It can be very annoying to have mucus in your throat. Fortunately, there are many home remedies that work very well. If you have mucus in your throat, try home remedies such as gargling with saline or inhaling steam to help dissolve the mucus. For relief, drink hot liquids and lemon juice, and eat soup or spicy foods. Finally, you prevent a new build-up of mucus by avoiding certain things.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Using home remedies
Step 1. Gargle with warm saline to loosen mucus and soothe your throat
Mix half a teaspoon (2-3 grams) of salt with 250 ml of warm water. Take a sip of the saline solution, but do not swallow the liquid. Instead, tilt your head back and gargle with the saline solution for a few seconds. Then spit the saline into the sink and rinse your mouth.
You can do this every 2-3 hours during your day whenever you feel like it
Step 2. Use a humidifier to moisten your airways with warm steam
Fill the humidifier reservoir to the fill line with distilled water. Then turn on the humidifier and let it do its job while you recover. The steam will moisten your airways and thin the mucus. This should loosen the mucus in your throat.
You can add eucalyptus oil if you like, which is the active ingredient in inhalation vapor ointments. Drop 2-3 drops of oil into the water with a pipette before turning on the humidifier
Step 3. Take a hot shower and inhale the steam to temporarily relieve your discomfort
Steam can loosen and thin the mucus in your throat, so taking a hot shower can help. Make sure the shower water is hot, but not so hot that you burn yourself. Then relax in the shower and take a deep breath.
You can also use eucalyptus oil in the shower. Using a pipette, drop a few drops of oil on the floor of the shower or bathtub just before you get in the shower
Step 4. Inhale steam over a bowl of hot water to thin and loosen the mucus
Fill a large bowl with boiling hot water. Then, hold your head over the bowl and place a towel over your head and the bowl. Slowly inhale the steam until it starts to feel uncomfortable. Drink a glass of water afterwards to cool down and stay hydrated.
- This is also known as a steam treatment for the face. You can do it once or twice a day as needed to relieve your discomfort.
- To get even more benefit from steaming, add essential oil to the water to help dissolve mucus and soothe your throat. You can add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil, rosemary oil or peppermint oil.
Step 5. If you don't have a sore throat, hum gently to help the mucus dissolve
By humming your vocal cords and therefore your throat will vibrate, so that the mucus can be dissolved. Pick a favorite song and then hum it for a minute or two. Then drink a few sips of water. This should help clear your throat.
This works best if your throat doesn't hurt. If humming feels uncomfortable, try something else
Step 6. Flush your sinuses with a neti pot to clear your airways and thin the mucus
Fill a neti pot with an over-the-counter or homemade saline solution. Then bend over the sink and tilt your head to one side. Hold the spout of the neti pot against your top nostril and slowly pour the saline into your nose. The fluid should flow into your upper nostril and exit your lower nostril.
- Rinse both nostrils over your sink. Do not inhale or swallow the saline or water.
- To make your own salt solution at home, mix a teaspoon (5 grams) of salt with 250 ml of distilled water. Always put distilled water in your neti pot. Tap water can contain amoebae that eat your brain, although this is very rare.
Method 2 of 3: Loosen mucus with liquids and foods
Step 1. Stay hydrated by drinking at least 2.5 liters of water daily
Fluids help thin the mucus so it doesn't build up in your throat. Make sure you meet your daily fluid needs by drinking enough water, tea and other drinks. In addition, eat foods that contain water such as soup and fruit. Women need just over 2.5 liters of water daily and men just over 3.5 liters of water.
Flavor the water or tea with lemon, which will help loosen the mucus. Put lemon slices in the water or squeeze some lemon juice into your glass
Warning:
it is not necessary to drink a very large amount of fluid. If you drink too much fluid, your body may be taking in too much fluid. When you are sick, it is normal for your body to retain a lot of fluid. Symptoms of excess fluid include confusion, lethargy, irritability, a coma and convulsions.
Step 2. Drink warm liquids to clear your throat and dissolve the mucus
Opt for liquids like warm water, tea, and cider to help clear the phlegm. The heat makes the mucus softer and thinner so that it drains more easily. This helps to clear your throat.
Warm liquids also have a soothing effect and should help you feel better
Tip:
Ginger tea is a popular drink to treat an irritated throat, cough and phlegm. Soak a ginger tea bag in hot water for 2-3 minutes. Drink the tea when it is pleasantly warm.
Step 3. Drink lemon tea with honey to soothe your throat and thin the mucus
Use a lemon tea bag or put 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice in 250 ml of hot water. Then stir about 1 tablespoon (15 ml of honey) into the lemon water. Drink your tea warm.
- The acid in the lemon juice helps to thin and clear the mucus from your throat, while the honey soothes your throat.
- You can drink lemon tea with honey as often as you like.
Step 4. Eat hot soup to thin and dissolve the slime
Soup warms up the mucus, making it thinner and easier to clear. The broth can also help thin the mucus and clear your throat. Chicken broth soup, such as chicken soup with vermicelli, may also be anti-inflammatory.
If possible, opt for chicken stock soup, as that is the best option. However, all types of soup will warm up the mucus and hydrate your body
Step 5. Eat spicy foods to loosen the mucus so that it drains easily
Choose dishes with spices such as cayenne pepper, chili pepper, wasabi, horseradish or paprika. These spices are natural decongestants, meaning they thin the mucus and cause you to get a runny nose. This should allow you to get rid of the mucus.
Spices can burn your throat, so don't try this if you have a sore throat
Method 3 of 3: Preventing a buildup of mucus
Step 1. Keep your head up so that no mucus collects in your throat
Mucus drains naturally from your sinuses into the back of your throat. When you lie down, the mucus can build up there so that you have a large amount of mucus in your throat. To prevent this, place several pillows under your head to allow the mucus to drain.
Sleep with your head on several pillows or sleep in a chair if the mucus is very thick
Step 2. Stop eating foods that cause heartburn
Heartburn can cause mucus to build up in your throat. If you often experience heartburn or a burning sensation in your throat, keep track of which foods seem to be triggering your symptoms. Then stop eating those foods.
- Foods that commonly cause heartburn include garlic, onions, spicy foods, caffeine, carbonated drinks, citrus fruits, alcohol, peppermint, tomatoes, chocolate, and fried and fatty foods.
- If you have heartburn more than twice a week, if you haven't already, talk to your doctor.
Step 3. Stop smoking and make sure you don't smoke again
Smoking can dry out your vocal cords, causing your body to produce more mucus to replenish the fluid deficiency. This can make you more prone to mucus. So it is best to stop smoking. Also ask others not to smoke near you or leave if they are smoking with you.
As a smoker, you can use nicotine gum and patches to meet your nicotine needs
Step 4. Do not eat or drink dairy products as they can thicken the mucus
You may have heard that dairy makes you more mucus, but that's not true. However, dairy can make mucus thicker, especially if you eat and drink full-fat dairy products. You may not have thick mucus, but it's best not to eat or drink dairy if you're trying to get rid of mucus.
If you don't want to give up dairy, stick to low-fat or semi-skimmed dairy products as they are less likely to thicken your mucus
Step 5. Do not expose yourself to allergens, fumes and toxic chemicals
Paint fumes, cleaners and other chemicals can irritate your airways and affect your breathing. This allows your body to make more mucus. Limit contact with irritants and chemicals. If you do come into contact with it, wear a face mask and move to a well-ventilated area as soon as possible.
Tips
- You can swallow your mucus just fine, but you can also spit it out if you prefer.
- Take a cough candy with menthol to help soothe your throat.
Warnings
- Go to the emergency room or call 112 if you cough up blood, are short of breath and have trouble breathing.
- Get medical attention if you cough up yellow or green mucus.
- Do not use apple cider vinegar to get rid of the slime. The problem will not be solved and the vinegar could burn your throat.