Whether you are suffering from nasal congestion due to allergies, cold or flu, there's comes a point where taking that umpteenth Sudafed isn't going to help anymore. Either it dries you up too much or it makes you drowsy or you just prefer not to take over the counter medications.

Thankfully there are a few simple home remedies for nasal congestion that should clear your sinuses and allow you to breathe again. Here's a few of the most popular natural decongestants, many of which you probably have in your kitchen already.

Use Facial Steaming to Clear Your Sinuses

The absolute easiest home remedy for nasal congestion is steam. All you need is to fill a bowl with water you've just boiled in the kettle and a towel to drape over your head so the steam won't escape into the rest of the room.

Then just hold your face a comfortable distance from the steaming water and breathe in through your nose. You don't need to scald yourself to experience the benefits of steam so if you feel uncomfortable adjust your position.

Steam all by itself will help with your congestion, but for even more effectiveness you can try adding some mint leaves to the water. If you have any mint teas (such as peppermint tea) you can just steep a couple of teabags in the water while you are steaming your sinuses. Eucalyptus leaves will also help. If you don't have any fresh herbs, eucalyptus oil, various mint oils and camphor oil will all help as well. Just put a few drops in the water.

Drink some hot tea

A nice hot cup of peppermint tea can also help clear your sinuses. Drink it without milk, but feel free to add some honey or sugar to taste. Adding milk will likely defeat the purpose since for most of us dairy products promote the production of mucous.

Try some other mint teas as well, but also consider ginger tea, Chai spiced teas, Mandarin Orange or other orange flavored (and other citrus) teas.

In fact, most hot liquids can help relieve your sinus congestion. So if you don't like tea, try drinking some hot water with a squeeze of lemon. Or, try some hot apple cider. Add a cinnamon stick for both a flavor boost and some sinus relief. Or stick with the old standby, a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup! For some real sinus draining though, get yourself an order of Hot & Sour soup from your favorite Chinese restaurant.

If you have chronic sinus problems, then it may well be worth trying something a little unusual. Neti Pots have long been used in India in Ayurvedic Medicine for clearing the nasal passages and they are growing in popularity in other countries as well because once you get used to using a Neti Pot, it is a highly effective means of keeping your nose mucus free. Used on a regular basis, the Neti Pot can help prevent your sinus congestion.

It does take a little getting used to however, as you will be pouring salt water through your nasal passages and that can feel a bit weird. This is referred to as nasal irrigation and it will do a great job of clearing up your congestion. So try it out if you suffer regularly.