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This article was co-authored by Lisa Bryant, ND and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA. Dr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
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Dealing with phlegm can be really annoying. Fortunately, there are lots of home remedies that are pretty effective! If you have phlegm in your throat, try home treatments like gargling with salt water or inhaling steam to break up the mucus. Additionally, sip on hot liquids and lemon tea to get relief, and eat soup or spicy foods. Finally, prevent further mucus buildup by avoiding things that trigger it.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Using Home Treatments
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1Gargle with warm salt water to relieve mucus and soothe your throat. Mix .5 teaspoons (2.5 mL) of salt into 1 cup (240 mL) of warm water. Take a sip of salt water, but don’t swallow. Instead, tilt your head back and gargle the water for a few seconds. Then, spit out the salt water in a sink and rinse out your mouth.[1]
- You can repeat this treatment every 2-3 hours throughout the day, as needed.
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2Use a humidifier to moisten your airways with warm steam. Pour distilled water into your humidifier up to the fill line. Then, turn on the humidifier and keep it running while you recover. The steam will moisten your airways and thin your mucus. This should relieve the phlegm in your throat.[2]
- If you don't have a working humidifier, you can find options online here.
- If you like, add eucalyptus essential oil, which is an active ingredient in vaporub products. Use an eyedropper to add 2-3 drops of oil to the water before you turn on the humidifier.[3]
- You can find eucalyptus essential oil here.
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3Take a hot shower and inhale the steam for temporary relief. Since steam can loosen and thin the phlegm in your throat, a hot shower can help. To use the shower, set the your water temperature to hot but not scalding. Then, relax in your shower and take deep breaths.[4]
- You can also use eucalyptus essential oil in your shower. Use an eyedropper to add a couple of drops of oil to the shower floor or bathtub right before you step into the shower.
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4Inhale steam from a bowl of hot water to thin and loosen the phlegm. Fill a large bowl with steaming hot water. Then, lean over the bowl and drape a towel over your head and the bowl. Slowly inhale the steam for as long as you feel comfortable. Afterwards, drink a glass of water to cool you down and keep you hydrated.[5]
- This is called a facial steam. You can do it once or twice a day as needed to get relief.
- For added benefits, add essential oil to your water, such as 2-3 drops of eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint essential oil to help break up the mucus and soothe your throat.[6]
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5Hum to break up the phlegm if your throat doesn’t hurt. Humming makes your throat vibrate, which can effectively break up the phlegm. Pick your favorite song, then hum for a minute or 2. Follow up with a few sips of water. This should help clear your throat.[7]
- This works best if your throat isn’t sore. If humming feels uncomfortable, try something else.
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6Rinse your sinuses with a neti pot to clear your airways and thin mucus. Fill a neti pot with an over-the-counter saline rinse or purified water. Then, lean over a sink and tilt your head to 1 side. Place the spout of the neti pot against your top nostril, then slowly pour the water into your nose. It should go in the top nostril and exit the bottom nostril.[8]
- Rinse both nostrils over your sink. Be careful not to inhale the saline solution or water.
- Don’t use tap water in your neti pot. Although it’s rare, tap water can contain brain eating amoebas.
- You can find a variety of neti pot options here.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Relieving Mucus with Fluids and Food
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1Stay hydrated by drinking at least 11.5 cups (2.7 L) of water daily. Fluids will help thin out the mucus so that it doesn’t build up in your throat. Make sure you’re meeting your daily water needs by drinking plenty of water, tea, and other beverages. Additionally, snack on foods that contain water, like soup or fruit. Women need about 11.5 cups (2.7 L) of water daily, while men need about 15.5 cups (3.7 L) of water daily.[9]
- Try flavoring your water or tea with lemon, which will help break up your mucus. Add lemon slices to your water or squeeze some lemon juice into your glass.
Warning: You don’t need to drink an excessive amount of fluids. If you drink too much, you may experience fluid overload because it’s normal for your body to hold onto fluids while you’re sick. Symptoms of fluid overload include confusion, lethargy, irritability, coma, and convulsions.[10]
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2Drink warm liquids to clear your throat and break up the mucus. Choose hot fluids like warm water, tea, or cider to help relieve your phlegm. The heat will soften and thin the mucus so that it drains away more easily. This helps clear your throat.[11]
- Warm liquids are also very soothing, so they should help you feel better.
Tip: Ginger tea is a popular drink for relieving throat irritation, cough, and mucus. Steep a bag of ginger tea in hot water for 2-3 minutes, then drink it when it’s comfortably warm.[12]
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3Sip on lemon tea with honey to soothe your throat and relieve mucus. Use a bag of prepared lemon tea or add 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of lemon to 1 cup (240 mL) of hot water. Then, stir about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of honey into the lemon water. Drink your tea while it’s warm.[13]
- The acid in the lemon juice helps to thin and remove the phlegm, while the honey soothes your throat.
- You can enjoy your lemon tea with honey as often as you’d like.
- If you'd like to buy lemon tea, you can find options here.
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4Eat hot soup to thin and break up mucus. Soup warms the mucus, which can help thin it out so it goes away more easily. The broth can also help thin your mucus and clear your throat. Additionally, soup made with chicken broth, like chicken noodle soup, may act as an anti-inflammatory, as well.[14]
- Choose a chicken broth-based soup if you can, as it’s the best option. However, any soup will help warm you up and increase your fluids.
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5Eat spicy foods to loosen the phlegm so it drains easily. Choose dishes that contain spices like cayenne pepper, chili pepper, wasabi, horseradish, or peppers. These spices act as natural decongestants, so they’ll thin your mucus and make your nose start running. This should help clear your phlegm.[15]
- Spices may burn your throat, so you may not want to try this if you have a sore throat.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Preventing Phlegm Buildup
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1Keep your head elevated so mucus won’t collect in your throat. Mucus naturally drains from your sinuses down the back of your throat. If you’re lying down, the mucus can pool there. This leads to a buildup of phlegm in your throat. To prevent this, prop yourself up on pillows to allow the phlegm to drain.[16]
- When you’re sleeping, use a lot of pillows or sleep in a chair if your mucus is really thick.
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2Stop eating foods that cause you to have acid reflux. Acid reflux can cause mucus to collect in your throat. If you commonly experience heartburn or burning in your throat, monitor the foods that seem to cause your symptoms. Then, avoiding eating those foods.[17]
- Common causes of acid reflux include garlic, onions, spicy foods, caffeine, carbonated drinks, citrus foods, onions, alcohol, mint, tomato products, chocolate, and fried, greasy foods.[18]
- Talk to your doctor if you’re having acid reflux more than twice a week, if you haven’t already.
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3Avoid smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke. Smoking can dry out your vocal cords, which triggers your body to make more phlegm and mucus to restore the lost moisture. This can make your phlegm worse. It’s best to stop smoking if you do. Additionally, ask others not to smoke around you or step away while they do it.[19]
- If you’re a smoker, you may be able to use nicotine gum or patches to help you deal with your cravings.
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4Avoid dairy products because they can thicken your mucus. You may have heard that dairy makes you produce more mucus, but that’s not true. However, it may cause your mucus to thicken, especially if you’re eating high fat dairy. While you might not experience thicker mucus, it’s best to stay away from dairy if you’re trying to get rid of phlegm.[20]
- If you don’t want to stop eating dairy, stick to no-fat or low-fat options because they’re less likely to thicken your mucus.
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5Avoid exposure to allergens, fumes, and hazardous chemicals. Paint fumes, cleaners, and other chemicals can irritate your airways and harm your respiratory function. This can trigger your body to produce more mucus. Limit your contact with irritants or chemicals. If you must come into contact with them, wear a face mask and move to a ventilated area as soon as possible.[21]
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionI have old phlegm in my throat. How can I get rid of it? Does phlegm affect voice?
Lisa Bryant, NDDr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
Licensed Naturopathic PhysicianYes, phlegm may temporarily affect your voice. However, this should go away when the phlegm is gone. Try gargling with salt water to help remove the phlegm. You many need to gargle with salt water 2-3 times to reduce the phlegm in your throat.
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QuestionMy nose and throat is choked with mucus and phlegm. How do I get rid of it??Lisa Bryant, NDDr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
Licensed Naturopathic PhysicianYour best option for this is to use a neti pot to help clear out the mucus and phlegm. You can find the instructions for using a neti pot above.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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QuestionI have been diagnosed with tonsillitis. It hurts, so what can I do to sooth my tonsils ?Lisa Bryant, NDDr. Lisa Bryant is Licensed Naturopathic Physician and natural medicine expert based in Portland, Oregon. She earned a Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency in Naturopathic Family Medicine there in 2014.
Licensed Naturopathic PhysicianIf your tonsils are hurting because of a viral infection, the remedies discussed in this article should help sooth your throat. You might also try Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat Tea. When you brew the tea, put 2 tea bags in the cup so your tea will be more potent, which will help it sooth your throat.Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.
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Warnings
- If you are coughing up a yellow or green colored mucus, seek medical advice.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- If you are coughing up blood or have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical care or call your local Emergency Services.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Don’t use apple cider vinegar to treat your phlegm. It won’t treat your infection, but it may burn your throat.[23]⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321199.php
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321549.php
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321199.php
- ↑ https://www.uu.edu/dept/music/library/safety/VocalHealthInformation.pdf
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- ↑ https://www.bmj.com/content/328/7438/499
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/359266
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321549.php
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/expert-answers/honey/faq-20058031
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321549.php
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321134.php
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321134.php
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15530-lifestyle-guidelines-for-the-treatment-of-gerd
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC464910/
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2154152/
- ↑ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321549.php
- ↑ https://theconversation.com/health-check-what-you-need-to-know-about-mucus-and-phlegm-33192
- ↑ https://www.popsci.com/here-are-cold-and-flu-remedies-that-actually-work#page-2
About This Article
Article SummaryX
To get rid of phlegm in your throat without taking medicine, mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water and gargle with it for a few seconds before spitting it out. You can also try taking a long, steamy shower or inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water, which can help loosen up the phlegm in your throat. Even just drinking some warm liquids can help break up mucus, so try sipping on some tea or warm water. If you have some honey on hand, add a couple drops to your drink to help soothe your throat. For more advice, like how to prevent phlegm from building up in your throat, read on!
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Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
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