February 13, 2025

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This Cheap Drugstore Remedy Could Help You Recover From a Cold Faster

This Cheap Drugstore Remedy Could Help You Recover From a Cold Faster

When you come down with a cold, you have to deal with a runny nose, sore throat, and cough for about a week. A simple saltwater solution could help reduce the duration of these uncomfortable symptoms.

A 2019 pilot study found that flushing your nose with a 3% saline solution—higher than the standard 0.9% concentration—can reduce cold symptoms by almost two days. Research presented last year at the European Respiratory Society’s annual meeting shows that 2.6% saline nasal drops also helped children recover from a cold faster than kids who didn’t use this treatment.

Importantly, researchers say that saline nasal drops may help reduce transmission rates of the cold virus.

“Fewer household contacts developed colds in those children who were provided with 2.6% saline nose drops compared with families who had usual care,” Steve Cunningham, PhD, a professor of pediatric respiratory medicine at the University of Edinburgh and co-author of the 2024 study, told Verywell in an email.

Most people catch a cold two or three times each year, and the virus spreads easily via contaminated droplets. This affordable, easy-to-use treatment may help slow the spread of the cold virus between family members.

“The science isn’t completely definitive at this point. That said, this is a relatively benign, low-risk, low-cost intervention that I think is reasonable to try,” said Patricia Adam, MD, MSPH, a board-certified family physician and a professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School who was not involved with the research.

Saline Nasal Drops Flush Out Virus Particles

Saline nasal drops may help clear up your runny nose for several reasons. They may reduce viral load—or the amount of virus in a person’s system—by flushing out the nasal passages.

“[W]ashing the nose out with saline spray may decrease the viral load within the nasal passage, so that you are carrying around less virus, and therefore less likely to transmit it, and also more likely to get better faster,” Adam said.

In the 2019 study, 93% of participants said the 3% saline solution made a difference in their symptoms, and 61% said they would use it again during another cold.

Saline nasal drops also help flush out mucous and inflammatory mediators, which can improve cold symptoms and give the immune system a better chance at fighting the infection, said Janine Rethy, MD, MPH, division chief of community pediatrics at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital who was not involved in the study.

“Less mucous in the nose can improve symptoms of congestion and cough caused by post-nasal drip, and may decrease the chance of secondary infections such as sinus and ear infections,” Rethy told Verywell in an email.

Make Saline Drops at Home With Boiled or Distilled Water

When shopping for nasal drops or sprays, look for a saline percentage or the words “hypertonic” or “extra-strength” on the label. Many brands sell 3% hypertonic nasal spray, but it’s important to read the labels carefully to confirm the product doesn’t contain other added medications, Rethy explained.

You can also prepare a saline nasal solution at home with salt, baking soda, and water. Make sure to only use distilled or boiled and cooled tap water when preparing the solution.

“The reason for that is because the quality of the tap water varies, and once in a while, we get reports about some other bugs and germs in the tap water,” Julia Adamian, MD. FACP, an internist and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told Verywell.

To make the solution, combine 3 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Avoid salts with iodine, preservatives, or anti-caking agents because these can irritate your nose. Put one teaspoon of the salt-baking soda mixture into 8 ounces of distilled or boiled water.

Baking soda helps reduce irritation, but you might still notice some irritation in your nose or throat after using the saline solution, Adamian added.

Use Hypertonic Saline Drops as Needed

Even when prepared correctly, hypertonic nasal drops or sprays can irritate the nose and throat. Some people also experience a temporary burning sensation.

“The side effects usually include dryness. As we’re trying to dry the nose, actually, this is one of the side effects,” Adamian said.

Use the hypertonic saline solution “as tolerated, but at least four times a day” to see the benefits, but you can always talk with a trusted healthcare provider about other cold remedies if this doesn’t work well for you, she added.

What This Means For You

Saline nasal drops or sprays may help reduce cold symptoms, shorten the duration of illness, and lower the risk of spreading the virus to others. You can purchase these products or make a saline solution at home using distilled or boiled water. While generally safe, saline drops can sometimes cause mild irritation or dryness, so adjust usage as needed. Consult your healthcare provider if symptoms persist or worsen.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Manage common cold.

  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About common cold.

  3. Ramalingam S, Graham C, Dove J, Morrice L, Sheikh A. A pilot, open labelled, randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling for the common cold. Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):1015. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-37703-3

  4. National Cancer Institute. Hypertonic saline.

  5. Cunningham S, Evans E, Graham C, et al. A randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nose drops as a treatment in children with the common cold (ELVIS-Kids trial). Eur Respir J. 2024;64(suppl 68):OA1985. doi:10.1183/13993003.congress-2024.OA1985

  6. American Lung Association. Facts about the common cold.

  7. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Saline sinus rinse recipe.

  8. UCLA Health. Risks and rewards of nasal rinses: what you need to know.

Stephanie Brown

By Stephanie Brown

Brown is a nutrition writer who received her Didactic Program in Dietetics certification from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Previously, she worked as a nutrition educator and culinary instructor in New York City.

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