How to Stop a Runny Nose Fast: 10 Home Remedies

Why Does Your Nose Run?

A runny nose, or rhinorrhea, occurs when the nasal membranes produce excess mucus in response to irritants, infections, allergens, temperature changes, or even strong emotions. Your body produces roughly one to two liters of mucus daily under normal conditions. When something triggers an increase, the excess has to go somewhere — and it drips out your nose or down your throat.

The strategy that works fastest depends on the cause. A runny nose from a cold needs different treatment than one triggered by allergies or cold weather. The remedies below address the most common causes and are organized from fastest-acting to longest-lasting.

1. Blow Your Nose Properly

This sounds obvious, but technique matters. Blowing too hard can force infected mucus into the sinuses and ear canals, potentially causing secondary infections. A study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases showed that forceful nose blowing generates enough pressure to propel nasal fluid into the sinus cavities.

The right way: Press one nostril closed with your finger and gently blow through the other. Alternate sides. Use soft tissues to avoid skin irritation, and wash your hands immediately afterward.

2. Saline Nasal Spray or Rinse

Saline clears excess mucus, washes out allergens and irritants, and helps restore normal moisture balance to the nasal membranes. For a runny nose caused by allergies or mild viral infections, a neti pot or saline irrigation system provides more thorough flushing than a spray bottle alone.

Use isotonic saline (matching your body’s salt concentration) for general runny nose relief. Hypertonic saline (slightly higher salt concentration) draws fluid out of swollen tissues and can be more effective for thick, persistent drainage.

3. Steam Inhalation

Breathing warm, humid air helps thin mucus and calm inflamed nasal passages. Fill a bowl with hot water, drape a towel over your head, and inhale the steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Adding a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil can enhance the decongestant effect.

A hot shower works just as well if you prefer a hands-free approach. Run the shower at its hottest setting, close the bathroom door, and sit in the steam for 15 minutes.

4. Warm Compress

Place a warm, damp cloth across your nose and forehead. The heat promotes blood flow to the sinuses, helping thin mucus and relieve the sensation of pressure that often accompanies a runny nose. Reapply every five to ten minutes as the cloth cools.

5. Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of fluids thins mucus and helps your body clear it more efficiently. Warm beverages like ginger tea or peppermint tea are particularly helpful because the warmth itself promotes nasal drainage and the herbal compounds offer anti-inflammatory benefits.

Aim for at least eight glasses of water daily. If you have a fever, increase your intake to compensate for fluid lost through sweat.

6. Eat Spicy Food

Capsaicin in hot peppers, wasabi, and horseradish temporarily stimulates nasal secretions and then helps clear congestion. This produces a brief increase in runniness followed by a period of reduced dripping. If your goal is to clear out the mucus quickly, a spicy meal can help flush the passages.

7. Antihistamines (for Allergic Runny Nose)

If your runny nose is triggered by allergies — characterized by thin, clear, watery discharge along with sneezing and itchy eyes — antihistamines are the most effective treatment. Second-generation antihistamines like cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), or fexofenadine (Allegra) block histamine receptors without causing significant drowsiness.

First-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) have a stronger drying effect on nasal secretions but cause drowsiness. They can be useful at bedtime when a runny nose disrupts sleep.

Note: Antihistamines are less effective for runny noses caused by colds or infections because the mechanism is not histamine-driven.

8. Nasal Corticosteroid Spray

Over-the-counter nasal steroid sprays like fluticasone (Flonase) or triamcinolone (Nasacort) reduce nasal inflammation at the source. They are particularly effective for runny noses caused by allergies, vasomotor rhinitis (non-allergic rhinitis triggered by weather changes or irritants), and chronic rhinitis.

These sprays take a few days of consistent use to reach full effectiveness, so they work better as a preventive strategy than a quick fix. Use daily during allergy season or whenever chronic rhinorrhea is a problem.

9. Ipratropium Nasal Spray (Prescription)

For persistent runny nose that does not respond to other treatments, ipratropium bromide (Atrovent Nasal) is a prescription anticholinergic spray that directly reduces nasal secretions. It is especially effective for gustatory rhinitis (runny nose triggered by eating), cold-air rhinitis, and elderly rhinitis (senile rhinorrhea). Talk to your doctor if OTC options have not provided adequate relief.

10. Identify and Avoid Triggers

If your runny nose is recurrent, identifying the trigger is the most effective long-term strategy:

• Allergies: Pollen, dust mites, pet dander, mold. Use air purifiers with HEPA filters, wash bedding weekly in hot water, and shower after outdoor exposure during pollen season.
• Cold air: Wear a scarf or mask over your nose in winter. Cold, dry air stimulates the nasal membranes to produce excess mucus as a protective response.
• Strong odors: Perfumes, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and cooking fumes can trigger vasomotor rhinitis in sensitive individuals.
• Spicy food (chronic trigger): While capsaicin provides temporary relief, for some people spicy food is itself the cause. If your nose runs during every meal, gustatory rhinitis may be the issue.
• Hormonal changes: Pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and oral contraceptives can cause chronic rhinorrhea through hormonal effects on nasal blood vessels.

Quick-Fix vs Long-Term Solutions

Remedy	Speed	Best For	Duration of Relief
Blow nose properly	Immediate	All causes	Minutes
Spicy food	Minutes	Cold/sinus congestion	30 to 60 minutes
Steam inhalation	5 to 15 minutes	Cold, sinus infection	1 to 2 hours
Saline rinse	5 to 10 minutes	All causes	2 to 4 hours
Antihistamine	30 to 60 minutes	Allergies	12 to 24 hours
Nasal steroid spray	Days (builds up)	Allergies, chronic rhinitis	24 hours (with daily use)
Trigger avoidance	Varies	Recurrent rhinorrhea	Ongoing

What to Avoid

• Overusing decongestant sprays: Oxymetazoline (Afrin) should never be used for more than three consecutive days. Rebound congestion (rhinitis medicamentosa) can make your runny nose worse than it was originally.
• Picking or rubbing your nose excessively: This irritates the nasal lining and stimulates more mucus production.
• Ignoring persistent symptoms: A runny nose lasting more than 10 days, especially with thick yellow-green discharge, facial pain, or fever, may indicate a sinus infection that needs medical attention.

When to See a Doctor

Consult a healthcare provider if your runny nose persists for more than 10 days without improvement, the discharge becomes thick, yellow, or green with facial pain and fever, you have clear watery drainage from one side only after a head injury (possible cerebrospinal fluid leak), symptoms severely affect your quality of life despite OTC treatments, or you experience recurrent episodes that suggest an underlying allergy or structural issue.

Bottom Line

Most runny noses clear up within a few days with simple home remedies like saline rinses, steam, hydration, and proper nose blowing. For allergic causes, antihistamines and nasal corticosteroid sprays offer the most reliable relief. The fastest results come from combining a quick-acting remedy (steam, spicy food, saline rinse) with a longer-term approach (antihistamine, trigger avoidance) matched to the specific cause of your rhinorrhea. If symptoms persist or worsen, a doctor can help identify the underlying cause and recommend targeted treatment.