Salt Questions · Home, wellness & DIY
How do you use a salt rinse for a sore throat?
Short answer
Dissolve about ½ teaspoon of salt in a cup (240 ml) of warm water. Take a mouthful, tip your head back, gargle for a few seconds, then spit it out. Repeat a few times a day. The NHS lists gargling with warm salty water as a way to ease a sore throat in adults; it isn't suitable for young children.
Salt water gargle
- 1½ tsp salt in 1 cup warm water
- 2Gargle 10–30 seconds
- 3Spit it out
- 4Repeat a few times a day
How to do it
- Stir ¼–½ teaspoon of salt into 240 ml (8 fl oz) of warm, not hot, water until dissolved.
- Gargle a mouthful for 10–30 seconds.
- Spit it out. Don't swallow.
- Repeat several times a day as needed.
Why it may help
Salt water can loosen mucus and temporarily soothe irritated tissue. It doesn't cure the infection, but it's cheap, safe for most adults and many people find it helpful.
When to see a doctor
Seek help for a sore throat lasting more than a week, high fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or a weakened immune system.
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Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). How do you use a salt rinse for a sore throat. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-use-a-salt-rinse-for-a-sore-throat
“How do you use a salt rinse for a sore throat.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-use-a-salt-rinse-for-a-sore-throat. Accessed [today's date].
“How do you use a salt rinse for a sore throat.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/how-do-you-use-a-salt-rinse-for-a-sore-throat.
Original sources
- NHS. Sore throat. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sore-throat/