Ugh... I'm on day 8 of poison oak myself right now. First time ever getting either poison oak or Ivy... Shit spreads like wildfire. Slathering on hydrocortisone cream, started today... But a bleach wipe down? Hmmmm..
The oil from the leaves of the plant is what causes the allergic reaction like Kakarot/Goku pointed out. The oil is very resilient and can last a long time even after the plant dies. Outdoor pets, yard work, etc are all ways to catch it. Hell, even your neighbor burning the plants can get the oil in the air and cause it to get in your lungs.
The bleach simply cuts through the oil rather than allowing it to spread more on your body and at the same time acts to dry out the blisters. Hydrocortisone doesn't do anything for me. Calamine lotion is worthless bc I can tolerate the itch after getting this for over 25years. The shots the doctor gives you is basically the only thing to kill it quickly for me.
