How to Stop a Runny Nose: 15 Remedies that Really Work

kid with runny nose in bed

A runny nose isn’t only unsightly and embarrassing, but it is also irritating and distracts you from your daily routine. Our purpose in this article is to examine 15 remedies for how to stop a runny nose that really work. Before we get into those remedies, let’s consider what causes a runny nose.

Essentially, a runny nose is the draining of mucus from the sinuses. The reason that mucus is draining is due to some irritant in the sinuses which has activated an immune response to flush the irritant out. Those irritants are typically related to a virus, allergies, a sinus infection of some sort or a dramatic change in the weather.

Most of the time a runny nose is not a major concern and these remedies are beneficial in how to stop a runny nose, but they are not all inclusive. If a runny nose becomes chronic and lasts for a long time, it’s best to consult your health care provider to search for potentially more serious causes.

How to Stop a Runny Nose: 15 Remedies that Really Work

Kharvas

We’re going to start our list of how to stop a runny nose with, kharvas, a remedy that is probably strange to you.

What to do:

In a bowl with a lid, mix 1 cup of coconut juice or milk, ½ tsp of turmeric, ½ tsp of black pepper, ½ tsp of cinnamon, ¼ cup to ½ cup of jaggery or stevia per taste and ½ liter of colostrum milk.

  • Place the bowl with its lid inside a pressure cooker with ½” to ¾” of water in the bottom of the cooker.
  • Place the pressure cooker on the flame, but without attaching the whistle.
  • Cook for 30 minutes, and then remove it from the flame.
  • Allow the pressure cooker to cool down before opening it and removing the bowl.
  • Cut the thick mixture into 1” cubes.
  • Eat 6 to 8 cubes twice daily and store remainder in refrigerator.

How it works:

The colostrums milk in kharvas, along with the other ingredients helps to give your immunity a boost and make your sinuses get rid of the irritant more quickly.

eucalyptus leaves on table

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is a common and powerful ingredient used in medication and home remedies alike and is an essential element in how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • You can boil 3 or 4 eucalyptus leaves in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes in order to create a tea.
  • Add lemon and honey as desired and drink the tea several times a day.
  • You can also add eucalyptus oil to a steam treatment, which we’ll discuss later.

How it works:

Eucalyptus is a natural decongestant which helps to speed up the expulsion of the irritant in your sinuses.

Horseradish

Another top performer on our list of how to stop a runny nose is horseradish.

What to do:

  • Place ½ to 1 tsp of grated horseradish root into your mouth.
  • Keep the horseradish in your mouth until it becomes flavorless.
  • Swallowing the remaining horseradish will help extract mucus from your throat as well.

How it works:

Besides being antibacterial and antimicrobial, horseradish has mucolytic properties that help to drain mucus.

Onion

Onion is another common household item that is quite effective when it come to how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • Chop medium onion into thin slices.
  • Add the onion slices to 1 cup of boiling water.
  • Simmer for 5 minutes and then pour it into a cup.
  • Drink the tea several times a day and breath in the steam as well.

How it works:

Onions are antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral, which means that they’re apt to kill whatever irritant is bothering your sinuses. In addition, onions tend to work at flushing out mucus as well.

Basil

Another herbal remedy on our list of how to stop a runny nose is basil.

What to do:

  • You can chew 3 or 4 basil leaves a couple times a day.
  • You can also add 8 to 10 whole basil leaves or 1 tsp of dried leaves and 3 or 4 whole cloves to 1 cup of boiling water and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes to make a tea.
  • Add honey if necessary and drink this tea a couple of times a day.

How it works:

Basil is also antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral, so it helps get rid of the irritant and not just the symptom.

Honey and Cinnamon

Honey mixed with cinnamon is one of the simplest remedies on our list of how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • Mix ½ tsp of cinnamon in 1 Tbsp of raw, organic honey and swallow it several times a day.
  • Note: using local honey can help fight against local strains of allergens.

How it works:

Honey is a natural antibiotic, which not only relieves the symptom but also helps fight the cause through antibodies that were produced by the bees as they were making the honey.

Peppermint and Lavender Oils

A mixture of peppermint and lavender oils is another top performing remedy in how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • Drop 3 drops of peppermint oil and 3 drops of lavender oil into 5 cups of boiling water.
  • With your eyes closed, cover you head with a towel and breath in the vapors.
  • Repeat this several times a day.

How it works:

Both of these oils are antibacterial to help kill the irritant, but they also bring a soothing, cooling relief to your inflamed sinuses.

garlic cloves on table

Garlic

No list of how to stop a runny nose would be complete without the addition of garlic.

What to do:

  • The simplest remedy is to chew a clove of raw garlic twice a day.
  • You can consume garlic capsule supplements.
  • You can also increase your use of garlic in your cooking.

How it works:

Garlic is high in allicin and other beneficial enzymes, which act as antiseptics and help to flush the irritants from your sinuses.

Turmeric

Though turmeric is best known as one of the main ingredients in curry powder, it is also effective for how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • Mix ½ tsp of turmeric powder in a warm glass of milk and consume the mixture twice a day.
  • You can make a tea from slicing 2 Tbsp of whole turmeric and simmering in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes.
  • Drink this tea a couple of times a day. Adding a pinch or two of ground black pepper will increase its effectiveness.

How it works:

Not only is turmeric is an extremely effective antimicrobial herb, but it is as effective as ibuprofen for pain and inflammation.

Steam

Steam can play a critical role in how to stop a runny nose as well.

What to do:

  • Bring 5 cups of water to a boil.
  • You can add 3 drops of eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, oregano or any number of essential oils for sinus relief.
  • Keeping your eyes closed, cover your head with a towel and breathe in the steam.
  • Repeat this treatment several times a day.

How it works:

Steam not only soothes the sinus pressure but also assists the mucus in getting rid of the irritant and gets you back to normal faster.

Cayenne Pepper

If you’ve ever had watery eyes and a runny nose while eating spicy foods, then you’ll understand how to stop a runny nose with cayenne pepper.

What to do:

  • Add cayenne pepper to your regular foods when your sinuses are acting up.
  • Consider using cayenne pepper in a hot and sour soup recipe.
  • Mix cayenne pepper into your favorite vegetable dip or salad dressing.

How it works:

Cayenne pepper is a natural antihistamine, which helps shrink swelling in your sinuses and helps to flush out the irritants that are making your nose run.

Ginger

Ginger is another of our favorite home remedies for how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • You can slice off a ¼” thick slice of raw ginger, peel it and chew on a fresh slice several times a day.
  • You can consume it like its cousin, turmeric, listed above.

How it works:

Ginger helps to cleanse toxins from your body and especially from your sinuses.

Mustard Oil

Mustard oil is a less common, but still effective remedy for how to stop a runny nose.

What to do:

  • Warm ¼ to ½ tsp of mustard oil just slightly.
  • With a dropper, place a couple of drops in each nostril.
  • Repeat the process 2 or 3 times daily.
  • You can also use mustard oil as a cooking oil.

How it works:

Mustard oil has natural antihistamine, antibiotic and antiviral compounds which make it effective at getting rid of the toxins in your sinuses.

Stinging Nettle

Another of the less common remedies, which is very effective in how to stop a runny nose, is stinging nettle.

What to do:

  • Add ½ cup of fresh nettle leaves to a cup of boiling water.
  • Let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Strain the leaves as you pour the tea into a cup and add honey to taste.
  • Drink this tea a few times a day.

How it works:

Stinging nettle is an especially effective natural antihistamine for the treatment of hay fever and other allergies.

bottle of water

Salt Water

You can’t get a more readily available or basic treatment for how to stop a runny nose than salt and water.

What to do:

  • In 2 cups of distilled warm water, mix ½ tsp of table salt.
  • With your head tilted back, use a dropper to put several drops of the salt solution into each nostril.
  • Inhale gently and allow the solution to penetrate your sinuses.
  • Blow your nose and repeat the process several times per sitting until you feel some relief.
  • Continue repeating the process until your symptoms are gone.

How it works:

Salt helps to thin mucus and to kill micro-organisms in your sinuses.

Wrapping It Up

When it comes to getting yourself back into your normal routine, how to stop a runny nose becomes an important item on your list. Our 15 remedies will work to bring relief to your symptoms and help you get rid of their underlying causes. Make use of one or more of them next time your nose is running out of control and then tell us how well they worked in the comments section below.

Images from depositphotos.com and pixabay.com.