How to Make ORS at Home and Treat Dehydration Safely
Learn how to make ORS at home with the correct salt and sugar amounts, how much to drink, signs of dehydration, and when diarrhoea needs a doctor.
Status: Pending Qualified Medical Review. This article has not yet been reviewed by a qualified medical professional.
Bangladesh has a special connection with ORS. Research at icddr,b in Dhaka helped prove that a simple solution of salt, sugar and water could save lives from cholera and diarrhoea. Today, oral rehydration solution is one of the most important home treatments in the world.
Yet many people still mix it wrongly — too much salt, too little water, or drinking it the wrong way. This guide shows how to make ORS at home correctly, how much to give, and when to see a doctor.
What Is ORS and Why Does It Work?
When you have diarrhoea or vomiting, your body loses water and salts (electrolytes) like sodium and potassium. Losing too much leads to dehydration, which can become dangerous quickly, especially in young children and older adults.
ORS contains the right balance of salt and sugar. The sugar helps the gut absorb salt, and the salt pulls water back into the body. Plain water alone does not replace lost salts.
The WHO says diarrhoeal disease is a leading cause of death in children under 5, and that ORS together with zinc for children is a key, low-cost treatment.
Packet ORS vs Homemade ORS
Packet ORS is the first choice. It is cheap, available in almost every pharmacy and many shops in Bangladesh, and has the exact formula recommended by the WHO.
Use the packet like this:
- Wash your hands with soap.
- Pour the full packet into the amount of clean water written on the packet (often half a litre / 500 ml — check the packet).
- Stir until fully dissolved.
- Do not add extra sugar, salt or juice.
- Use within 12 hours (or as the packet says), then make a fresh batch.
Make homemade ORS only if packet ORS is not available.
How to Make ORS at Home: The Correct Recipe
This is the home recipe widely shared in WHO-based guidance:
Ingredients
- 1 litre of clean drinking water (boiled and cooled, or safe filtered water)
- 6 level teaspoons of sugar
- ½ level teaspoon of salt
Method
- Wash your hands with soap and water.
- Measure exactly 1 litre of clean water. If you do not have a measuring jug, a standard 1-litre water bottle works well.
- Add 6 level teaspoons of sugar. "Level" means flat — scrape off any heap.
- Add ½ level teaspoon of salt.
- Stir until everything dissolves.
- Taste it. It should taste no saltier than tears. If it tastes very salty, throw it away and start again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too much salt — this can make dehydration worse, especially in babies
- Using a large serving spoon instead of a teaspoon
- Using less water than 1 litre
- Boiling the ORS after mixing
- Keeping it for more than 24 hours
- Replacing ORS with soft drinks, energy drinks or packaged juice — high sugar can worsen diarrhoea
What about "lobon-gur" saline?
Many families in Bangladesh learnt to make saline with salt and gur (molasses) using a "pinch and fistful" method. It was valuable in its time, but hand measurements vary a lot. If you can, use packet ORS or the measured recipe above.
How Much ORS Should You Drink?
Drink small, frequent sips, especially if you are vomiting. Large gulps can trigger more vomiting.
General guidance from the WHO for diarrhoea without severe dehydration:
| Age | ORS after each loose stool |
|---|---|
| Under 2 years | about 50–100 ml (¼ to ½ cup) |
| 2 to 10 years | about 100–200 ml (½ to 1 cup) |
| Older children and adults | as much as wanted, often 1 glass or more |
If vomiting: wait 5–10 minutes, then start again slowly — one spoonful every 1–2 minutes for a child.
Tips for children
- Keep breastfeeding babies, more often than usual
- Continue normal food once the child can eat
- The WHO recommends zinc supplements for 10–14 days for children with diarrhoea. Ask a doctor for the right dose for your child's age.
Signs of Dehydration
Mild to moderate
- Thirst
- Dry mouth and lips
- Dark yellow urine, or less urine than usual
- Tiredness, headache, dizziness
Severe — seek care immediately
- Very little or no urine for 8 hours or more (or a dry nappy for 6+ hours in a baby)
- Sunken eyes; in babies, a sunken soft spot on the head
- Skin that goes back very slowly when pinched
- Very sleepy, floppy or confused
- Unable to drink, or vomiting everything
- Fast breathing or a fast, weak pulse
When Diarrhoea Needs a Doctor
Consult a doctor promptly if:
- Diarrhoea lasts more than 2 days in adults, or more than 24 hours in a young child
- There is blood or mucus in the stool
- There is high fever (see fever in adults: when to see a doctor)
- There is severe belly pain
- The person is elderly, pregnant, or has diabetes, kidney or heart disease
- There are rice-water stools in large amounts (possible cholera) — go to hospital
Go to hospital or call 999 if there are signs of severe dehydration, the person cannot keep any fluid down, or a baby is very drowsy.
Do not self-treat with antibiotics or anti-diarrhoea tablets
Most diarrhoea does not need antibiotics. Medicines that stop diarrhoea (such as loperamide) should not be given to children and should only be used in adults on medical advice. A doctor will decide if antibiotics are needed, for example in suspected cholera or bloody diarrhoea.
Preventing Diarrhoea at Home
- Wash hands with soap after the toilet, after cleaning a child, and before cooking or eating
- Drink safe water — boiled, filtered or treated
- Eat freshly cooked food; be careful with street food and cut fruit in hot weather
- Keep food covered and away from flies
- Use a sanitary latrine
- Make sure children receive vaccines in the national EPI schedule
Diarrhoea with a fever that keeps climbing may need testing for typhoid.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can homemade ORS be kept?
Use it within 24 hours. Make a fresh batch every day and keep it covered.
Can I use ORS for heat and sweating?
ORS can help replace salts lost in heavy sweating or heat exhaustion. It is also useful in dengue home care. For heat stroke symptoms like confusion, go to hospital.
Can diabetics drink ORS?
People with diabetes may still need ORS during diarrhoea, as dehydration is dangerous. Monitor blood sugar and ask a doctor for advice (see early signs of diabetes).
Is coconut water the same as ORS?
No. Dab water contains some potassium but not enough sodium. It can be an extra fluid, but not a replacement for ORS in diarrhoea.
Can I give ORS to a baby under 6 months?
Yes, in small amounts with continued breastfeeding, but consult a doctor quickly, because young babies dehydrate fast.
Need Advice About Diarrhoea or Dehydration?
For mild diarrhoea without danger signs, you can consult a verified doctor through ShifaMate, including a pediatrics practitioner for children. Tell the doctor how many loose stools there have been, whether there is blood, how much the patient is drinking and passing urine, and the child's weight if possible. You can also browse ShifaMate doctors.
If you see signs of severe dehydration, go to hospital immediately.
References
- World Health Organization. Diarrhoeal disease (fact sheet)
- World Health Organization. Cholera (fact sheet)
- NHS. Dehydration
- NHS. Diarrhoea and vomiting
- CDC. Treating cholera / rehydration
- icddr,b
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a qualified doctor.
Sources
This article is general health information, not medical advice for any individual. For your own situation, consult a registered doctor. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital without delay.
