How to Make Moisturizing Nasal Spray

When nasal membranes swell due to a cold, flu, allergies or irritants like smoke and dust, nasal congestion results. This blockage of air flow can be very annoying, particularly when trying to sleep. Most prescription and over-the-counter nasal sprays have chemical ingredients you may not feel comfortable with, and they can be pricey. An easy homemade moisturizing nasal spray can provide relief for your stuffy nose, and it contains all natural ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• Sea salt or table salt, non-iodized
• Distilled water
• Pan
• Stove
• Small sterile bottle
• Syringe with bulb
• Baking soda

Instructions

1. Dissolve 1/4 tsp. of non-iodized sea salt or table salt into 1/2 cup of distilled water to make a saline solution. Distilled water is preferable because it's free of minerals and any impurities found in other bottled water and in tap water. Saline is the kind of fluid normally produced by the body, and using it as nasal spray can moisturize swollen nasal passages and penetrate mucus build-up.

2. Boil a cup of tap water for 10 minutes in a pan on the stove to purify it if you do not have any distilled water, then use it in place of the distilled. You'll need to start with more than 1/2 cup because some will be lost as steam.

3. Let the mixture cool to room temperature and pour into a small sterile spray bottle. You also can use a small non-spray type bottle that can work with a bulb syringe.

4. Discard any leftover solution after 48 hours and make a new solution.

5. Add a pinch of baking soda to the moisturizing nasal spray as an alternative and see if that is more effective for you.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your homemade moisturizing nasal spray as often as you need to, because this solution is not habit-forming.

• The saline solution that does not include baking soda also works as a soothing sore throat gargle.

References

• What To Do For a Stuffy Nose
• Saline Nasal Solution Helps Cold Symptoms