it seemed like a good idea at the time

When you're married, you share like lots of things, including various sinus/chest cruds. Tom's head was pretty congested this evening, so I let him use my sinus rinse bottle, after telling him how to wash it out so we wouldn't be cross-infecting each other. I also told him to use warm water and a packet of the salt that came in the kit. I heard him in the bathroom using it, so I figured all was well.

Later, while Tom went to get dinner, I took a shower, and decided to rinse out my sinuses myself. While performing the procedure, I noticed it had a somewhat minty smell, although it wasn't constant, so I thought I was maybe imagining things.

At dinner I enquired.

M: Did you use anything other than salt water in the bottle?
T: Maybe...
M: What did you use?
T: I may have used mouthwash...
M: (sigh) Scope or Listerine?
T: ...uh, Listerine. I did dilute it so I didn't scream when squirted it up my nose
M: Oh my Lord...
T: I did use salt water, but it's kinda hard to get the right amount of salt.
M: I told you where the packets were
T: I didn't want to use up any of your supply
M: So how much salt did you use, a tablespoon?
T: Something like that.
M: A quarter teaspoon would have been enough. All you had to do was ask...

Just another night at home.

Of course, I'll not mention any of the less than brilliant ideas I've had in the quest to cure a sinus infection, like swabbing out my nasal passages with q-tips.