The lungs cleanse themselves by producing mucus, which traps pollutants and germs. People can clear this mucus by coughing or clearing the throat.
Avoiding breathing in cigarette smoke, air pollution, and other irritants can also help keep the lungs healthy. As the lungs are self-cleaning organs, they can begin to heal themselves once exposure to pollutants stops.
In this article, we discuss some of the methods that people can use to try to cleanse their lungs.
The lungs clean themselves. They do this by producing mucus, which traps unwanted substances. Tiny hairs, known as cilia, then move this mucus up the airways. People remove the mucus by coughing, clearing the throat, or sneezing.
This usually occurs without a person having to think about it. However, individuals can help the process along by:
- staying hydrated, as the body uses water to make mucus
- improving indoor air quality through ventilation, regular dusting or vacuuming, or using an air purifier
- avoiding exposure to harmful substances, such as cigarette smoke, wood smoke, and pollution
- getting regular exercise, as this helps promote overall lung health
When a person stops smoking, their lung circulation and function may start to improve within
Below, we look at several ways to remove excess mucus from the lungs.
Controlled coughing
Coughing is the body’s way of naturally expelling toxins that it has trapped in mucus. People usually cough without needing to think about it, but those with difficulty expelling mucus or who have a chronic cough may find it helpful to try controlled coughing.
People can try controlled coughing with the following steps:
- Sit down on a chair with the shoulders relaxed, keeping both feet flat on the floor.
- Inhale slowly through the nose. Hold the breath for 2 seconds.
- Lean forward slightly and perform two short coughs.
- Relax for a few seconds.
- Repeat as necessary.
Draining mucus from the lungs
Postural drainage involves lying in different positions to use gravity to remove mucus from the lungs. This practice may improve breathing and help treat or prevent lung infections.
Postural drainage techniques differ depending on the position:
On the back
- Lie down on the floor or on a bed.
- Place pillows under the hips to ensure that the chest is lower than the hips.
- Slowly inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Each exhale should take twice as long as the inhale, which is called 1:2 breathing.
- Continue for a few minutes.
On the side
- Lie on one side, resting the head on an arm or pillow.
- Place pillows under the hips.
- Practice the 1:2 breathing pattern.
- Continue for a few minutes.
- Repeat on the other side.
On the stomach
- Place a stack of pillows on the floor.
- Lie down with the stomach over the pillows. Remember to keep the hips above the chest.
- Fold the arms under the head for support.
- Practice the 1:2 breathing pattern.
- Continue for a few minutes.
Steam therapy
Steam therapy, or steam inhalation, involves inhaling water vapor to open the airways and help loosen mucus. Some people report that it helps them when they have respiratory viruses.
Those with certain lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may also find steam inhalation helpful for making breathing easier.
However, a 2024 review of past research notes that while some studies report positive benefits of inhaling thermal water, there is a lack of high quality evidence. Therefore, more research is necessary.
Chest percussion
Percussion is a
Combining chest percussion and postural drainage can help clear the airways of excess mucus.
Green tea
Green tea does not detox the lungs, but it contains antioxidants that may help reduce inflammation and support lung health.
A 2018 study involving more than 1,000 adults in Korea reported that people who drank at least 2 cups of green tea per day had better lung function than those who drank none.
While people can take some steps to expel mucus from the lungs, it is important to note that the body usually does this naturally.
People do not need to purchase products or try special therapies to “cleanse” or “detox” the lungs in most cases. In fact, none of these products are proven to work, and some may even be harmful.
The lungs remove toxins on their own, to the best of their ability. Occasionally needing to cough or clear the throat is part of this process and not necessarily a sign of illness.
However, persistent problems with excess mucus, frequent coughing, or a feeling that something is interfering with breathing require medical diagnosis and treatment.
Below are some frequently asked questions about natural ways to clear the lungs.
When a person quits smoking, their lung function and circulation may start to improve from as early as 2 weeks to 3 months.
However, depending on how long they smoked for, there may or may not be persistent changes.
Simply stopping smoking will allow the lungs to remove any lingering pollutants. After quitting, people can improve their lung health by adopting healthier habits, such as exercising regularly.
People do not need to do any special detox programs or use detox products to stop smoking. The lungs will begin to improve when a person no longer smokes.
The lungs clean themselves, trapping dust, germs, and toxins in mucus, which people then expel by coughing or clearing the throat.
Good respiratory health depends on whether or not the body effectively removes mucus from the lungs and airways. This may be more challenging for those living with chronic conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, as they may have excess mucus production or unusually thick mucus that can clog the lungs.
Several lifestyle changes and lung cleansing techniques, such as controlled coughing, may help dislodge mucus from the lungs and airways.