A neti pot is used to drain the nose by rinsing the nasal cavity with a saline solution. This home remedy is not very well known in the West, but it is commonly used by people in India and South Asia. Neti pots can be used every day to clean mucus, bacteria, and allergens in the nasal cavity. However, you should follow proper cleaning methods using this neti pot, and only use sterile, distilled, or water that has been boiled and allowed to cool.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Cleaning the Neti Pot
Step 1. Read the manufacturer's instructions to find out how to clean the neti pot
Before using a neti pot, read the recommended instructions for cleaning it. Most neti pots can be cleaned with soap and warm water, but check the instructions provided so that you can clean them according to the recommended instructions.
Warning: Most neti pots should not be cleaned in the dishwasher. So, don't put a neti pot in the machine, unless there are specific instructions that state that you are allowed to do so.
Step 2. Wash the neti pot with hot water and dish soap before you use it for the first time
Put a few drops of dish soap into a neti pot, then pour hot water. Shake the soapy water to thoroughly clean the neti pot. Next, drain the soapy water and rinse the neti pot thoroughly.
Rinse the neti pot 6-7 times until there is no soap residue left
Step 3. Allow the neti pot to dry on its own or wipe the inside with a clean tissue
Before first use, the neti pot must be completely dry. Place the neti pot upside down on a clean towel or dry the inside with a clean paper towel.
Do not wipe the inside of the neti pot with an old towel. Also, don't dry it by placing the neti pot face up. The neti pot can get dust or dirt if you place it in this position
Part 2 of 3: Making a Salt Solution
Step 1. Wash and dry your hands so you don't contaminate the neti pot
Wet hands by placing them under warm running water. Next, add about 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of liquid hand soap or rub your hands with bar soap for a few seconds to lather up. Rub the soap between your hands, on your fingertips, and around your nails. Next, rinse off the soap by placing your hands back under warm, running water. Wipe your hands dry with a clean tissue or cloth.
It will take you about 20 seconds to wash your hands completely. As a guide, this is the time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice
Step 2. Prepare 1 liter of sterile, distilled or boiled water
To make the water safe for insertion into the nasal cavity, only use distilled, sterile, or water that has been boiled and allowed to cool. Pour the water into a clean glass container, such as a bowl or jar.
You can buy sterile or distilled water at a drug or grocery store. You can also use tap water that boils for about 5 minutes. Next, turn off the stove and let the water cool itself down to room temperature
Warning: Do not use untreated tap water as it may contain amoeba and bacteria, which can make you sick when you enter the water into your nasal passages.
Step 3. Add 2 teaspoons (10 grams) of ground non-iodized salt to the water
Use sea salt or non-iodized kosher salt. Measure the salt and pour it into a container filled with water.
- Don't use table salt. The additives in it can irritate the nose.
- If you don't want to make your own, you can also buy a ready-made saline solution. Go to the drugstore and buy a saline solution made especially for neti pots.
Step 4. Stir the mixture until the salt is dissolved and wait for the solution to cool
Stir the salt until it dissolves into the water using a clean metal spoon. Keep stirring until the salt is completely dissolved. If the solution looks clear and reaches room temperature, you are ready to use it.
Close the solution container if you don't want to use it right away. However, you must use the solution within 24 hours. If it exceeds this time, throw away any unused solution as bacteria may be growing in it
Part 3 of 3: Rinsing the Nostrils
Step 1. Put the saline solution into the neti pot
The first step that must be done is to transfer the saline solution from the container into the neti pot. Pour the solution carefully so you don't spill it, and make sure it's not too warm as it can make you uncomfortable and burn.
Step 2. Position yourself over the sink with your neck straight, then turn your head to one side
Bend over the sink so that your upper body is at a 45-degree angle from your lower body. Next, turn your head to the side so that your ears are facing the sink. Keep your forehead at chin level, or slightly higher.
- Don't turn your head so much that your chin is higher than your shoulders.
- Don't bend too far so your chin is under your forehead.
Step 3. Breathe through your mouth as you drain your nose
You cannot breathe through your nose when draining your sinuses with a neti pot. So you have to breathe with your mouth. Take a few breaths to get used to it.
Do not laugh or talk to prevent the septum in the throat from opening, which will allow water to enter
Step 4. Pour half the water into the upper nostril
Press the muzzle of the neti pot into the inside of the nostril so that the opening is tightly closed. With this action, the water will not flow out of the place where it entered. Lift the neti pot so that the saline solution flows into the upper nostril and then out the lower nostril. Maybe this will feel a little strange, like when your nose gets in water while swimming. Pour of the neti pot into the first nostril.
- The solution will come out of the lower nostril and flow into the sink. If the water hits you, lower your body so that it is closer to the sink.
- When the solution comes out of your mouth, lower your forehead slightly, but keep it above your chin.
Step 5. Repeat this rinsing process on the other nostril
Remove the neti pot from the first nostril when you have finished rinsing. Next, turn your head in the opposite direction and repeat the process with the same steps. Use the remaining half of the saline solution to clean the other nostril.
Tip: Even if you feel that only one nostril is blocked, rinse both holes. With this action, you can get the maximum benefit when using a neti pot.
Step 6. Blow your nose to remove any remaining water
After all the solution in the neti pot is used up, keep your head over the sink and blow your nose gently without pinching it with your fingers. This action is to help remove the remaining water and mucus.
Do this until all the fluid is gone and you can breathe easy again
Step 7. Blow your nose gently on a tissue
If no more liquid drips from your nostrils into the sink, drain any remaining water and clean your nose by blowing on a tissue as usual. Gently press on one nostril as you blow on the tissue, then repeat with the other nostril. Do not cover both nostrils as you blow.
Don't blow your nose too hard! Blow gently as usual
Step 8. Clean the neti pot after you use it
To prevent bacteria from growing on the inside and outside of your neti pot, wash the appliance before storing it. Clean with soap and warm water, then let the neti pot dry on its own as you did in the previous step.
