- The color of mucus is not a reliable indicator of illness or infection.
- Mucus can appear in various colors—clear, cloudy, yellow, green, or white—and still be normal.
- Color changes do not mean a bacterial infection is present.
- Mucus simply indicates that the body is producing snot, not the severity or type of illness.
Let's Talk About Mucus
The color of mucus doesn’t indicate infection—it simply means you have mucus, regardless of whether it’s clear, yellow, green, or any other color.
Susanne Tanski, MD, MPH, Pediatrics
