10 Cold and Flu Home Remedies

Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda

Posted by Caitlin (Austin) on 01/21/2019
★★★★★

As long as I keep grains non-existent in my diet, I don't catch colds. But when something is going around my neighborhood and even food carts at the supermarket may have cold germs attached to them I start to feel a sore throat, sneezing, congestion appearing -- especially during flu season. Here's a remedy that I got off Earthclinic years ago that still works quickly and brilliantly if you catch those symptoms when they first start:

1/2 tsp baking soda + 1 tablespoon of Apple Cidar Vinegar in 6 oz of water once in the a.m. and once 1 hour before bed. For me, it works EVERY time. Gave this remedy to my daughter one night when she was so congested she could barely breathe. She took it; her boyfriend refused. Next morning, she went to work; he didn't. Took the stubborn lad a week before he finally relented and took "the remedy." He slept like a baby and went on to work, greatly uncongested the next day. As usual, check with your doctor first especially if you are salt intolerant, have stomach issues, or taking medications. Fasting once -twice weekly can also help build up your resistance to colds.

Turmeric and Ginger Tea

Posted by Manuela (Medford, Ma) on 12/19/2017
★★★★★

I am fairly new to natural remedies but I am getting a lot of good information on this site and others. I have always suffered from colds that very often turn into horrible sinus infections. These occasionally turned into bronchitis and even pneumonia in the past from infected post-nasal drip. The nasal congestion is unbearable, severe and very painful, the whole head is affected and sleeping is impossible. Needless to say I am petrified of getting colds. Well, I just felt another one coming on a few days ago, but this time I beat it. I spent one day miserably congested and unable to breathe - the second day I made a tea with organic ingredients only, as follows:

1 tsp ground turmeric
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp black pepper
1tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey

Boil one cup of water, add turmeric and ginger, let steep for a few minutes, add pepper, lemon and honey then strain the tea into a mug and drink it.

After I drank, I could feel a little change in the congestion, it was subtle. It would lessen, then come back. So I was discouraged, but then I fell asleep for a while and when I woke up I was completely decongested and could breathe freely thru my nose! That was 3 days ago, I have been drinking one cup a day and the cold is 95% better! This to me is nothing short than a miracle because I know the misery I can experience with my sinuses. I will continue for the next few days just in case, and as needed if symptoms come back. But in the meantime I am thrilled that it did not progress and make my life hell for weeks. Now I feel have a defense against this condition. Please give it a try, it may work for you as well.

God bless.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Baking Soda

Posted by Mimijewels (San Diego) on 03/13/2017
★★★★★

I have had a cold and relapse 3 times including strep throat. Went to doctors to get rid of that. Cold was coming on again and I put Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV), cayenne pepper, baking soda and I feel great. Will keep sipping ACV with Soda and cayenne ...determined to get rid of this

Garlic

Posted by Agnes (Warsaw, Poland) on 12/17/2014
★★★★★

Garlic is wonderful as a preventative method for staving off common cold. When your flatmate is coughing and sneezing and you start feeling this funny itchiness in your nose, peel a garlic clove and press it so that volatile oils could evaporate. Keep it near your bed - viruses/ bacteria will not bother you.

Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne

Posted by Olddude (Chattanooga, Tn) on 06/03/2012
★☆☆☆☆

My story: went on vacation, got a bug/cold/running nose/coughing and so on. Came back, got worse. Tried all the Apple Cider Vinegar and cayanne, and so on. Did not cure it. finally went to the doctor, one steroid shot and nasal meds, got well sort of in 3 days. Its June 2, I am finally well, what I had was from zell. Ears got clogged up, sinusis bad, chest and lungs screw up somewhat. Yes the doctors meds killed all the stuff, but it still took another 7 days to finally leave my body, So, Apple Cider Vinegar and all these remedys did not kill this mess I had, but I kept taking them. I guess sometimes u gotta go see the doctor, IMHO

Vitamin C

Posted by Kathleen (Chicago, Illinois) on 10/26/2011
★★★★★

For colds, 4000 milligrams of Vitamin C spread out over the day (1000 milligrams after each meal and before bed).

I try to start the remedy as soon as I feel a tickle in the back of my throat or nose or nose congestion that I know signals a cold. Usually, I feel great the next morning or at the very least within two days.

The very best of health to everyone.

Hydrogen Peroxide in Humidifier

Posted by Sharon (Greenville, S C Usa) on 08/12/2011
★★★★★

You can also use peroxide in your humidifer when suffering from flu, colds, etc. Add 1 cup of peroxide to the tank and fill with water. Set humidifer close to your bedside so you can breathe the mist. Works wonders in stuffy nose and congestion.

Posted by Ladyliza (Los Angeles, Ca) on 06/27/2011 38 posts
★★★★★

For those who tend to get cold and flu, all you need is the correct amount of vitamin D and you won't get sick anymore. I take 5000 iu of vitamin D3, and I haven't had so much as a sniffle since that time, 6 years.

I will never get another flu shot either.

Hydrogen Peroxide in Humidifier

Posted by Alexandra (Toronto, On) on 11/11/2009
★★★★★

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to all of the wisdom on this site. I have been using all of the information for a couple of years but haven't written in till now. Two of my kids (14 and 18) came down with colds this week and then started running fevers. My daughter has also been vomitting so has not been able to do the lysine/Vit C remedy for flu. She also threw up the capful of HP in 1 litre of water remedy so I tried the HP in a cool mist humidifier... I added 2 capfuls to the resevoir of water and after 12 hours of sleep she woke up - no fever, no sore throat!

Vapor Rub

Posted by Linda (Eugene, Oregon) on 09/15/2009
★★★★★

I have been reaping the rewards of the many postings on Earth Clinic and now it's time to give back. My grandmother spent some time living on an Indian reservation in the 40s and 50s and she learned from their medicine "person" a remedy for severe chest colds. Begin by using a vapor rub or a similar camphor product and rub it on the chest, back and neck. Using two thin cotton squares, (large handkerchiefs work well) wet them in ice water then apply them at once to the chest and back. Then quickly put on a heavy wool sweater, keeping the handkerchiefs in place. Add a wool scarf around the neck and pin it in place. Lastly, pull a cotton sweatshirt over all and then go to bed. This combination will do it's work during the night. By morning the cold will be gone. I used this on my nine year old daughter....she didn't like the treatment but it worked!

Good luck and thank you Earth Clinic for this wonderful site.

Vapor Rub

Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 10/18/2025
★★★★★

Currently (10/18/25) everyone including young kids are getting sick with something like a head cold. I am telling everyone to use an Old-time Remedy that has been around since the start of the 1900's.

Vicks inhalation for a head cold involves using hot steam, either from a bowl of hot water with added Vicks VapoRub or a dedicated Vicks steam inhaler, to help relieve congestion by thinning mucus. It's important to use hot water.

From the book: Town Journal, Vol. 33, p. 29, December 11,1926.

Head Colds relieved with VAPORS

Snuff a little Vicks well up the nose or melt in a cup of hot water and inhale. Medicated vapors reach the air passages direct. For other cold troubles rub Vicks on the throat and chest.

From the label of a Vicks Vapor jar 1950's. (yea… I collect weird stuff)

If there is much MUCUS or PHLEGM in the air passages, or much irritation or COUGHING, melt a spoonful of Vicks VaporRub in a vaporizer or bowel of boiling water. Then inhale the steaming vapors. Every few hours put some VapoRub up nostrils and snuff well back. At bed time, massage on throat, chest, back and bottom of feet as with simple colds.

Note: I've wrote a Article about, DIY Old School Steam Inhaler Nebulizer

See Article here: https://www.instructables.com/DIY-Old-School-Steam-Inhaler-Nebulizer/

I remember as a kid back in the 1970's, my country Grandmother (she was born in 1911) putting a “whistling” tea kettle on the stove and when it started to “whistle” she would set in front of it (about a foot 12”) and inhale the steam. I also remember her putting a spoonful of Vick's Vapor-Rub into the water. As the kettle got hot, the salve would melt and release the medical oils into the steam. I don't remember her ever use the kettle to make tea in so I'm sure it was for steaming only.

I have not seen anyone mention this use of a tea kettle on the internet. It's always some company's selling some fancy electric device or something like that.

Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears

Posted by Kari (Phoenix, Az) on 08/30/2009
★☆☆☆☆

Hydrogen Peroxide did not work for me at all! In fact, I went on to have the worst cold ever. I then tried the 3x a day raw garlic and that works like a charm.

Black Elderberry Syrup

Posted by Maxine (Havana, Arkansas, USA) on 11/13/2008
★★★★★

Flu and Colds: Black Elderberry syrup, this stuff was discovered by a doctor in isreal , it had clinical trials cuts cold and flu in half. I used this with great success. It also helped fibromyalgia pain, unusual side effect. It works for anything viral, and I read somewhere it would work for bird flu.

Vitamin C

Posted by Bryce (Vancouver, Canada) on 06/17/2008
★★★★★

At the first signs of a cold, I dose myself with 1000's of milligrams of Vitamin C. I will take 2000-3000 milligrams at a time, throughout the day. Perhaps the most I've taken in a day is 6000-7000 mgs. This is the first thing that I have found that actually stops a cold in it's tracks. It's great, give it a try.

Hydrogen Peroxide in the Ears

Posted by Ria (NYC, NYS) on 03/15/2008
★★★★★

I had pink eye and cold at the same time. I tried hydrogen Peroxide in ear stuff (3%) in my ears in 10 min also sniffed peroxide into my nose it was painful but I wanted to ged rid of cold completely then gargled with cayenne pepper with camomile tea after I had some of them. 5 hours later no more itchy throat, and I felt much better. For pink eye I tried tea method it was fine and got rid of some of redness but what worked for me was wash it with bottled water and salt. my pink eye got instantly became clear!

Msg (!)

Posted by Ted (Bangkok, Thailand) 392 posts

Assuming you were right, still the monosodium glutamate would destroy the other functions pituitary, thyroid and most importantly, the control centers of the brain, the hypothalamus. There are countless research on the the dangers of monosodium glutamate. It should also be noted that a chicken soup, not in a canned one as it contains female estrogen, that is found in nearly all plastic lined canned foods and packaged food made from Bisphenol-A, where accumulative effects may also lead to miscarriage, obesity also.

It would be a lot safer to take L-Glutamine, which is a close cousin of the Monosodium glutamate, but doesn't have the brain damaging effects of the sodium attached to the glutamine molecules. The L-Glutamine has immune supporting effects and protect against cold. Adding l-glutamine with freshly cooked chicken soup (never canned), which is cysteine rich, with added vinegar would have been a better safer alternative. L-Glutamine is popularly used by body builders to reduce fat, but increase muscle mass, while monosodium glutamate does the opposite, by stimulating the appetite, but yet causes morbid obesity in rat studies, decrease growth and endocrine damages, so well known in many rat studies. A remedy for this cold require about two of L glutamine, with freshly cooked chicken soup and plenty of vinegar (or apple cider vinegar).

Garlic

Posted by Laura (Seattle, WA) on 10/16/2007
★★★★★

I've been using garlic for years for a variety of things. Usually I use it for colds. At the first sign of a cold, chop up 4 cloves of raw garlic and eat. I prefer to use it as a garnish on an already garlicy type food like soups or spaghettie, it helps make the taste not so obvious. Keep up with 4 cloves a day, then reduce the number as your symptoms decrease. This can stop a cold from manifesting, or it will shorten and weaken your colds. I used to have chronic bronchitis after every cold, now I haven't had it in years. I also only get one cold a year usually. Yeah, I don't smell great but I'm not missing so much work!

I will also use raw garlic juice on rashes and bug bites. It stops the itching immediately, and I pretty much use it for anytime I might need a phytoncide.

Oregano Oil

Posted by Melissa (San Diego, CA) on 09/21/2007
★★★★★

I was suffering from a very bad cold/flu, specifically horrible sinus pressure and chest tightness and coughing, and clogged ears. I love ACV, Cayenne pepper, and hydrogen peroxide for many things, but none of these provided any releif for this. I also tried Grapefruit Seed Extract, sea salt, and borax to try to kill the virus. The last thing I tried was Oregano Oil. I used one drop sublingually and put a few more drops in water and felt immediate relief from the cough/chest tightness and sinus pressure as I was able to expectorate all the mucous. I think all the remedies listed for colds, sore throats, coughts etc. have merit but apparently different people require different remedies. So keep trying until you find the one that works for you. I was starting to get discouraged that I couldn't find any relief from natural remedies and figured I would have to succumb to cough syrup and sudafed. I'm glad I tried one last thing.