Saline: shelf life of homemade saline
- Saline
- durability
- First application
- Increase durability
Self-made saline solution is a cheap alternative for products from the drugstore or pharmacy. It can be produced in large quantities and is ready for use immediately after mixing. Since the saline solution is mainly water, the question of the shelf life of the mixture quickly comes up. Crucial for this is not only the mixture itself, but the storage.
Homemade saline is a necessary classic that can either be self-inhaled or given to your own children. The saline solution should have a positive effect on the respiratory tract, expectorant and relaxing. Especially infants and babies calm down by using the solution, as they can breathe effectively again.
Saline
To prepare the solution only salt and boiling water are necessary. After that, the solution can be applied immediately. Since you can easily make the solution yourself, you must pay attention to the durability. It is not a sterile stored product, which makes the consideration of the maximum storage time necessary.
durability
How long a saline solution from your own cooking pot is durable, can not say blanket. Many factors influence this question, as the home -made solutions can be very different, because even the pot or salt used has an impact on the freshness of the mixture. This is determined by the degree of contamination of the solution, the so-called contamination . In this play a large number of different microorganisms and organic residues.
- bacteria
- virus
- dander
- dust
The less of these substances are found in the solution, the purer it is and can be used accordingly long. But since only very few private households have suitable storage utensils for completely sterile storage, the shelf life of homemade saline solution is reduced to three days. This guideline refers to solution prepared in a previously sterilized saucepan and the first quantity skimmed off and administered separately.
The remaining solution was added as quickly as possible to a container sealed for storage. However, three days are only a guideline, because depending on the cleanliness and storage varies the freshness of the solution between one and five days. For more than five days you should not even leave open saline from the trade, as this otherwise also pollutes.
You recognize an expired solution by the following signs:
- muddy water
- Streaks in the water
- visible deposits
In this case, you should definitely dispose of the solution to avoid possible health problems.
Tip: When preparing the saline solution, make sure that you use a salt without iodine and fluorine additives. These have a positive effect on the body when ingested via the food, but should not be inhaled or gargled, otherwise they could develop toxic properties.
First application
The purest saline solution is available directly after preparation. If it has cooled down a bit and is used directly, without changing the vessel frequently, you will reduce the degree of soiling significantly. For this reason, the first application should always be used for sensitive people, such as infants, the elderly or the sick, so that respiratory tract infections can not occur.
This solution is durable in such a degree of purity for a period of up to 18 hours or at most overnight. After that, the saline solution will become more and more polluted until it poses a major health hazard. To reduce potential contamination of the first application, you should use the following utilities.
- blunt cannulas: available for about 25 cents apiece
- Syringes: available for about 25 cents apiece (depending on possible filling volume)
Make sure they are sterile to keep the saline solution fresh during use. Sterile means in this sense usually fresh from the pack. If the needles or syringes have been open for a long time, rinse them with boiling water. In this way you increase shelf life of pure saline significantly.
Tip: Direct application of the saline solution is possible after cooling directly above the saucepan if you want to inhale it. Just be careful not to get your face close to the edge of the pot so you do not accidentally burn yourself.
Increase durability
In order to preserve homemade solution for longer than three days, you must pay particular attention to the storage. The right storage is essential, so that no dirt gets to the mix and it is teeming with life. Methods have been developed to preserve the self-made solution for a longer time so that you do not have to dispose of it immediately after 24 to 72 hours.
Cool
Be sure to store the solution in the refrigerator to keep it longer. A cooled solution prevents the formation of germs and other microorganisms, which can significantly increase the freshness. Storage at room temperature is not recommended, as it can be bad after just one day.
Closed container
Whether you store the solution in the refrigerator or at room temperature, always keep the container closed. It is recommended to use special closures for the bottles that seal them. You can then put a syringe in the lid and remove the solution. If you use such a product, you can store the self-produced product for up to ten days.
With these points you can make the solution last longer. Alternatively, you can boil and use homemade mixture once more with a little salt. The second cooking process destroys germs and you can reuse the solution. Stop using the solution once it has become cloudy.
Tip: Be careful not to store the saline solution in an inhaler or other device to disperse the mixture. These ensure within a few hours that the solution becomes bad and should no longer be used.
