How to Get Rid of Clogged Pores: 12 Home Remedies That Work Fast

close up of human skin

Pimples and blotches and blemishes have taken over, and you have already gone beyond the exclamation of “Oh my!” now what do you do? In most cases, skin conditions such as these, especially on your face, are caused by clogged pores. The answer is to unclog them and resolve the problem. But do you know how to get rid of clogged pores? We’re here to provide 12 home remedies on how to clear clogged pores and how to prevent clogged pores from causing problems.

Remember that these are not complete cures for every person and every condition. For underlying causes with more severe circumstances, you will need the assistance of a health care professional to get to the root of the problem truly.

12 Home Remedies for Clogged Pores and How to use Them

1. Eggs

Our first solution in how to get rid of clogged pores couldn’t be simpler nor the main ingredient easier to come by; eggs. The whites of eggs have skin-toning and complexion-enhancing properties which also shrink the size of your pores and make them less susceptible to attracting impurities.

What to do:

  • Whip an egg white until foamy.
  • Refrigerate for 5 minutes before mixing in the juice of half a lemon.
  • Apply the mixture to your skin.
  • Allow it to dry for 10 minutes
  • Rinse with warm water.
  • Repeat a couple of times a week.

eggs in the grass

2. Oatmeal

Oatmeal can work to both exfoliate as well as a cleanser and is an excellent ingredient for how to prevent clogged pores. Besides being a cleaner with lots of vitamins and minerals, oatmeal tends to absorb excess oils in your skin as well.

What to do:

  • Add ½ cup of cooked oatmeal to 1 Tsp of olive oil.
  • Smear the mixture over your skin and allow it to dry for 15 minutes.
  • Use a moist washcloth to wipe it off your face.
  • Rinse with fresh
  • Repeat 2 to 3 times a week.

3. Raw Papaya

Papain, an enzyme in papaya has skin-cleansing properties which are excellent when it comes down to how to get rid of clogged pores. Fresh papaya not only cleanses but can serve to exfoliate your skin as well.

What to do:

  • Peel a small raw papaya and gently rub the fleshy portion against the affected skin for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Rinse it off with warm water.
  • Alternatively, you can grind ½ cup of raw papaya to extract its juice.
  • Apply to affected areas with a cotton ball.
  • Leave in place for 10 minutes before rinsing.
  • You can repeat either method a couple of times per week.

4. Parsley

Parsley has a natural astringent property which is an awesome ingredient when it comes to clogged pores on face and neck areas. This natural astringent effectively draws out toxins and impurities from your skin and gets rid of the clogged pores.

What to do:

  • Wash parsley and place it in a bowl.
  • Pour 8 oz. of boiling water over the parsley.
  • After it cools, strain the leaves from the water.
  • Soak a cloth in the parsley tea.
  • Apply the warm, soaked cloth to the affected area and hold in place for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Repeat this every other day.

parsley on table

5. Baking Soda

Another remedy included on our list of how to get rid of clogged pores is baking soda. Baking soda is another exfoliating agent that can unplug pores through the removal of toxins and impurities but also helps to balance out the pH of your skin and make it more alkaline, which discourages the growth of bacteria and other microbes.

What to do:

  • Mix 2 Tsp of baking soda with one tsp of water.
  • Create a smooth paste to massage in a circular motion for a few minutes over the affected skin.
  • Allow it to sit for 5 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
  • Use this remedy once or twice a week.

6. Honey

Honey can also reduce excess oil on the skin as well as tighten the skin pores. It is an excellent solution for how to get rid of clogged pores on nose and face. Additionally, honey helps to keep your skin hydrated.

What to do:

  • Gently massage raw honey on the affected skin area.
  • Allow it to dry in place for 5 minutes or so.
  • Rinse off with warm water.
  • Repeat these 2 or 3 times a week.

7. Lemon

Another simple and easy to obtain ingredient for how to get rid of clogged pores is a lemon. Lemons contain citric acid which helps to clean impurities from the skin and exfoliate as well.

What to do:

  • Apply freshly squeezed lemon juice to the affected area using a cotton ball.
  • Allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
  • Instead, you can only cut a slice from a lemon and rub it over the skin of the affected area to apply the juice for 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse it off.
  • You can repeat these 2 or 3 times a week as well.

8. Steam

It doesn’t get much simpler when it comes to how to get rid of clogged pores than steaming your face. Steaming opens the clogged pores and allows the trapped impurities inside to be washed out.

What to do:

  • Heat water in a pot on the stove until it produces steam.
  • Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Put a towel over your head and place your face over the steam.
  • Be careful not to get so close that it burns you.
  • Steam your face for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Pat your face dry.
  • Repeat these 2 to 3 times per week.

What makes steam a great way to help get rid of clogged pores is the fact that you can do it every day even without this method. For example, one of the best times to help get rid of clogged pores using steam is when you are taking a hot shower or bath. 

The steam from the hot water will automatically help to open your pores. When this happens, that is the ideal time to begin scrubbing your face. When you scrub, you want to make sure that you are using a clean facial scrubber or a clean facial exfoliating brush. This will help to gently unclog your pores.

9. Granulated Sugar

Our sweetest remedy on the list of how to get rid of clogged pores is sugar. Granulated sugar also works as an exfoliating agent who can help to break down scar tissue and clean out clogged pores.

What to do:

  • Mix granulated sure with the juice of half a lemon and a little bit of water to make a sludgy scrub.
  • Gently massage the mixture into the affected skin in a circular motion for 5 minutes to exfoliate.
  • Rinse with cool water and apply moisturizer.
  • Do this weekly to clear clogged pores.

10. Activated Charcoal

A superstar among remedies for how to get rid of clogged pores is activated charcoal. Activated charcoal works on your skin the same way it works when it is used as a poison antidote. It attracts toxins and absorbs nearly 200 times its weight in impurities.

What to do:

  • Mix 1 ½ Tbsp of activated charcoal powder in approximately 1 ½ Tbsp of water.
  • Apply a thin layer of coconut oil to your face.
  • Use the charcoal mixture over the coconut oil to create a thick
  • Allow the mask to dry for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Rinse your face with warm water.
  • Follow up with a baking soda paste (as listed above) to remove any excess charcoal.
  • You can repeat this a couple of times a week.

If you do not want to make your own activated charcoal mixture, then there are plenty of over the counter products that you can purchase instead. With these over the counter products, you just want to be sure that you are reading the ingredients carefully. The ingredients should list activated charcoal. Often times, cleansing masks will falsely advertise this but will include an artificial mixture instead. 

activated charcoal tablets and pills

11. Bentonite Clay

Another big winner when it comes to how to get rid of clogged pores is bentonite clay. Bentonite clay can be used as a detox internally if you have the calcium based variety, but you can use either the calcium or sodium type externally to suck those toxins out of your pores.

What to do:

  • Mix equal parts of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the clay.
  • Make certain that you do not use a metal spoon or bowl for mixing because it ruins the effectiveness of the clay.
  • Create a thick, muddy paste.
  • Apply a layer of coconut oil to your face and neck before applying the paste.
  • Leave the mask in place for 20 minutes.
  • Wipe off the mask with a warm washcloth and rinse.
  • You can repeat this once or twice a week.

Again, much like many of our tips listed above, one of the best times to do this remedy would be right before bed. When you wake up. Your pores will not feel clogged, and your skin will feel nice and fresh and renewed. 

12. Essential Oils for Clogged Pores

Acne and clogged pores are a combination of bacteria, excess oil production, impurities in the air and our food and stress. In some cases, there is no better remedy than the use of essential oils for clogged pores. These oils not only cleanse away the impurities of your environment, but their aroma tends to reduce stress as well.

What to do:

  • For anxiety and stress, diffuse five drops of clary sage, lavender, tea tree, or juniper berry oil.
  • To kill and cleanse away the bacteria clogging your pores, apply 1–3 drops of any of the four oils above with a clean cotton ball.
  • If you need to dilute it because you have sensitive skin, mix it with ½ Tsp of coconut oil.
  • You can use this cleanser daily if necessary.
  • Additionally, you can mix a few drops of any of these essential oils to the applications and remedies above to give their effectiveness a boost.

There are many times throughout the day where you can use essential oils to help clog your pores. However, to get the most benefit out of it, one of the best times to use them is right before you go to bed. 

When you apply the mixture to your face before bed, you allow your skin to really soak up the benefits without having to deal with the exposure to the harshness of the environment you come in contact with every day. 

In addition to this, you will wake up feeling fresh and renewed and your skin will not only be glowing, but it will feel soft to the touch as well.

Conclusion

Knowing how to get rid of clogged pores is essential for clearing up those blemishes, blotches, and pimples that have been haunting you day and night. Clearing the clogged pores on face and neck can help you avoid embarrassment and allow you to face others with confidence. Cleanliness, fewer toxins, and less stress are some of the best means of how to prevent clogged pores and their associated issues and to make use of these remedies, and essential oils can help. Utilize one or more of the resources listed above to make your skin glow, prevent permanent damage and boost your confidence.

Images from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.