How to Use a Sports Bottle Instead of a Neti Pot

Sinuses can become stopped up due to allergies or the common cold. A neti pot clears up your sinuses with a saline solution. Rather than spend the money to buy a neti pot or leave home to get one when you're not feeling well, you can make a neti pot at home from a water bottle. Within minutes, the nasal congestion will usually clear up.

Things You'll Need

• Sports bottle
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt or non-iodized salt (finely ground)
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup distilled water or boiled tap water

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash the sports bottle and dry it completely before use. Pour the crushed sea salt and baking soda into the bottle.

• 2

  Add warm or room-temperature water to the bottle, close it and shake it to blend the salt, baking soda and water together.

• 3

  Lean over a sink with your head tilted to the side. Place the spout of the sports bottle in the nostril that is higher up and squeeze the bottle gently. The solution will drain out from the other nostril.

• 4

  Switch sides and repeat the previous step. After draining is complete, blow your nose in a tissue to remove leftover mucus. Sterilize the neti pot thoroughly after use.