It looks like a small teapot. And in many bathrooms, it ranks as high as the toothbrush for personal hygiene. The "new" bathroom accessory everyone is talking about actually isn't so new. The neti pot has been used in India and Southeast Asia for centuries. Touted as a "miracle cure" for sinusitis and allergies, the scientific jury is still out on some of these claims and you should talk with your doctor before you try using a neti pot.

Neti pots are now popular enough that you can find them in drugstores and grocery stores. If you do decide to buy a neti pot, here are some step-by-step instructions to get you started:

1. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt (fine grain, non-iodized, usually sold at your local supermarket) and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda with 8 ounces of warm water. Pour this solution into the neti pot.
   
   
2. Position your head so that you're looking directly into the sink and tilt your head to one side so that one nostril is higher that the other.
   
   
3. Place the spout of the neti pot into the top nostril and lightly maneuver the spout until it creates a seal around your nostril.
   
   
4. Breathing through your mouth, tip the neti pot so that the water flows up one nostril and out the other. If it goes down your throat and comes out of your mouth, try tilting your forehead a little farther forward. Finding the perfect position takes a bit of trial and error, so be patient.
   
   
5. When the neti pot is empty, remove the spout from your nostril and lightly blow your nose.
   
   
6. Repeat with the other nostril.

After you finish the sinus wash, you should hold your head over the sink for a minute or two to make sure that all the water has drained from your sinuses. Some people find that small amounts of water leak from the nose up to an hour after the sinus wash, especially if the sinuses are particularly congested.