How (and Why!) to Use a Neti Pot

Step 1: Make a saline solution
Use distilled or purified bottled water, or boiled and cooled tap water in the neti pot. The temperature of the water should be body temperature or very slightly warmer. Avoid very hot or very cold water. Use ½ teaspoon Aromatic Salt neti pot salt in 8 ounces of warm water. The cap of the Aromatic Salt bottle can be used to measure the salt. Fill the cap until the salt just covers the thread - just over half a capful. The amount of salt needed varies depending on the mineral content of the water used. Adjust to find the amount of salt that's right for you.

If Aromatic Salt is not available, choose a salt which contains no added iodine, anti-caking, or free-flowing agents. You need 3 grams of salt per 8 oz of warm water. If measuring the salt by volume, the general rule is that the finer the salt, the less salt (by volume) that is needed to make 3 grams. If you are using a very fine salt, 1/4 teaspoon may be enough. If you are using a coarser salt, such as kosher salt, you will need 1/2 teaspoon or slightly more. Adjust the amount of salt until you have a solution that is comfortable for you.

Step 2: Rinse
With your neti pot filled with Aromatic Salt solution and standing over a basin or sink, lean forward slightly and tilt your head gently so that one nostril moves downward toward the basin and the other nostril moves up toward the ceiling. Insert the spout of the neti pot into the upper nostril. Gently pour the saline solution into the upper nostril and let it flow out through the lower nostril. When the pot is empty, blow out through both nostrils into the sink or into a tissue or handkerchief. Be sure not to close either nostril as you blow out. Repeat on the other side.

Step 3 Clear
When you have finished rinsing both sides, bend forward, and turn your head slowly from side to side to release any Aromatic Salt solution that may remain in the nasal passages.

More questions? Visit our Neti Pot Q & A page.

Always use a neti pot salt that contains no added iodine, no anti-caking agents, no free-flowing agents.

Ordinary table salt can be used, but most table salt contains one or more of these additives so you need to read the label carefully. It's easy to spot the added iodine - the salt will say "iodized salt". Avoid iodized salt for use in the neti pot. Other additives may or may not be listed on the ingredient list on the salt package. Even if the salt is labeled "natural", it may contain additives.

For convenience and to be sure of avoiding additives, you can purchase a special Neti Pot Salt, such as Aromatic Salt brand Neti Pot Salt pictured here. Aromatic Salt Neti Pot Salt can be kept with your neti pot, and the cap can be used to measure the right amount of salt into your neti pot. You can be sure that Aromatic Salt is made with a blend pure, natural, non-iodized, additive-free salts.

Choose Unscented Aromatic Salt Neti Pot Salt which contains just pure, natural salt; or choose Original Aromatic Salt Neti Pot Salt which contains the same pure, natural salts with the addition of a blend of great smelling, soothing essential oils. The Aromatic Salt Original blend includes Tea Tree, Palmarosa, and Rosemary essential oils in a gentle, soothing and effective synergistic blend developed especially for use in the neti pot.

To learn more about Aromatic Salt Neti Pot Salt visit us at:
www.IntoTheScentedGarden.com/AromaticSalt

Many of us are exposed to cold and flu germs in the course of our day. Teachers, nurses, frequent flyers, and anyone who travels, works, or lives with other people are all at risk of exposure to cold, flu, and other germs. Using a neti pot to rinse your nostrils with saltwater can help.

The sinus, nostrils and the back of the throat are lined with mucus membranes. When we inhale through the nostrils, any foreign matter that we have breathed in, including cold and flu germs, are caught in the sticky mucus membranes and swept backward toward the back of the throat and into the stomach where they are killed by stomach acids.

Sometimes, the mucus membranes can become overburdened, losing effectiveness and leaving us vulnerable. Using a neti pot to rinse the nostrils with saltwater clears out excess debris, including cold and flu germs, reducing the burden on the mucus membranes, and supporting their healthy functioning. Healthy and effective mucus membranes clear the body of cold and flu germs and prevent disease.

Use a neti pot to rinse the nostrils with saltwater once or twice a day whenever you are concerned about exposure to cold and flu germs. Aromatic Salt Original neti pot salt contains a blend of essential oils. The essential oils in Aromatic Salt Original are soothing and refreshing. The blend includes the naturally anti-viral essential oils of tea tree and palmarosa. We recommend using Aromatic Salt Original neti pot salt in your neti pot daily.