8 Sore-Throat Soothers

Warm Salt Water

Try it when: Your throat is feeling sore and scratchy.

How it works: “This solution is soothing and can kill bacteria in the throat,” says Grace Keenan, M.D., director of the Nova Medical Group, in Ashburn, Virginia. “And it can help increase blood flow to carry infection-fighting cells to the throat to speed recovery.” Mix one teaspoon of salt per pint of water to create a gargle, and use that mixture once a day or as needed.

Good to know: The water should be comfortably warm, not hot. “You don’t want to burn your throat,” says Tim Tucker, a pharmacist in Huntingdon, Tennessee.