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Natural Cold Remedies

Published: Dec 26, 2024 · Modified: Feb 20, 2025 by Alice · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

Fast DIY Cold Remedy
DIY Hot Lemon Cold Relief
Quick DIY Cold Remedy For All The Family
DIY Cold Remedy
Cold Relief Tea
Homemade Cold Remedies
Quick Homemade Cold Remedies
DIY Cold Remedies
Easy Homemade Cold Remedy
Simple Natural Cold Remedy
Fast Cold Remedies
Homemade Cold Relief
Fast Cold Remedies
Natural Cold Relief Remedies
Quick Cold Relief Remedies
Fast Cold Remedies
Quick DIY Cold Relief Tea
Quick Homemade Cold Remedy
Collage of home remedies for colds
Natural Cold Remedy

Quick natural homemade cold remedies really can kill colds fast.

At the first sniff of a cold in my family we whip up warming mugs of homemade cold relief tea.

It is super comforting and relieves symptoms fast - especially overnight - but has NO fancy ingredients!!

It just uses natural decongestants, throat soothers & bug fighters we already have in our kitchen.

So if the cold virus has hit your home make some now. I swear by it.

Table of Contents

  • Homemade Cold Relief Tea
    • Basic Ingredients
    • Spicy Cold Relief Tea
    • Herbal Cold Relief Tea
    • Ingredient Swaps
    • How To Make Cold Relief Tea
  • Overnight Home Remedies
  • Ways To Kill Colds Fast
    • Reduce Inflammation
    • Feed Our Gut
    • Rest Properly
  • Quick Home Remedies For Sinus Congestion
    • Best Spices For Sinus Congestion
    • Herbal Teas For Blocked Sinus Congestion Relief
  • Quick Home Remedies For Sore Throats
    • Herbal Teas For Sore Throats
  • More Quick Homemade Cold Remedies For Fast Relief
    • Garlic Tea Cold Remedy
    • Hot Molasses Cold Remedy
    • Blackberry Cold Remedy
    • Elderberry Cold Remedy
    • Whisky & Rum Hot Toddy Overnight Cold Remedies
    • Onion Tea Cold Remedy
    • Onion Soup Cold Remedy
    • Chicken Soup Cold Remedy
    • Fire Cider Cold Remedy

Homemade Cold Relief Tea

This cold relief tea recipe is super flexible. It includes swaps for basic ingredients so you can make it from the barest of cupboards.

Basic Ingredients

  • 1 mug of water per person
  • Half a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon of honey per mug
  • Cold relief spices (see below)
  • OR cold relief herbs
  • Optional apple cider vinegar ACV

I make our cold relief tea either spicy or herbal as they're not nice mixed. Spicy is a warming overnight remedy whilst herby is fresher for daytime.

Spicy Cold Relief Tea

Add 2 or 3 of these decongestant and anti-inflammatory spices:

  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper
  • A pinch of turmeric (with a turn or two of black pepper)

You can use fresh ginger or sticks of cinnamon but dry spices are great.

Herbal Cold Relief Tea

For the herbal cold relief tea use 2 or 3 of these herbs :

  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Chamomile
  • Feverfew
  • Mint

They are also decongestants and see off knock on infection - e.g. sinus, throat, ear - triggered by the virus.

I grow oregano, thyme, rosemary & mint but dried herbs work great.

Ingredient Swaps

These swaps will all work if you are missing basic ingredients :

  • Lemons : other citrus fruit, fruit juice not from concentrate, frozen berries, apples, tinned pineapple.
  • Honey : molasses, maple syrup.
  • Herbs & spices : hot lemon & honey alone will give instant cold relief but it is worth stocking the herbs & spices above as they are natural antibiotics & anti fungals that ease everything from gastritis to dandruff and athlete's foot.

If you have none of these check out the quick cold remedies below using other kitchen ingredients.

How To Make Cold Relief Tea

Quick Cold Relief Tea Ingredients

This cold relief tea could not be easier to make, simply :

  1. Zest half your lemon
  2. Then cut in half
  3. Squeeze juice into pan
  4. Cut lemon half into pieces
  5. Put zest & lemon pieces in pan
  6. Add cold relief spices or herbs
  7. Add a tablespoon of ACV (optional)
  8. Add water
  9. Heat gently for 10-15 minutes giving lemon pieces some firm prods to extract more juice
Homemade Cold Relief Tea With Natural Honey
  • Whilst heating put a teaspoon of honey in each mug you're making
  • Strain cold relief tea through a sieve into a jug or a second pan
  • Then pour into mugs & stir well
  • Sip down as soon as cool enough for instant cold relief.

A mug of this homemade cold relief tea about an hour before bedtime really will ease symptoms overnight.

But for extra relief I have more quick remedies here including :

  • More overnight home remedies
  • More ways to fight colds fast
  • Extra remedies for sinus congestion
  • Extra remedies for sore throats
  • PLUS other cold relief recipes

Do bookmark the post or save on Pinterest for quick reference.

Overnight Home Remedies

Overnight Home Remedies To Relieve Colds

Sleep is a wonderful medicine for colds but blocked sinuses, headache and fever keep us awake.

For more cold relief overnight :

  • Keep air moist : with a damp clean kitchen cloth placed on your radiator as a DIY humidifier.
  • Don't over heat : sleep with as few covers as you can to ease fever.
  • Onion by bed : put half an onion, cut side up, on your bedside table as a natural decongestant.
  • Mint humidifier : soak a clean hankie in mint tea, ring to damp & then put on radiator for a natural decongestant humidifier.

Ways To Kill Colds Fast

Ways To Kill Colds Fast

We can never avoid colds totally - we all get them - but we can help our body to kill colds fast by :

  1. Reducing inflammation
  2. Feeding our gut
  3. Resting properly

Reduce Inflammation

Lots of us have low level inflammation that makes our body over react to bugs with crazy levels of mucous. The quickest ways to reduce inflammation are :

  • Ditch sugar AND sweeteners
  • Especially sodas!!
  • Go easy on acids e.g. avoid gallons of juice & tomatoes every day
  • Spend an hour outside daily
  • Aim for steady as it goes success not adrenalin fuelled all nighters!!
  • Exercise by walking rather than high stress routines.
Walking Benefits

Feed Our Gut

Gut health has become a bit of a fad but our gut is a vital part of our immune system. Feeding our gut can help our bodies fight colds fast without over reacting. Easy ways to restore gut health are :

  • Seasonal berries & dark fruit e.g. blackberry, elderberry, cranberry, rose hip, sloe, damson
  • Quick DIY leafy green soup
Immune Boosting Green Soup
  • Sheet pans of mixed vegetables
  • Kefir porridge with ginger, cinnamon & turmeric
  • A small daily side dish of pickled vegetables e.g. sauerkraut.

Rest Properly

We need to rest properly when we have a cold to kill it fast. And we need to convalesce properly after a cold to get our energy back.

But we also need better rest full stop.

Lack of sleep and over busy lives in which we never slow down all undermine our immune system and our body's ability to kill colds.

Use these simple tips to build some slow time into your life ...

Slow Living Tips

Quick Home Remedies For Sinus Congestion

The quick cold relief tea is brilliant for sinus congestion.

But these other quick home remedies will also help :

  • Warm compress over face
  • Gentle steam
  • Chest & back rub
  • Foot massage (strange huh?)

Best Spices For Sinus Congestion

Garnishing food with any of these spices helps with a blocked nose :

  • Cayenne pepper
  • Cumin
  • Black pepper
  • Ginger
  • Cinnamon
  • Turmeric
Home Remedies For Colds With Turmeric

Herbal Teas For Blocked Sinus Congestion Relief

These herbal teas will all relieve the pain of blocked sinuses :

  • Chamomile
  • Feverfew
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Rosemary

For more help check out this big guide to sinus congestion remedies.

Quick Home Remedies For Sore Throats

We can easily end up with sore throats from colds if we don't kill them fast as inflammation and mucous from our sinuses moves down our throat and into our chest.

It then becomes a vicious circle as coughing from a sore throat triggers more inflammation and mucous in our sinuses. The honey and lemon in the quick cold relief tea recipe will ease a sore throat fast.

But you can also use these quick home remedies for sore throats :

  • Salt water gargle
  • Coconut oil
  • Yoghurt

Herbal Teas For Sore Throats

These herbal teas will also all provide quick relief for sore throats triggered by your cold:

  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Chamomile
Home Remedies For Colds Chamomile

And for even more relief check out these homemade cough remedies for kids & adults and this big guide to home remedies for sore throats which covers everything from sore throat smoothies and slushies to popsicles ...

Home Remedies For Sore Throats

More Quick Homemade Cold Remedies For Fast Relief

It always helps to have a bunch of homemade remedies to hand as it means we can get relief fast with what we have in our cupboards.

These remedies made from kitchen basics will all ease your cold fast.

Garlic Tea Cold Remedy

This garlic tea cold remedy is great for colds getting onto your chest ...

Homemade cold remedy in glass cup

Hot Molasses Cold Remedy

This traditional cold remedy really packs a punch with bad colds ...

Natural cold remedy in glass jar

Blackberry Cold Remedy

Blackberries - and other fall fruit - are full of antioxidants that seem to help see off viruses. It is worth keeping some in the freezer for delicious anti-inflammatory smoothies and porridge toppings PLUS this blackberry cold remedy ...

Mud of blackberry tea held by woman wearing white sweater

Elderberry Cold Remedy

If you've got elderberries of any sort in your cupboards - dried or syrup or tea bags - you can make this elderberry cold remedy ...

Glass mug of elderberry tea cold remedy

Whisky & Rum Hot Toddy Overnight Cold Remedies

There's a bit of a debate about taking alcohol for colds but many people swear by the decongestant powers of both whisky and rum as overnight cold remedies.

I am a whisky fan - I adore Scapa from Orkney - so personally would opt for this whisky hot toddy ...

Glass mugs of hot toddy

But you could make this rum hot toddy recipe if you prefer ...

Glass mug of hot toddy with lemon slice and cinnamon sticks

Onion Tea Cold Remedy

This onion tea cold remedy is another classic homemade cold remedy that can help with a set in cold getting onto your chest.

It's ideally made with red onions and apples but use any onion you have - even onion powder - and apple juice or cider vinegar if that's all you have.

Onion Soup Cold Remedy

If you are flush with onions, a classic onion soup is easy to make and is wonderfully anti-inflammatory if your body's gone a bit bonkers fighting the cold virus.

This onion soup recipe is super flexible so you can make it with what you've got ...

Pot of French onion soup

Chicken Soup Cold Remedy

Chicken soup is another traditional home remedy for colds that is full of natural decongestants.

This chicken noodle soup wonderful made fresh but worth freezing in small bowl batches so all you have to do is heat it up when a cold hits ...

White bowls of chicken noodle soup

Fire Cider Cold Remedy

Fire cider has become super popular as a potent homemade remedy for cold symptoms. But the classic recipe is not quick and needs steeping for a month!!

Not ideal when you need an overnight cold remedy fast.

As an alternative try this fire cider recipe that still packs a serious punch but can be whipped up in 15 minutes. It is based on fresh pineapple but canned is great ...

Fire cider poured into glass

If you do want a make ahead fire cider recipe to keep in stock for future colds try this ...

Jar of homemade fire cider

And there you go, loads of quick homemade cold remedies for fast overnight relief that you can whip up super speedily from what you have in your cupboards.

Do save this post for next time you have a cold!!

And check out my other natural remedies. They are all about the simple natural antibiotics, antihistamines & anti-fungal ingredients we have in our kitchens that can fight common bugs :

  • Cough & Colds
  • Gut Health
  • Anti-Inflammatory
  • Skin Problems
  • Hair & Scalp Problems

You can also follow my Pinterest board for even more homemade remedies ...

Photos: Jar with Spoon by Sunny Mama,Golden Honey Pouring From The Spoon and Top view of a jar of acacia honey with green branch by Marco Verch, cut lemon under Creative Commons 2.0

More Natural Remedies For Coughs & Colds

  • Close up picture of a child's ear
    Earache Remedies For Kids & Adults
  • Homemade Cough Remedies For Kids And Adults
    Natural Cough Syrups & Remedies
  • Home Remedies For Sore Throats
  • Natural Antihistamines For Allergy Relief

Comments

  1. Kim says

    June 07, 2021 at 2:36 am

    Works great!!! I added turmeric to it but I can feel the relief already

    Reply
    • Alice says

      June 07, 2021 at 10:28 am

      So glad to hear that Kim. If I am just making for me I chuck some turmeric in as well but haven't quite convinced the rest of the family on the flavour ... yet 🙂

      Reply
    • Jackie says

      February 22, 2022 at 2:34 pm

      If you decide to add turmeric, make sure to add a dash of black pepper to activate the turmeric.

      Reply
      • Alice says

        February 23, 2022 at 10:27 am

        It's a bit of a complicated one I think Jackie as there is research that suggests the pepper makes no difference to turmeric absorption https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22725836/. Also worth knowing that pepper may be problematic for anyone with digestive problems like gastritis as over doing it may damage the intestinal wall.

        Reply
  2. Ellen says

    December 22, 2021 at 10:26 pm

    Wouldn’t it work better if you don’t heat up the honey, but add it straight to your mug once your tea is cold enough to drink? Heating up honey diminishes its healing properties and turns its nutritional value into the same as plain white sugar..

    Reply
    • Frank says

      January 11, 2022 at 4:48 pm

      Ellen, if it were me, I’d warm the honey by setting it in warm water just so it flows easier. I do agree with you that heating it diminishes the value of it.
      Perhaps heating is too ambiguous, perhaps warming should have been used to convey the idea.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Natural Sinus Congestion Relief Remedies says:
    November 8, 2023 at 3:30 pm

    […] can also make these quick onion tea and onion soup cold […]

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Fast DIY Cold Remedy
DIY Hot Lemon Cold Relief
Quick DIY Cold Remedy For All The Family
DIY Cold Remedy
Cold Relief Tea
Homemade Cold Remedies
Quick Homemade Cold Remedies
DIY Cold Remedies
Easy Homemade Cold Remedy
Simple Natural Cold Remedy
Fast Cold Remedies
Homemade Cold Relief
Fast Cold Remedies
Natural Cold Relief Remedies
Quick Cold Relief Remedies
Fast Cold Remedies
Quick DIY Cold Relief Tea
Quick Homemade Cold Remedy
Collage of home remedies for colds
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Easy Homemade Cold Remedy
Simple Natural Cold Remedy
Fast Cold Remedies
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