# How much is too much for chloraseptic(phenol) spray? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589 "2017-04-16T22:29:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barack\_Obama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Barack\_Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barack_Obama)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/1 "2017-04-16T22:29:44Z")
I have a very bad sore throat and remember when I was a child consuming excessive amounts of throat spray when very sick. It wasn’t until just recently I found out you’re not suppose to even swallow the stuff. The specific one I’m using contains phenol, I’m wondering how safe it is to go over the recommended dosages. It says 1 spray every 2 hours, let spray sit on your throat for 15 seconds then spit it out. My whole life I’ve been consuming the stuff, never noticed anything back then. I’m guessing it’s safe for me to spray my throat down a dozen times when it starts to bother me? Are there any significant side effects to phenol? I can’t find anything relating to any organ failure or anything dramatic. Seems to just be mild nausea and numbness of mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/2 "2017-04-16T23:18:27Z")
Chug too much of it and you can definitely cause problems. It is an acid after all, carbolic acid. The essential medical facts about phenol can be found [here](https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MMG/MMG.asp?id=144&tid=27). Lots of nasty stuff listed there! **But** we’re talking about chloraseptic spray, which is 0.5% phenol. Your typical 6 oz bottle of chloraseptic will have less than 1 ml of liquid phenol, or less than 8 mg, a pretty trivial amount. Chug it all down at once, and I expect you’ll feel queasy, may get some heartburn, could get some palpitations, but the smart money is on you not suffering overmuch or overlong. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/3 "2017-04-16T23:34:20Z")
When I had my tonsils out they sent me home with a bottle of the stuff. I sprayed it a couple of times and swallowed in front of the nurse. I had to to drink. They wouldn’t release me until they saw that I could swallow liquids. I actually would have been happy to stay overnight, but my husband was being kind of a jerk about wanting to get out of there. About two years later, out of the blue, he said “I was kind of a jerk when you had your tonsils out.” Anyway, I think I swallowed half a bottle over the first two days. No ill effects so far, and it was 16 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Barack\_Obama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dc4da7/32.png) [@Barack\_Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barack_Obama)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/4 "2017-04-17T01:33:41Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Chug too much of it and you can definitely cause problems. It is an acid after all, carbolic acid. > > The essential medical facts about phenol can be found [here](https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/MMG/MMG.asp?id=144&tid=27). Lots of nasty stuff listed there! **But** we’re talking about chloraseptic spray, which is 0.5% phenol. Your typical 6 oz bottle of chloraseptic will have less than 1 ml of liquid phenol, or less than 8 mg, a pretty trivial amount. Chug it all down at once, and I expect you’ll feel queasy, may get some heartburn, could get some palpitations, but the smart money is on you not suffering overmuch or overlong. For the record this spray has 1.4% phenol. Also I ended up risking it, I kept spraying until it actually felt better. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/5 "2017-04-18T23:57:51Z")
I’ve always swallowed the stuff, it’s my go-to for sore throats. Has been since I was a kid. For me it’s always 5 sprays to the back of my throat then swallow. I don’t think I’ve ever done it more than twice in one day, even for a really bad sore throat, and it’s never made me sick. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/6 "2017-04-19T02:21:49Z")
I find the whole section of lozenges and sprays for sore throats a fascinating phenomenon. It’s a created market with little to no medicinal value when everyone’s already got a better solution at home. Seriously, people buy billions of these things–and they don’t work well. I take an ibuprofen or two for a sore throat. Works a whole lot better, IMHO. The usual caveats, I am not a doctor, yada yada. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-is-too-much-for-chloraseptic-phenol-spray/784589/7 "2017-04-19T03:04:54Z")
Personally I always do 3-4 sprays, gargle and spit it out. I’d do that every hour or so and I didn’t have any side effects.