Saline solution is a type of sterile saltwater people with sinus symptoms may use to help clean excess mucus or allergens out of their nasal passages. In addition to what's now a popular allergy, infection or inflammation relief method in the West, nasal rinsing (often with a neti pot) is a practice that got its start in India and South East Asia.
When done safely and with properly sterilized water, nasal rinsing with saline solution is considered safe to do (and make) at home. It's important you follow health guidelines for mixing the solution. While rare, deaths from sinus rinsing have occurred from using tap water that hasn't been sterilized, as what may be safe to drink can cause serious infections when it passes through the nasal passages.
Here's what to know about nasal rinsing and making your own saline solution. As always, it's best to contact your doctor before trying this to learn whether it's right for you.
How to make a saline rinse for your nose
Before you make a nasal rinse at home, you'll need a device to administer it. Some container examples include a neti pot, rinse bottle or rubber ear bulb syringe.
If you'd like to try making your own, follow these steps and tips collected from by the CDC, Cleveland Clinic, the US Food and Drug Administration and the American Academy or Allergy, Asthma and Immunology to safely make your saline solution:
Step 1: Find sterilized or distilled water, or boil your own
You can buy water that's safe to use for nasal irrigation from the store if it's labeled "distilled" or "sterile." This means the water has gone through a process that's expected to kill most things that could cause infections.
You can also sterilize tap water by boiling it, although advice on how many minutes seems to vary slightly. The FDA recommends boiling water for three to five minutes before letting it cool, and the Cleveland Clinic recommends five. The CDC says to get water to a rolling boil for one minute; people living at elevations above 6,500 feet should boil water for three minutes. (The boiling point of water changes with elevation, affecting some cooking rules.)
If you're really in a rut and can't disinfect water by boiling it, the CDC also offers tips for filtering and then disinfecting water with (small amounts of) unscented household chlorine bleach. If you go this route, keep in mind this mixture is not safe for drinking.
The FDA says that previously boiled water can be stored in a clean, closed container for use within 24 hours (one day).
Step 2: Mix salt and baking soda
In a clean container, combine three teaspoons of non-iodized salt (the type you'd use for canning or pickling) with one teaspoon of baking soda.
Step 3: Combine dry ingredients with sterilized water
Add one teaspoon of dry mixture per eight ounces of lukewarm water. You can use a little less to minimize burning or side effects of nasal irrigation.
Make sure all containers that touch solution are clean
Your neti pot, nasal rinse device or any container should always be clean and sanitized before handling your solution. Follow the instructions on the nasal wash, if they have them.
Do you need to use boiled or distilled water for your nasal solution?
Yes, always. It may be safe to swallow and digest, but our digestive system is set up to receive and neutralize pathogens that are not safeto have up our noses or sinuses.
The rare deaths linked to neti pot use or nasal rinsing have been from people using tap water or unsterilized water, according to the CDC. Specifically, using unsterilized water for nasal rinsing has been linked to rare cases (PDF) of primary amebic meningoencephalitis, which is when an ameba gets up the nose and travels to the brain.
Even if you're using an irrigation system that comes with a pre-mixed saline solution, you still need to use sterilized water, as the Cleveland Clinic notes.
Is it safe to make your own contact solution at home?
No. The solution people most use to store their contact lenses overnight is a specific mix of saline solution and disinfectant -- made in a sterilized facility in a specific formula safe for the eyes -- which works to keep your contact lenses not only moisturized but free of build-up or contaminants that cause eye infections. The FDA says to avoid exposing your contact lenses to water, even if it's distilled, as this has been associated with a type of eye infection that's resistant to treatment and cure.
In general, the eyes are relatively vulnerable to serious infections compared to other body parts. They're close to the brain and have little protective barrier, which is why recalls or the potential contamination of eye drops (or anything you put in your eye) are taken very seriously. While one person may not develop any symptoms, or they get a milder infection that stays local to the eye and clears itself, another person's infection may cause permanent eye damage or blindness.