Homemade Nasal Spray Recipe

3 Ways to Make Saline Nasal Spray wikiHow

WebFeb 15, 2024 · Spray one or two squirts into each nostril. Use your left hand for your right nostril, and your right hand for your left nostril. Sniff gently to keep the saline solution …

1. Gather your materials. Making a saline solution is simple because all you need is salt and water! Sea salt or table salt are both acceptable for a saline solution, but use a non-iodized salt (pickling or kosher) if you have an iodine allergy. To administer the solution nasally, you'll also need a small spray bottle. One that holds one to two ounces is ideal. Infants and small children aren't able to blow their noses effectively. Get a soft, rubber-bulb syringe to remove nasal secretions gently and efficiently.
2. Make the saline solution. There's more to making saline that just mixing salt and water. For the salt to effectively dissolve into the water, you must raise the water temperature. Boiling the water will also kill off any potentially dangerous microbes living in the tap water. Boil 8 oz. of water, then allow it to cool until just "very warm." Add ¼ teaspoon of salt and mix well until the salt dissolves. The ¼ teaspoon of salt will make a saline solution that matches the amount of salt in your body (isotonic). You may want to try a salt spray that has a greater concentration of salt than your body (hypertonic). This is useful for significant congestion with a lot of discharge. If you're having trouble breathing or clearing your nose, consider a hypertonic solution. To do this, simply add 1/2 teaspoon of salt instead of 1/4 teaspoon. Don’t use a hypertonic solution for infants or small children younger than five years old.
3. Consider adding baking soda (optional). A half teaspoon of baking soda will adjust the pH of the solution. This makes it less likely to sting a sore nose, especially with hypertonic solutions with a higher salt content. Add it while the water is still warm, and mix well to dissolve the baking soda. You can add the salt and the baking soda all at once, but adding the salt first usually results in easier mixing.
4. Fill your spray bottle and store the remaining solution. Once the solution has cooled to room temperature, it's ready to use. Fill the one to two ounce spray bottle with the solution, then pour the rest into a covered container and refrigerate it. After two days, throw out any unused solution and make a new batch if necessary.

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