We did a talk a while back on How to make Cayenne-infused oil to Make a Cayenne Muscle Rub Salve.  The materials may be different but the process is the same.

 

2. Put the Vitamin E oil in a stovetop pot to warm it.

This picture shows the plantain-infused oil being poured into a stovetop boiler.

Do not let it get to a boil, that is too much. You just want to get it warm so it blends with the Plantain oil and beeswax.

3. Add the plantain-infused oil to the heating pot.

The one you made from the previous talk, How to Make Plantain-Infused Oil.  Be sure to give it a good but gentle stir to mix the oils.

4. Add the beeswax to the pot to melt. Again, give it a good mixing.

This picture shows a bag of beeswax pastilles and a cup measured out of the pastilles.
This picture shows beeswax pastilles being added to the oil in the stovetop boiler.
This picture shows the wax melting in the oil in the stovetop boiler.

5. Add the peppermint essential oil. Mix to blend the oils.

This picture shows the Peppermint essential oil being added to the warm stovetop boiler.

6. Take the pot off the stovetop and let it cool for just a few minutes.

If you wait too long and the salve gets too solid to pour, carefully reheat it until it is liquid enough to pour.

As always, be careful when handling hot oils, you could get a nasty burn. You are making Plantain Salve and it is very good on minor burns. But it is best to avoid burns, which also would seem obvious.

7. Pour your Plantain salve into the prepared containers.

This picture shows a jelly jar to be used for the plantain salve.
This picture shows the liquid salve in the jelly jar from a side view. The salve is still hot liquid but it is a clear yellow color.
This picture shows the liquid salve in the jelly jar from a top view. The salve is still hot liquid but it is a clear yellow color.
This picture shows the liquid salve in the three jelly jars from a side view. The salve is still hot liquid but it is a clear yellow color.

Let the Plantain Salve cool until solid and completely cool to the touch. Put the top on the container and keep your Plantain Salve in a cool place until you need it.

This is a soft salve so it will melt in higher temps.

This picture shows the three jelly jars with now cooled plantain salve in them from a side view. The salve is now a light green color.
This picture shows a single jelly jar with now cooled plantain salve in it from a top view. The salve is now a light green color.

Always use a sealing container and a label when making DIY herbal recipes. 

This picture shows the three jelly jars with their lids on them. The salve is now ready to store until it is needed.
This picture shows a single jelly jar with plantain salve in it with a label.

To use the Plantain Salve just apply a small amount to the affected area. You do not need a wad of this salve, just a little bit will do. It will spread out as you rub it in and it heats to your body temp.

This is the recipe card for DIY Homemade Plantain Salve. There is an ingredients list, a step-by-setp section, and a how-to-use section. The words are all in bold black. The title is at the top. There is a picture at the tip right of the ingredients list. The background is a green watercolor splash.
This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatment Two, Sage infused Apple Cider Vinegar.

Please note, that this is to be put onto the skin, do not drink.

To make Sage Infused Apple Cider you will need:

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Sage (dried or fresh)

boiler

 

This picture shows the ingredients for sage-infused apple cider vinegar which is one of the Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments. There is a bottle of apple cider vinegar, a bottle of ground sage, and a strainer bag.

If you have your own garden and grown your own sage, the leaves are very easy to use for this. Our Sage did not survive the winter this year so we had to go with store-bought but normally we would have used our own leaves.

If you are using store-bought sage, they usually grind it into dust, so you will have a fine powder. There are some high-end stores that sell the dried leaves, they say, but we have not found any around here.

There are, as always, two ways to go about this process, there is the slow and the fast methods. Either way will get you the results you are going for, time is the only issue. If you are in a bad way and need help now, the fast method is the way to go. If you are just wanting to have some on hand for when you do get into poison ivy or one of its’ cousins, then the slow method will be fine.

We used the fast method as we were in urgent need of relief.

Sage infused Apple Cider Vinegar: Fast method

 

Please note, that this is to be put onto the skin, do not drink.

The amounts are iffy but we use ¼ cup of Sage to 1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar. Of course, you can make a larger batch if you have more people in need.

1. Put the sage into a stovetop pot.

This picture shows the ground sage measured out and in a stovetop boiler.

2. Add the Apple Cider Vinegar to the sage.

This picture shows the apple cider vinegar being added to the ground sage in the stovetop boiler.

If you are using store-bought sage, you will need to stir to get the powder to mix with the liquid.

This picture shows apple cider vinegar and the ground sage in the stovetop boiler.
This picture shows apple cider vinegar and the ground sage in the stovetop boiler mixed and heating.

3. Heat on the stovetop but do not boil.

4. Let the mix cool.

Take the pot off the heat. Put a lid on the pot and let it steep as it cools.

This picture shows apple cider vinegar and the ground sage in the stovetop boiler. The heat has been turned off and the lid is on the boiler to allow the mix to steep as it cools.

5. Strain off and keep the liquid to use on your rash.

This liquid will store for several weeks, and in the fridge, it will last longer.

This picture shows the strainer bag in the metal strainer on top of the glass measuring pitcher.
This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar being poured from the boiler into the strainer bag.
This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar being strained leaving the leftover sage in the top.
This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar liquid in the bottom in the glass pitcher.
This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar in the glass pitcher from a top view.
This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar in a glass bottle with the lid on it.

To use: Use a cotton ball or Q-tip to gently spread the Sage/Vinegar onto the affected areas.

There may be some stinging but that will go away

This picture shows the sage-infused apple cider vinegar in a glass bottle with the lid on it, a label, and a cotton round by the side of the bottle.

The leftover sage can be used as a poultice or put into the mulch bucket.

Sage infused Apple Cider Vinegar: The Slow Method

Please note, that this is to be put onto the skin, do not drink.

1. Bruise, chop, or crush the sage.

If it is already dried just use it as is.

2. Fill a bottle with the Sage.

Be careful with the sage, if you buy it from the store, it is usually ground into dust and will get everywhere.

If you grow your own the leaves are easier to use.

3. Fill the bottle with Apple Cider Vinegar.

Again, the amounts vary by the size of the bottle and how much sage you put in the bottle. Just fill to the top with vinegar. You may need to shake or bump the bottle to get the liquid into the powder. It can be tricky to get the sage dust from the store, to mix with the vinegar.

4. Let sit 6 to 8 weeks.

5. Strain off and keep the liquid.

That may seem obvious but just in case it is not.

You can use the leftover sage as a poultice.

The leftover sage is destined for the mulch bucket at our house.

6. Apply the Sage-infused Apple Cider Vinegar directly to the affected area. A cotton ball or Q-tip will work well for this.

There may be a stinging when the Sage Vinegar is first put on the skin but this is normal and will pass quickly.

Of course, it is always best to start with a test spot. When you start with a new herbal concoction, you should try it out on a small area first to be sure you will not have any bad reaction to it. A very few number of people can be allergic to both sage and Apple Cider Vinegar. It is rare but possible. You do not want to slather up in this great rash treatment to find that you are just as allergic to the treatment as you are the poison ivy. Allergic hives on top of poison ivy would be horrible.

This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatment Three, Willow Bark Tea

Please note, that this is to be put onto the skin, do not drink.

We have a friend who makes Willow Bark Tea and she brought us some to try. It does work well. We kept ours in the fridge as we were already using another treatment at the time. But it did come in handy on the next round of poison ivy. Yes, as farmers, we do seem to be able to find every stand of poison ivy and poison oak on the place.

To make the Willow Bark Tea: you will need

 

Willow Bark

water

boiler

1. Get some Willow Bark. This may be tricky if you do not have willow on your place as we do not. But if you have a friend that has some, get it from them or you can buy some from herbal shops.

2. In a stovetop pot, bring clean water to a boil.

3. Add the willow bark.

4. Take the pot off the heat, put a top on the pot, and let it steep while cooling.

5. Strain off and keep the liquid.

6. Store your Willow Bark Tea in a glass jar in the fridge.

To use Willow Bark Tea:

As with the other methods, just apply the tea directly to the affected areas. We use a soaked cotton ball and let it sit on the skin till it dries out and falls off.

This is the card for the Willow Bark Tea. All the words are in bold black. There is a title at the top, Willow Bark Tea. There is an ingredients list, a step-by-step section, and a how- to-use section. There is a black line picture of a cup of tea at the top right beside the ingredients list. The background is a green watercolor splash.
This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatment Four, Jewelweed Tea.

Please note, that this is to be put onto the skin, do not drink.

To make Jewelweed Tea you will need:

Jewelweed Leaves

water

boiler

We have read in many homesteading and herbalist posts that Jewelweed is also wonderful for treating poison ivy rashes. But we have not tried this one ourselves. There is no Jewelweed to be found around here. But if we can find some seeds, plants, or dried leaves we plan to give it a try.

The process for Jewelweed seems to be the same as the others. Make a herbal tea with the jewelweed. Then use the herbal concoction on the affected areas.

1. On the stove top bring water to boil.

2. Add Jewelweed leaves.

3. Remove from heat and allow to steep while cooling.

4. Strain off and keep the liquid.

5. Store in a glass jar.

To use Jewelweed Tea, apply to the affected area directly, and let air dry.

This is the card for the Jewelweed Tea. All the words are in bold black. There is a title at the top, Jewelweed Tea. There is an ingredients list, a step-by-step section, and a how- to-use section. There is a black line picture of a cup of tea at the top right beside the ingredients list. The background is a green watercolor splash.
This is a section divider. The background is a green watercolor splash with a black ivy line.

These are but a couple of options you can find for DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatments. You can find several other plants that are used for itching and rash as well as different ways to make them.

One can never have too many ways to get rid of their poison ivy rash.

As we said before, each treatment works on each person differently so you may need to try more than one to get the best results for you personally. How bad a case you have and which of the poison cousins you got into will also have an effect on how well a treatment works.

If you find yourself with poison ivy, try one of these DIY Homemade Poison Ivy Rash Herbal Treatments. It is faster and cheaper to make your own than to go to a doctor. Or to sit it out and let it run its’ course. Truly, is there anyone who can wait it out when it comes to the poison ivy itch?

We hope you have enjoyed this talk or at least gotten some good info from Poison Ivy Treatment Part Two: DIY Poison Ivy Herbal Treatments. If you missed last week’s talk, you may want to check it out also, Poison Ivy Treatment Part One: Store Bought Treatments.

If you run into poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, or anything that you have a terrible reaction to, remember these options. You do not have to go to the big pharma to get relief, you can make it for yourself.

Thank you for visiting and please come again for another edition of Out Standing in the Field.

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