Home remedies for poison ivy will relieve you from the much irritating itching and cure the swelling as well the rashes very smoothly without causing trouble. Poison ivy, sumac and oak produce a kind of oil called urushiol which causes skin irritation. A slight brush of the vine causes the allergic reactions, red rashes accompanied by irresistible itching.

The symptoms of getting attached to poison ivy are:

i) Vigorous itching and red rashes.
ii) Rashes erupting into streaks or patches.
iii) The affects prolong depending upon the severity of the attack.

If somehow you come in contact with the ivy, take the home remedies for faster relief than rushing down to a counter for the effective drug. The home remedies for poison ivy are more effective and cost you nothing. Try out the home remedies for poison ivy:

1. Rinse the affected area immediately with lots of cold water, that would remove the oil content reducing the itching effect.
2. Don't use washcloth.
3. Put some baking soda in the water and wash the infected area to get fast relief from itching.
4. You can dilute some tea tree oil and apply it over the rash with cotton very gently, the effect would be instant and the swell would disappear overnight.
5. You can apply little calamine lotion over the affected area.
6. Calendula lotion helps in reducing the itching effect and spread of rashes.
7. If available, you can apply watermelon on the rashes for healing and soothing the skin.
8. A paste of cold coffee and baking soda naturally heals the wound.
9. Boil some peach tree leaves and dab the solution with cotton when cold, the rashes would disappear fast.
10. Milk of magnesia is effective to stop the itching with a soothing effect.
11. Even rubbing of banana peel is found effective.
12. If you have aloe vera, make some juice and apply it on the affected area.
13. If blisters occur warm, vinegar is recommended to be applied over the area.

There are herbal medicines from homeopathy made from effective herbs that act as healers for the rashes caused from the poison ivy. But, the home food as medicine to treat the attack of the oil is more easy and not cumbersome at all. They are the natural cures. The use of certain oils like tea tree don't cause any problems since they are organic herbs with no side effects.