Homemade Saline Nasal Spray for Amazing Sinus Relief
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Struggling with sinus issues? This Homemade Saline Nasal Spray is just what you need. Neti Pots and Saline Nasal Sprays are a great way to treat them, but buying those pre-made salt packets will break the bank.
Here's how to feel better fast and save money while you're doing it. Plus I've added in a recipe for a Homemade Xylitol Nasal Spray too–similar to Xlear.
Sinus issues are the worst.
I have somewhat narrow sinus passages, so whenever I get any kind of sickness that involved my nose, I get plugged up badly.
Now, you can use nose sprays for things like that, but they often can create a rebound issue where you get MORE plugged up after stopping.
No thanks!
Many years ago, I heard about using saline for sinus relief.
I'm sure most of you have seen or heard of net-pots, saline nose sprays, or those spray bottles that spray saline wash into your nostrils.
In my opinion, homemade saline solution in a nasal spray bottle is a lifesaver. Really.
Today I'm going to show you how you can easily make these sprays yourself to save a ton of money and hopefully stay well.
Why I Started Using Saline
When I was younger, I saw saline spray bottles in the store. My grandmother recommended that I try Ocean® Brand, which she said helped her immensely.
I personally never saw benefits from that kind of thing after trying it once or twice, but that all changed years later.
I was working at a small insurance agency. My boss was from Russia and we at times enjoyed talking about health issues.
At one point, I got quite sick with a cold, and my nose, in typical fashion, got very stuffed up (I have very narrow nasal passages, so I get pretty miserable pretty quickly from colds and such).
Anyhow, one day at work we started talking about sinus issues and my boss bought up saline washes. I told him that they never worked for me, and he proceeded to tell me how they used to do it in Russia.
This is what they would do.
“Russian” Basic DIY Saline Method
- put some warm water in your hand
- dump some salt in the water
- breathe the mixture in
- inhale further ensuring that the saline mixture goes back to fill the sinus cavities
- hold the saline for about 10 seconds
- blow the saline out
I was intrigued and tried it.
And it worked amazingly well, though the salt stung pretty bad sometimes.
Anyhow, I figured if I could apply that technique to a saline bottle, then I would have something very helpful, and more user-friendly than a hand full of saltwater!
So —
I went to the store, bought a starter kit for a saline wash, and was on my way.
And I have to say, this has made my narrow-sinus issues at least a little more bearable.
Anyway, as the years went on, I started using different forms of saline washes and found that they work great!
Why Make Your Own
One of the things that bug me is that when you go into your local drug, grocery, or health food store, and buy a neti-pot or saline spray wash, they give you little packets of pre-made saline mix to get you started.
However, then you feel the need to come back and buy more of their little packets.
Well, if you've looked at those packets, really the only thing that is in them is….
—salt and maybe baking soda.
Pretty simple, eh?
So I decided to figure out how much of each I needed to use in order to avoid the highway robbery of buying those little packets (not to mention all the extra garbage they generate. Sigh.)
The benefits of all of this?
1. Save a TON of money.
2. Reduce waste from those little packets of saline mix.
3. Control how much of everything you add easily.
Important Notes
Water: Use only purified water (see How to Make Your Tap Water Safe). Here is really icky documentation of folks who got brain-eating amoebas from using tap water. Yuck!
Salt: Use only pure salt like sea salt or my favorite, Real Salt. Table salt has lots of other things like anti-caking agents, silicon dioxide and even sugar sometimes. I don't want those in my nose, thank you.
Bottle Type: I like this brand, but I think they are all good. Personally, I don't think that the net-pots work as well since the spraying action seems to get the saline rinse in my sinuses better than the force of gravity.
Not for Daily Use: Some advise against continual use of saline washes. I found this article to be quite interesting. Do keep in mind that it might not be a good idea to use this on a daily basis.
Water Temperature: I prefer my water a little warmer than just lukewarm as it seems to help the salt dissolve better, but please take care to not overheat the water.
More Benefits: added sinus-cleansing action, after putting the saline solution into your nose, inhale a bit and hold some of it in your nose for about 10 seconds, and then blow out. I found this technique on my saline bottle's insert and it supposedly helps the saline solution get into all the nasal cavities.
If you find yourself in a real pinch and don't have a saline rinse container, you can mix this up in your hand the “Russian” way. Just make sure your hand is really clean.
Bonus Tip
In addition to the above “added sinus-cleaning action”, one of the best methods for getting this to address your whole sinus area is to use the wash and then tilt your head back over the edge of your bed. The saline mix will go all the way back into your sinuses. Hold it there for 2 minutes, and then blow out.
I've used this method with amazing success for stubborn sinus issues.
When to Use
- When you have a cold
- To clean out sinuses to support your body so are less likely to have a cold take root
- As a natural allergy help
- To moisten sinus passages in dry weather
Why Is Baking Soda Added to Saline?
Good question. There are two reasons for this.
Baking soda helps to open the sinus passages. Studies have shown that this mixture of concentrated saltwater and baking soda (bicarbonate) helps the nose work better and moves mucus out of the nose faster than saline solutions alone.
Also, baking soda acts as butter in the saline solution, so that it is less irritating.
Storage
You can store this mixture for up to 3 days, but not for longer.
Though salt is a natural preservative, water naturally grows bacteria easily. There are store-bought saline sprays that can be stored longer but they are made from sterile solutions and I believe that they are in airtight containers so that's a different situation.
Optional Additions
At one point I had a very stubborn sinus issue. I thought it was allergies, but it turned out to be a doozy of a sinus infection.
Since I was pretty desperate, I added a bunch of different things to my saline bottle to aid in my healing. Here are the possible additives for the nasal rinse that I read about and tried (I tried all except the honey).
– Apple Cider Vinegar: (just a drop or two. Don't make the mistake I did by adding about 1 tablespoon. Ouch!)
– Colloidal Silver: (I only used about one drop.)
– Grapefruit seed extract (GSE): This is supposed to be a great anti-viral agent. Just add one drop if you try this since it's really really strong!
– Xylitol – Some say it aids in making the solution non-stinging. It is also supposed to be helpful against bacteria and viruses. In fact, there are Xylitol Nose Sprays on the market now. (Source)
– Manuka Honey: I didn't try this but I have read that it is a natural way to kill germs, etc.
More DIY Wellness Supports
If you like this formula for a saline wash, you'll love these DIY products too!
– DIY Decongestant (like Vicks Vapo-Rub) – skip the toxins and save money with this simple formula
– Herbal Steam – a total game-changer for respiratory issues and it's great for your skin and hair too.
– DIY Thieves Oil – so much cheaper and it works great.
Ingredients
Homemade Saline Nasal Spray
- 1 cup (8 ounce) water
- 1 teaspoon natural salt (you can add more for more "punch" but it does sting. I use Real Salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon (pinch) baking soda
Homemade Xylitol Nasal Spray Version
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon xylitol
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 drop grapefruit seed extract optional
Instructions
- Warm the water to a temperature that is as warm as you can tolerate (of course, this is a subjective term. The water should not be so hot as to damage your nasal passages. See notes below.)
- Add salt and baking soda to your saline container (neti-pot or saline spray bottle).
- Add water and mix / shake to combine.
- Follow directions for using your saline wash container.
- Make sure to rinse out your container after use and leave it open to air dry.
How about you? Have you used saline sprays before?
Hi there! my 3year old son had to be suctioned to get that foriegn material out of his nose. And the dr.said he has to use .65% sodium chloride nasal spray. How can i do that alternatively with home remedies?
This should help – sounds like you want it more dilute than this – about 2/3. https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Saline-Solution
If you have a “sinus infection” caused by candida, you’re most likely on your death bed dying of AIDS and you need to be in the ICU. Also, if you have recurrent sinus infections, seek medical help to get to the cause of them. That is absolutely not normal. Nasal passages and sinuses are completely different things. Although clearing your nasal passages can help in the draining of infected sinuses, the standard of care for a sinus infection (viral or bacterial) includes antibiotics that are aimed at the bug causing the problem. Even if it’s viral, the chance of a bacterial co-infection (superinfection) is high. Untreated infections can cause serious complications including sepsis and death.
There is a place for antibiotics obviously but in my 30 as a nurse, they have been grossly overused with horrendous consequences that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg! Some of the essential oils mentioned in this post have been scientifically tested to kill bacteria better than antibiotics without the bacteria becoming resistant.! Like I said, there is a place for antibiotics but we really need to be more judicious!
Yes!!
I have been spending a vast fortune on sprays.
I read this and had a go, early days.
I used to eye wash, seems to be the same kinda stuff.
It cleared my nose out, I can breath again, but its made it a bit dry.
Going to try some almond oil.
If I can make my own, happy days 🙂
You tried this and it made your nose a bit dry. I was surprised to see 1 whole tsp of salt is put in a cup of water. I think that may be why you are dry. I’m used to seeing 1/2 tsp salt in 1 cup water.
You can do that as well.
You said something about the weight in prepared packets. I calculated box of 50 Niel-Med packs. Comes out to Approx. (.13 oz per pack). Not exact b/c I weighed whole box then just divided by 50.
Thanks!! Did you weight the contents or including the little packets?
Well, my family suffered from sinus / nasal infections a lot , so I tried a lot of solutions on me and my 4 year old child … we did the salt/ baking soda first , and the recommended dosage is very benign at first , especially if you have severe infections and your nose is running so bad that you just beg for any relief …. We upped the concentration – so much salt (any kind – himalian . celtic , you name it we tried it) that it could not dissolve any more. ( and it helped to a degree) and the stinging sensation was good ! , many times a day – if the infection is severe you have to do it every 2 to 3 hours , or your nose started running again. Then we started adding stuff – colloidal silver – drops , hydrogen peroxide – it stings ! , mint and cammomile tea instead of distilled water , sage tea , other teas for cold (if it works internally it should work in your nose ,as well , right?) , also we added propolis (nonalcohol extract) . and finally when nothing else worked I tried on myself the alcohol nasal rinse (talking about severe sinus /nasal infection) and night -long inhalation in the form of soaked with wiskey-like alcohol (around 50% proof) cotton balls stuffed in your nose and ears … My point is – try to vary concentration and remedies and see which one works for you … We eliminated antibiotics of course , and this worked to a degree for me . But for my child we had to remove the tonsils , and the infections almost disappeared . The key is really to stop / eliminate sugar and grains , and we take these days a lot of vitamin C ( you have to fight the inflammation internally, as well as topically in your nose , otherwise you will have recurring incidents) Try buffered sodium ascorbate in mega doses – find on youtube Dr. Suzanne Humphries ) Good luck!
FYI, your information states “It is also supposed to kill candida and since a number of sinus infections are thought to be viral, this might be a help as well.” Perhaps I am mis-reading, but the implication is that candida is a virus. Candida is a fungus, that likes to live in dark, moist places. Too many antibiotics can cause candida in any part of the body that has that environment. I have had a fungal infection in my sinuses and I was very, very sick. Cleansing the nasal passages might be helpful to prevent airborne viruses.
Hi there. Sorry for the delay in responding. What I meant is that it might help either w/ candida or a virus. I fixed the post to better reflect that. Thanks for pointing that out!
VERY important to use Distilled Water.
Nasal rinsing. If you get the balance of salt to water just right you can not feel it sting and it does not feel choking. A little bit too much or a little bit short stings. So approximately a flat teaspoon (5ml) per 240 ml water. Bicarbonate of Soda, optional extra, don’t know quite what it does. The squeeze bottle you show is good and the little sachets are good to get you started as the mix is just right.
An american called Phil showed me how to use salt solution from an eye=dropper in Istanbul! He used to hold his head back and completely fill his nostrils and keep it there for a minute or so. I since developed that a little further.
You know how to gargle in your throat? Well you can also gargle in your Pharynx… or is it phargal?
If you do it right, you can hold your head back and still breathe while you do it…. sounds weird but you know you are cleared out when you can do this and it’s easier than you think. Take your time and only half-fill your nose with your head back, too much and it spills all over your face, too little and you can’t get the effect… experiment and good luck. (I mix with boiled and filtered water through a BRITA Maxta filter).
As you say its a life saver.
All my best, Merlin.
Thank you!!!
I spoke to a pharmacist who said that one cup of warm saline rinse is not enough. So, I use about 3 cups to 1 quart each time I rinse. When I have a sinus infection, I use it about 4 times per day. I notice that if I do not rinse every 4 hours,I will reduce the infection and then it will build back up again in between rinses. I have been able to clear away 4 or 5 sinus infections using this method.
I have difficulty using a pot it syringe and turning my head over a drink and getting the solution to go in one nostril and out the other. I tried something different this morning…. I got on my inversion machine and rotated head down and sprayed solution in my nostrils. I stayed in that position for a minute or so then returned upright. It seemed to work great. What do you think of this?
I can’t comment about it medically – but I love the spray bottle b/c you can get the water solution in better. I can’t imagine what you did is a problem since the spray bottle indicates you can inhale the solution into your cavities to help drain them, but I can’t be sure. Thanks!