- 1). Choose your salt.
Plain, non-iodized table salt is all you really need. It's pure and it does the job. I have used iodized, and had no problems with it, and many people consider iodine to be a good additive to prevent sinus infections. Your mileage may vary. Others prefer to use sea salt, which is not pure sodium chloride, and contains a few other minerals -- like magnesium, calcium and potassium, but not iodine. All of these choices are good, but some may be better than others for your particular sinus condition. - 2). Choose your water.
You need clean water, so if you have a filter for your tap water, that is good. If you worry about it, boil some water and keep it in a jug. You can also use distilled water. (And okay, I'll admit it: I sometimes use unadulterated, unfiltered tap water, but then my city has won awards for water quality.) - 3). How much salt?
If you don't know how much to use, start with 1/4 teaspoon of salt per cup of water. Some recipes call for up to a whole teaspoon - which is called "hypertonic saline". Hypertonic saline is saltier than your natural body fluids, and is especially good to use on inflamed skin, but may be too strong for sinus irrigation. The higher the salt, the more it reduces inflammation, but no more than 1/2 teaspoon should be necessary under normal circumstances.
If you are already use a commecial mix, and think the amount is right, measure how much is in a packet. Remember that these products are very finely powdered and take up less space, so you will want to use a little more of your own salt. - 4). Add a pinch of baking soda.
Baking soda (NOT baking powder!) will help the mucus dissolve and be washed away, so add a good sized pinch to the salt before mixing with the water. Some recipes add as much baking soda as salt, but most do not. - 5). Mix the salt and baking soda with warm water.
If you don't already know, you should warm your saline anyway before irrigation, because it feels much better when the solution is the same temperature as your nasal passages. This will also help the larger crystals in table or sea salt to dissolve.
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