| I know for a fact that showering or otherwise washing with just regular soap and water can and usually does make the rash worse if its done shortly after exposure. Soap and water alone will NOT wash off the urshiol oil from poison ivy & poison oak. Only rubbing alcohol or commercial products specifically made to get rid of urshiol (such as Zanfel) will adequately remove it. If you try to wash it off with soap and water (like I did recently) it will just spread the urshiol around over your skin so that you end up with a very large, widespread rash rather than small isolated areas. Sweating may have the same effect but I am not certain of this. In avy event, however, if the ushoil has already been absorbed thru your skin and "bonded" even rubbing alcohol won't get it off. |
