October: the month of pumpkin spice lattes, Halloween DIYs, and sick days. As temperatures begin to drop and students make the transition back to the crowded hallways of Middleton High School, the common cold has begun making its rounds.  

The first symptoms of the common cold is a sore throat. The pain from a sore throat is often not enough to keep students home from school, but it can make focusing in class difficult. On its own, a sore throat takes five to seven days to make its way through the body. In a busy student’s schedule, seven days is far too long.  

Here are six of the best home remedies to quickly get rid of a sore throat:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most effective ways to soothe a sore throat.  Apple cider vinegar has many antibacterial properties that help combat sore throats caused by bacterial infections.  

For sore throat relief, mix one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a warm cup of water.  A tablespoon of honey is also recommended for taste. Take this every morning and night for two to three days, or until the sore throat is gone.

2. Ice water with lemon

Ice water helps to soothe the throat by keeping your body hydrated. Ice can keep the inflammation from a sore throat down.  

Lemon also helps with inflammation and helps kickstart the body’s metabolism.

3. Warm tea

Warm tea can help soothe a sore throat by thinning sinus mucus and aiding drainage.  Chamomile and echinacea have soothing properties that can especially help

4. Stay away from sugar.

Although hard candies stimulate saliva flow and help keep the throat moist, sweets are only good for instant relief. In the long run, sucking on hard candies creates higher levels of acid in the body, prolonging the sore throat.

For sore throat relief, stick to lozenges meant for use during colds instead.

5. Gargling salt water

Gargling salt water is a classic sore throat remedy, and for good reason. Salt can help thin mucus in the throat, clearing the pharynx and preventing the further growth of bacteria.

6. Sleep

Sleep is hard to come by in a high school student’s schedule, but the best way to beat any sickness is through eight to ten hours of sleep. Sleep is the body’s way of healing itself naturally and is the best way to ensure a sore throat does not get worse or drag on.